We became Compass Eko Trust on 1st April 2026, having worked together as two successful trusts for over five years, collaborating on school improvement, and sharing an HR function. We are excited to begin our journey together as a combined Trust across 7 local authorities.

Compass Eko will continue to protect the unique characteristics of each of our schools. We firmly believe that collaboration should not equate to ‘sameness’. We celebrate diversity in all its forms, and whilst there are some very clear consistencies across our schools, these do not undermine their individuality. We are clear that we need to be consistent about the right things; quality and integrity.

Compass Eko Trust is led by Co-CEOs John Camp OBE, Rebekah Iiyambo OBE, and their Leadership Team. Compass Eko is a charitable trust of 21 primary schools, 2 infant, 2 junior, 2 SEMH, and one all-through special school. The schools work very closely together to raise standards of provision and attainment for over 9000 children. These schools are at the heart of their communities and achieve highly, regardless of context. 

We have a shared vision and set of values that underpin all that we do, with a central focus on creative, innovative and engaging teaching that develops a love and interest in learning. We craft meaningful contexts for learning that actively engage children in rich dialogic tasks, developing key skills for independence, confidence and resilience.

Compass Eko Facts

We are a growing Trust of schools. To date we are:

28 schools, 29 sites, 5 geographical areas, 9,000 pupils and over 2000 staff.

From Compass to Compass Eko

The group started life as a partnership arrangement between Deansfield Primary and Willow Dene School in June of 2011. The Headteacher of Deansfield, John Camp, became the Executive Headteacher of both schools and oversaw the improvements that needed to be made at Willow Dene. As a result of the tremendous success of the partnership and the rapid transformation at Willow Dene, the partnership extended to South Rise Primary School in February 2012, Horn Park in April 2013, Halstow in September 2014, and Wingfield and Alderwood in September 2015.

Compass became a multi-academy trust on 1st July 2017 under the same name.  In January 2022 Compass welcomed Cann Hall in Clacton, and John Ray Junior, Notley Green and Shalford Primary Schools in Braintree, to our Trust. Boxgrove and Kidbrooke Park Primary Schools, Greenwich, joined us in October 2023, and John Ray Infant, Braintree, in July 2024.  Our free school, Rowan Wood, opened in September 2025. On April 1^st 2026 Compass' 15 schools became part of Compass Eko Trust.

From Eko to Compass Eko

From Eko to Compass Eko

Eko Trust was formed in November 2016 by three like-minded Headteachers of two primary and an all-through SEN school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) issues. The leaders of Kaizen Primary , Gainsborough Primary and the then Eleanor Smith School (now Horizon Academy) shared a belief that every child should benefit from an amazing education without limit on ambition or opportunity. That inclusive approach combined with an excellent school improvement programme attracted Earlham Primary School, a Newham school seeking to be excellent, to join in 2017. In 2017 the DfE supported the transfer in Eko of Hackney New Primary School, a Free School that had opened in 2016. In that same year, Pathways School, a new all-through SEMH in the London Barking & Dagenham, opened as an Eko school as a DfE Special Free School. 

Following a school improvement project for which Eko was commissioned by Suffolk County Council, Rushmere Hall Primary School (Ipswich) chose to join those six schools in 2021. That school's strong progress catalysed the growth of the Suffolk hub with Ravenswood, joining in September 2024 and then the Federation of Fairfield Infants & Colneis Junior School joining January 2026.

In parallel, successful collaboration between the teaching schools of Kaizen and Benfield, a Brighton school, saw it and its federation partner, Hangleton, join in September 2024. Another Brighton school, Woodingdean Primary, similarly attracted by Eko high-quality school support programme joined in February 2026. On April 1^st 2026 Eko's 13 schools became part of Compass Eko Trust.