Book excerpt: With nearly two decades of school governance experience across Infant, Primary, Secondary, All Through and Alternative Provision schools and academies, distilled into an easy-to-read format, Al Kingsley's My School & Multi Academy Trust Growth Guide aims to support the discussions and key considerations for any Trust or school looking at their next steps for growth. This consolidated guide will take you step by step through the key considerations as part of your growth journey, the opportunities and pathways available, balancing risk vs. reward, capacity considerations, due diligence and more. It is aimed as a catalyst to support discussions with board members and senior leadership and provide key checklists to support your decision-making process. With an ever-changing educational landscape and a clear trajectory for growth and scale within our MATs, this guide is an ideal companion and "litmus test" for Leaders, Trustees and Governors involved in their school or Trusts strategic planning.