Church Schools and Academies of the

Future

September 2012

A new educational landscape The Schools White Paper 2010

The Education Act 2010

Seeing things from another point of view!

‘Tweaking things at the margins is not an option. Reforms on this scale are absolutely essential if our children are to get the education they deserve’ 

The importance of teaching (2010)

an “independent” school a school’s religious designation or church

status should “travel” with it control over the whole school budget right of the academy to set its own pay and

conditions additional freedoms around the curriculum exercise autonomy...the freedom to choose

What is an academy?

Reasons to consider Academy Status

Publicly funded independent state schools Not for profit Academy Trust Freedom from LA / directly accountable to Secretary of State Staff employed by Academy Trust Range of freedoms (curriculum / Ts&Cs / school day) Funded centrally Owns/leases and manages land Trust Board + Local GBs allowed / often smaller than current GBs Becomes the admissions authority Need to buy services that are no longer automatically provided from LA Subject to std legislation on H&S / equality / employment Law on SEN / Admissions / Exclusions still apply Route via Conversion or Sponorship Gov’t expect all schools to become Academies in the long term

the Salisbury Diocesan family of schools and academies to become outstanding, distinctive, Christian learning communities

Engage, inspire and equip:

“The Church does not wish to see a fragmentation or loss of a sense of ‘family’. Diocesan structures and ways of working have, over many years, developed collegially and collaboratively and this has brought great strength to the reputation and achievements of Church schools. It is important that this is maintained and developed, not negated by the creation of new academies”.

National Society Interim Guidance on Academies Nov 2010

2010 Academies Act

Building strong bridges to the future

A working group? A consultation paper to aid conversation

with governors, staff and parents/carers Conversation with DBE Allocation of a DBE consultant to support

you through the process Legal advice and cost (DBE and solicitors) The time frame and overview of actions Pitfalls and problems

The mechanics!

Convert to a Single Academy

Legals Accountabilities

Set-up / Consultation

Flexibility / Sustainability

Suitability

Strong schools with strong leadership & governance, needing no LA support

Not appropriate for schools with performance, leadership or governance issues

Unlikely to be suitable for those facing staffing / finance / scale challenges

Set up Trust company / funding agreement with 7yrs notice / Land and assets transferor lease / retain category

Trust Members + Trust Board as the GB / Accountable to Secretary of State / Ofsted applies / ‘free from LA control’

Standard process / must consult but GB determines who & how / Existing trusts (ie DBE) must give approval / £25k grant

Academy freedoms/ Academies are ‘schools of the future’

Finance Staffing Leadership Working with others

Funded by EFA / central application process for capital / Respond to outcomes of funding reform

TUPE process for all staff / ability to flex Ts&Cs

Retain own HT & restructure GB under new model

Need to state how you will support others as part of application / can support others / cannot federate with maintained schools

Academy CollaborationLegals Accountabilities Set-up /

ConsultationFlexibility / Sustainability

Suitability

Strong schools with strong leadership & governance / Good schools looking to share for added Benefit

Not appropriate for schools with governance or significant performance issues

Unlikely to be suitable for those facing leadership / staffing / finance / challenges

Convert to single Academy thru legal process / agreecollaboration with other academies

Retained by Academy Trust / delegations flexible through Trust documents / Ofsted as single academy / looser arrangement

Standard process / must consult but GB determines who/how / Existing trusts (ie DBE) must give approval£25k grant

Academy freedoms / Academies are ‘schools of the future’ / scale supports sustainability

Finance Staffing Leadership Working with others

Funded by EFA / central application process for capital / Respond to outcomes of funding reform

TUPE process for all staff / ability to flex Ts&Cs / can share staff via agreements

Retain own HT & restructure GB under new model / can share HTsacross academies

Need to state how you will support others as part of application / cannot federate with maintained schools

Join a Multi-Academy-Trust (MAT)Legals Accountabilities Set-up /

ConsultationFlexibility / Sustainability

Suitability

All schools –Strong schools wanting to partner and take a lead /Those with scale, leadership, governance, & finance challenges + Those needing support + Those wanting to strengthen CPDAlso those needing rapid intervention (sponsorship)

Legal conversion either into existing or withpartner academy or create new MAT / funding agreement with 7yrs notice / Land and assets transfer or lease / retain category

Single Trust - Members + Trust Board accountable to Secretary of State / Local GB per academy –delegations set by Trust Board / Ofsted applies / ‘free from LA control’ / Strong schools can sponsor others

Standard process / must consult but GB determines who/howExisting trusts (ieDBE) must give approval£25k grant

Academy freedoms/ Academies are ‘schools of the future’ / trading services /locality & national growth / DfE view as most sustainable mode

Finance Staffing Leadership Working with others

Funded by EFA / central application process for capital / Respond to outcomes of funding reform

TUPE process for all staff / ability to flex Ts&Cs / staff employed at trust level / optimum staffing flexibilities across trust

Retain own HT & restructure GB under new model / opportunity to share HTs / creative governance

Automatic across MAT / possible business ptrs / VA schools restricted options with VC/C + DBE is key partner

Convert & join an Umbrella TrustLegals Accountabilities Set-up /

ConsultationFlexibility / Sustainability

Suitability

Most schools / Those looking for leadership, governance, scale, finance benefits / those needing limited support

Unlikely to be suitable for those with weak governance

Not suitable for those below floor & needing significant support

Legal conversion / funding agreement with 7Yr notice / Land and assets transfer or lease / join existing UT or setup new with partner academy / retain category

Single Academy with Members / Trust Board Accountable to Secretary of State / Local GB per academy – delegations determined by Trust Board / Ofsted applies / ‘free from LA control’

Standard process / must consult but GB determines who/howExisting trusts (ieDBE) must give approval£25k grant

Academy freedomswithin company remit / Academies are ‘schools of the future’ / trading services

Finance Staffing Leadership Working with others

Funded by EFA / central application process for capital / Respond to outcomes of funding reform

TUPE process for all staff / ability to flex Ts&Cs / flexibility to employ staff at UT level

Retain own HT & restructure GB under new model / opportunity to share HTs /potential for creative models of governance

UT acts as collab’ vehicle or trading body for services / can engage business ptrs / preferred DBE model / all categories

A Local Collaborative Trust

The Trust reflects the needs and aspirations of the schools; powers are drafted widely so that the LCT may undertake what ever is useful to meet need.

The Board of the LCT... Is local; directors from each school – an

effective policy forum for the whole group

An LCT is... Primarily there to procure and deliver

services for and to its members – and sell services to third parties to a limited extent

LCT Articles enable... Directors to set up committees to take work

forward DBE to become members if invited! Any mixture of schools and academies to

partner, including independent schools Agreed budget Agreed work plan

Making a difference...