St Chads Academy Consultation Presentation

Academy ConsultationMeeting onTuesday 18th of March 2014Held at St Marys Catholic Primary School

Prayer & Introductions

Mr Carl Beardon – Chair of Governors (SM)Mrs Alice Reeve– Governor (CG)

Father Patrick Brennan (SM & CG)Mr Stephen Breeze – Head Teacher (SM)

Mr Michael Burrowes – Head Teacher (CG)Mr David Carne – Executive Business Manager

(CG)Clare Yates – Finance and Admin Manager (SM)

Welcome

• Introductions•What is an Academy?•Academy myths•Why we are looking to become an

Academy•What might be different?•What would remain the same?

Welcome

• The consultation process• The conversion process explained•An opportunity to ask any questions

Some background

Types of Academy?

Type 1 Sponsored• Failing schools• Financial sponsor brought in•Address under-performance•New buildings•Often big chains •Often more like a business

Types of Academy?

Type 2 Sponsored•Under-performing schools• Educational sponsor brought

in•Address under-performance•Often big chains, or schools •Often more like a business

Types of Academy?

Type 3 Convertor•Mostly Good / Outstanding•Mostly good exam results•No pressure to convert•Opportunity to take

advantage of new freedomsTHIS IS THE TYPE OF ACADEMY WE ARECONSULTING ON

BECOMING

Do we have to become an Academy?

No!

We are not being forced into becoming an Academy.

Myths about Academies

•All Academies are failing schools with poor performance•Academies are selective

schools and can charge fees•Academies do not support

pupils with Special Educational Needs


•We will have to change uniform if we become and Academy•Academies are sponsored

by Businesses•Academies can’t get

support from the Local Authority


•Multi-Academies have one Executive Head Teacher over all the schools•Academies do not have

parent Governors•Academies have to change

the school day and term times


• Each school has to have a new name if it becomes an Academy•Academies have to give

their staff less favourable terms of employment•We will get a brand new

building as an Academy

What is an Academy?•A publically funded

independent school that provides a first-class education• A Charitable Company set up for the

purpose of providing Education• A school that is directly accountable to

the Department for Education rather than the Local Authority

What is an Academy?

•A School that is free from Local Authority control and receives additional funds for providing the services previously provided by the Local Authority•A school that has additional

freedoms when compared with a mainstream school

What is a Multi-Academy Company?

•A collection of two or more schools who unite under one Board of Directors to work together to provide high quality education for all their pupils• Set up with strict controls on

membership of Board of Directors by the Archdiocese of Birmingham

What is a Multi-Academy Company?

•One Board of Directors works across both schools• Each school has its own

Academy Committee• There are parent and staff

representatives on both the Board of Directors and the Academy Committees for each school

Why we think we should become an Academy?

As a Multi-Academy Company we will enhance

Catholic Education in Cannock and ensure it

continues for the long term future


We are stronger together!

What is the view of theArchdiocese of Birmingham?

• The Catholic Education service had made it clear that they expect schools to consider the best way to secure Catholic education for the future• The Diocese are fully

supportive of our proposal to become a Multi-Academy Company

What is the view of theother Catholic schools?

•All our partner primary schools have been involved in the process of deciding whether they want to become part of a MAC•We have made it clear they can join

later if they wish


By working together as a Primary and Secondary school we will make the learning journey for our

pupils more seamless


We can improve transition for our pupils and give them new learning

experiences


An Academy has the Freedom to act in the best

interests of its existing pupils and those to come


Currently much of our Curriculum is dictated centrally and doesn’t always meet the needs of our pupils

Curriculum freedoms

What is different in anAcademy?

Freedom to appoint staff on different contracts would mean we could share staff in future or be more flexible about Educational provision

Staffing freedoms


An Academy has different funding arrangements

which mean it has greater control of how the pupils’

money is spent


LA Services Vs. Academy Services

ONE SIZE FITS ALL SUPPORT FITS NEED


We can decide what services meet our pupils’ needs and use the money from

the top slice to pay for them

What do our pupils need?

What is the view of theLocal Authority?

• The Local Authority have made it clear that they are neutral on schools becoming Academies, and would look to support schools whatever decision they made• The Local Authority has recently set

up a joint venture with CAPITA to provide services to Academies


Economies of scale

We would also have greater buying power as two schools to negotiate better deals, meaning more money is available to spend on pupils


Sharing resources

We could enhance what we already do in terms of making use of each other’s facilities and resources


Additional work

We would have to do more accounting and financial administration


New ResponsibilitiesWe would have to

take responsibility for those services which the Local Authority

Provided

We will have a lot to learn in the first year


Being independentWe would need to make sure we have sufficient support to replace the comfort blanket of the Local

Authority.

It’s a brave new world!

What is the same in anAcademy?

• Each school retains its Catholic Ethos

• A commitment to High Academic Standards• Parental and staff representation on

Board of Directors and Academy Committees• Our relationship with other Catholic

schools

What is the process forconsultation? • Consultation period

runs until 1st May 2014

• Website with FAQs link from both schools’ websites

• Responses in writing by email or letter

• Questions or comments

What is the process forconversion? • Submit application to Department

for Education• Consultation• TUPE process with staff• DFE issue Academy Order• Decision whether to proceed• Establish Academy Trust• Sign Funding Agreement• Open Academy 1st October 2014

More information? Frequently asked questions

www.stchadsacademy.org.uk

[email protected]

Or via post to either school marked clearly, ‘ACADEMY CONSULTATION

RESPONSE’

More information?

www.stchadsacademy.org.uk

Click on “Consultation Documents” which will open the page with all the documents on it

Questions?

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