MATs - 2016

Schools White Paper 2016: Educational Excellence Everywhere Puts the best leaders at the heart of the school system, with the support to thrive Will allow recruiting and development of great teachers wherever they are needed Sets high expectations for all – supported by fair, stretching accountability measures Enables pupils, parents, and communities to demand more from their schools

A school-led system with every school an academy, empowered pupils, parents and communities and a clearly defined role for local government Expectation that all schools will be academies Most schools in dynamic multi-academy trusts (MATs) Intervention in coasting and failing schools Parents and communities able to demand more for their children A clearly defined role for local authorities

A school-led system Government will: continue to encourage high performing maintained schools to apply to become academies implement measures in the Education and Adoption Act so that all inadequate schools become sponsored academies and coasting schools are tackled for the first time take powers to direct schools to become academies in underperforming local authority areas or where the local authority no longer has capacity to maintain its schools

A school-led system Build sponsor capacity, speed up the process of conversion to academy status, and work with the Church of England, Catholic Church and other faith groups to support Church and faith schools to become academies Promote greater collaboration between schools, particularly through multi-academy trusts (MATs) which we expect most schools will join Ensure that the future school system is dynamic, responding to success and failure, and that RSCs intervene promptly where academies or MATs are underperforming

A school-led system Define the role of local authorities (LAs) in education: ensuring every child has a school place and that the needs of all pupils are met, and championing parents and the local community. Local authorities will step back from maintaining schools and school improvement Review the responsibilities of local authorities in relation to children, including the implications for the roles of the Director of Children’s Services and the Lead Member for Children, in light of the policy changes set out in this White Paper

Forming MATs Can be single or cross-phase Can include existing academies and currently maintained schools Can include ‘good’ and ‘outstanding’ schools Can include ‘required improvement’ schools if the MAT demonstrates capacity needed to ensure the school improves Can include ‘inadequate’ school if the MAT is also approved as a sponsor

Forming MATs Guidance is a minimum of 5 members Members appoint Board of Directors Directors need to cover all the skills needed – we recommend employees are not on the board, other than CEO – heads will of course attend and advise board Where gaps in skills – Academy Ambassadors scheme - a non-profit organisation set up to bring inspirational educationalists together with talented business leaders to build better multi-academy trust boards - www.academyambassadors.org

Forming MATs Trust board oversees aggregate of schools’ income and decide on central functions When a request to convert to become an academy is approved, school receivers a grant of £25k to support conversion – legal, governance, scheme of delegation – takes about 4 months Trusts need executive leadership from the start

What is a MAT? Charity Company Responsible for standards and finances and legal compliance of schools within Trust (as set out in the Funding Agreement with the Secretary of State) Funding is via the EFA rather than the LA Employer of all the staff in the schools in the Trust Board Directors are also Charity Trustees

What is a MAT? MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST Academy 1 Academy 2 Academy 3 There is only one legal entity accountable for all schools within the chain, the Multi-Academy Trust (MAT). The MAT has one set of Articles which governs all the academies in that chain. MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST The MAT has a master funding agreement with the Secretary of State and supplemental FAs for each school Members Trustees The MAT may set up either a local governing body or advisory body for each academy. The MAT can agree to delegate some matters to this local governing body. Academy 1 Academy 2 Academy 3 Local Governing Body /Advisory Body Local Governing Body /Advisory Body Local Governing Body /Advisory Body

Functions of the Board Setting the direction and ethos Creating robust accountability standards Finances Ensuring best use of finances It is for the Board to determine committee structures and schemes of delegation

Roles Members: guardians of the Trust, at least 5 Trust Board: small & skills based Local Governing Bodies Executive headteacher/CEO/Accounting officer Leadership team Cross-trust roles

Rationale - Better outcomes for children Raise standards by sharing best practice and using resources more effectively: CPD Staffing structures Richer curriculum – specialist staff Recruitment & career development Back office efficiencies Future sustainability Whole school system led by strong schools

What is academy conversion process? Academy conversion process begins Named Project Lead assigned from the DfE TUPE consultation Consultation Land transfers (Land arrangements must be agreed by the DfE. Land issues can often be tricky, time consuming to resolve and cause delays to conversion so it is suggested that these should be prioritised for early work). Any shared use agreements must be approved by the DfE and set up with the Academy Trust Any loans must be approved by the DfE and transferred to the Academy Trust Memorandum & Articles of Association for the Trust to be completed Draft Funding Agreement to be completed Commercial Transfer Agreement agreed between the LA & the Academy Trust Academy Opens Approval Governing Body passes resolution applying to SoS to convert, naming MAT and sends to DfE RSC/Headteacher Board considers application Academy conversion or sponsorship approved by RSC Academy Order issued by DfE Application Approval Governing Body passes resolution applying to SoS to convert, naming MAT and sends to DfE Initial consultation with stakeholders RSC/Headteacher Board considers conversion/sponsorship Academy conversion/sponsorship approved by RSC Academy Order issued by DfE 4 weeks 5 months

Conversion Funding £25k to meet costs of conversion Sponsorship – school improvement grants

Sponsor application process – application form Vision Ethos, aims & objectives of your organisation, your aspirations for growth Structure Organisational structure & lines of accountability Pen portraits of founding members & Directors Partner organisations Capacity & capability Academic performance data & Ofsted outcomes Support for underperforming schools previously provided & its impact Key people that you plan to use for school improvement & details of their experience & previous impact Financial planning and propriety Financial performance of organisation over past 3 years Name, qualification & experience of Finance Director Internal & external financial scrutiny/audit mechanisms Financial plan & details of any top-slice

Developing operational & governance structures

All trusts need strong and effective governance The Academies Financial Handbook requires that governance MUST…. have the skills, knowledge and experience to run the academy trust fully understand their duties as company directors and charity trustees take full control of the academy trust’s financial affairs, apply the letter and the spirit of the AFH, and ensure appropriate oversight of financial transactions prevent losses or misuse of the trusts assets and property ensure value for money, regularity and propriety in relation to the management of its funds Report on their review of governance in their first set of audited accounts and should assess effectiveness annually complete, and return to EFA, a financial management and governance self- assessment for new academy trusts, or constituent academies joining a multi-academy trust recognise and manage present and future risks including business continuity planning

academy (in special measures) MAT Governance Option 1 Main Board local academy board 1 academy (in special measures) local academy board 2 local academy board 3 local academy board 4 Standards Committee Resources Committee

Primary Trust Example – cross trust roles 5 primary schools Executive headteacher School improvement team Qualified HR manager Accountant as Finance Director Executive attendance leader Executive SENCO Specialist teachers

Leadership – evolution in a Trust example Point where reporting structures and processes will need to change 15 + schools Head Exec Head Exec Principal CEO 6-15 schools 2-5 schools 1 school …mind set, role development, delegation, task and skill diversity…

Developing central functions as Trust grows Leadership School Improvement Finance HR IT services Facilities Management Administration

MAT Governance Option 2 MAT Board CEO SoD Regional Board 1 Function is to hold the EP and Principals to account, sign off school budgets, taking reports from committees. Manage by exception MAT Board CEO SoD Regional Board 1 Regional Board 2 Regional Board 3 Critical friend to the Principal. Includes parents, school staff. One RB member in attendance for reporting. CEO does not attend. May be an Advisory Council rather than LGB EP1 Include Directors and members of Trust on each, enabling better sharing of information between schools. SoD P1 P1 P1 LGB LGB LGB 24

REAch2 overview, Sept 2015 Governance Executive Trust Board Accountable body; remains responsible even for functions delegated to regions, LGBs or executive 3+ meetings a year 4 committees: education, HR, £, risk Executive team CEO = Accounting Officer; together with 3 other directors, can delegate executive functions to other staff at any level Central team/services National delegation of powers CEO is an ex officio trustee reps attend each other’s meetings Regional Boards committees of Trust Board, providing scrutiny, challenge & support to LGBs/academies, ensuring info/comms flow 3+ meetings a year 4 committees as above, plus forums for all Headteachers and Chairs of LGBs in the region Regional teams Led by Executive Principals, responsible for standards and activities across academies in the region Cross-functional teams: school improvement but also HR, finance, governance support Regional EPs are on Regional Boards (RBs) on Regional 3 CoGBs Boards Local Governing Bodies Appointed by Trust Board plus elected/co-opted members to provide scrutiny, challenge and support to academy leadership teams 3+ meetings a year Committees as approved by Trust Board Academy leadership teams Day-to-day leadership & management of individual academies accountability Local HTs are on LGBs, 3 on RBs too

Outwood Grange Example - Governance 16 secondary academies 3 primary academies

Developing operational structures

Operational Committee Committee overkill! New MAT Board Weak SoD Education Committee Operational Committee Audit Committee Existing LGB Existing LGB Existing LGB Audit Committe HR, payroll Committee Standards Committee Finance Committee Operations Committee Curriculum Committee Finance Committee HR Committee Teaching & Learning

Establishing reporting/monitoring processes How do you know how individual academies are performing? How do you track and manage risk?

Risk Management Why Bother? Governance Better Management Protects reputation Compliance Less risk averse Improved planning Focus on priorities Achieving objectives Proactive approach

Top ten governor checks Staff pay as percentage of total expenditure (typically 70-80%) Average teacher cost Pupil to teacher ratio Class sizes by key stage Teacher contact ratio Proportion of budget spent on leadership team Three to five year budget projections Spend per pupil for non-pay expenditure compared to similar schools School improvement plans priorities List of contracts with costs and renewal dates

Consistency versus conformity? Ensures entitlement to the best education possible Systems and Operating procedures Data Collection Points Common Exam Syllabi Assessment and Reporting Key Educational Policies HR practice as one employer Not in every respect Culture of the school Uniform Enrichment Relationship with the local community Educational networks unique to the school

Sources of information Guidance on academy conversion https://www.gov.uk/guidance/convert-to-an-academy-information-for-schools Technical questions: www.gov.uk/contact-dfe Academy Ambassadors – a not-for-profit organisation set up to support academies across England by finding senior figures from the world of business and the professions to sit on the boards of academy trusts: www.academyambassadors.org Regional schools commissioners (RSCs) www.gov.uk/government/organisations/schools-commissioners-group The RSC for the East of England and North East London is Dr Tim Coulson, who can be contacted via RSC.EASTNELONDON@education.gsi.gov.uk

Questions