Academies: a changing landscape June 2014 Read the stories behind the photos: Frank Green Schools Commissioner

My background Chief Executive of Leigh Academies Trust for five years – group of seven schools in Dartford (3 secondary, 2 primary, 1 Special, 1 UTC) – soon to expand to 10. Built up over the past 10 years from 1 City Technology college. Prior to this headteacher since 1992.

Growth of a sponsor LAT In 2008 we set the goals as shown in the slide below Currently 3 secondary, 2 primary, 1 special, 1 UTC Web pages show detail: trust.org.uk

Role of the Schools Commissioner lead communications between DfE and the education sector initiate brokerage of academy arrangements between those schools that would benefit most from an academy solution and established sponsors with a good track record of performance improvement encourage and help nurture potential sponsors from schools and community sectors influence school-to-school support and working closely with ministers to shape the future development of the academies and free schools programme From September 2014, line management of the 8 regional schools commissioners (RSCs).

Current picture Over 4,300 open academies and free schools in England. Around 30% are sponsored: o 601 are Primary o 487 are Secondary o 14 are Special academies. o 3 are PRUs academies. 617 approved sponsors ready for projects. We have approved 279 sponsors since Jan Academy growth since September 2010

Self-managing, self-improving system School-to-school support and collaboration Ultimate goal: More children, more quickly, achieving much more. 90% and 100% 1/3 Vision for academies system

TRANSFORMATION

Self-managing: – RSCs and HTBs – Schools in Trusts – LA role Self-improving – Teaching School Alliances – Challenge Partners – Other private providers

Academies are working together to improve performance All schools that are performing well are expected to work with another school to bring about an improvement in standards An Academy is part of a chain if it is part of a Multi-Academy Trust, an Umbrella Trust, or a collaborative partnership Academy chains are growing rapidly with hundreds of Academies now part of chains The Primary Academy Chains Development Grant is available to support schools coming together in a Multi-Academy Trust Special Academies can support improvements to SEN provision and attainment and well-being of pupils with Special Education Needs

Options for Collaboration The Multi-Academy Trust model – a group of schools which work together under a single Trust. This model has been in use for some time in sponsored academy chains Umbrella Trust Model –an overarching umbrella trust which has oversight of what is happening in each school and will be able to influence how the schools in the chain are run. Each school has its own Academy Trust Collaborative Partnership chains - very flexible, with no shared governance … but it is how these are put into practice that makes the difference.

Multi-Academy-Trust Model (Example) 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. MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST Members Directors Academy 1Academy 2Academy 3 Local Governing Body /Advisory Body Local Governing Body /Advisory Body Local Governing Body /Advisory Body 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. The MAT has a master funding agreement with the Secretary of State

Umbrella Trust Model (Example) Academy A Members Trustees Academy B Multi-Academy Trust Members Trustees UMBRELLA TRUST The Academies continue to exist as separate legal entities which sit under an overarching Umbrella Trust. Each Academy continues to have its own Articles and funding agreement with the Secretary of State. It is possible to have a combination of single Academy Trusts and Multi-Academy Trusts under an Umbrella Trust The Umbrella Trust can have a number of collaborative roles and it is for the schools involved to agree what the Umbrella Trust’s roles and responsibilities will be. Examples of functions include setting a joint vision and strategies for the group of schools, procuring services etc. The schools or group setting up the Umbrella Trust can agree the Umbrella Trust’s membership. If the Academies want to be linked by shared governance then it can be agreed that the UT appoints a number of members/trustees in each Academy. Appoints Trustees School Improvement Board Oversight of performance, clear intervention triggers Funding Agreement Articles Funding Agreement Articles Members Trustees Multi-Academy Funding Agreement The AT and UT may agree for the UT to support the academies in improving standards. The UT could do this through establishing a panel

Governance Main Academy GB Resources committee Standards committee New Academy DG Main Board local academy board 1 Primary Academy DG (in special measures) local academy board 2 Secondary and Primary Academies local academy board 3local academy board 4 Standards Committee Resources Committee Overarching Trust Area 1 Trust local Academy 1 Board local Academy 2 Board Area 2 Trust local academy 3 Board local Academy 4 Board Area 3 Trust local Academy 5 Board local Academy 6 Board 1-2 academies 3-10 academies 11 – 40 academies

Ministers have created a system of Regional Schools Commissioners supported by Headteacher Boards which will…  Build capacity of DfE to deal with the growing numbers of academies.  Bring decision making closer to schools – bringing greater local/regional knowledge and context.  Give the best leaders greater influence over the direction of the academies system.  Regional decisions, centrally supported – create an efficient system of delivery informed by regional knowledge, supported centrally by existing teams.  Create an evolving system – allowing flexibility for the system to continue to evolve as the number of academies grow. 15

RSC regions 16  England is split into eight geographically pragmatic regions of reasonable size.  Reasonable spread of challenge across the RSC’s roles.  London is split into three and combined with neighbouring home counties – spreading expertise. 3 3

RSCs and their HTBs will have four key roles… – Monitoring performance and prescribing intervention to secure improvement in underperforming academies and free schools. – Taking decisions on the creation of new academies and making recommendations to ministers about free school applications. – Ensuring that there are enough high-quality sponsors to meet local need. Taking decisions on changes to open academies.

But there are a number of things that won’t change… Accountability lines – ultimate accountability will remain with the Secretary of State, with decisions better informed by sector expertise. RSCs will have no role in relation to maintained schools. This is not about changing the role of LAs – although we’ll expect RSCs and LAs to work together and for LAs to raise concerns about academies with the RSC. DfE will continue to provide resource from Whitehall to support RSCs, including operational support to implement decisions taken by them. Functions such as due diligence & oversight of academy financial performance will continue to be managed by central DfE.

19 Regional Schools Commissioners will be supported by a board of headteachers…  Role of HTBs is to challenge and advise the RSC, bringing local sector knowledge/expertise.  There will be a minimum of six members on each board:  four places will be elected to HTBs by other academy heads. These will be heads of academies rated good or outstanding overall with outstanding leadership and management.  two members appointed by SoS/RSC.  HTBs will be able co-opt other members – on approval from SoS that this is needed.  Time commitment: between half a day and one day a week role (paid/reimbursed role).

20 HTB elections The elections will use a first past the post system. We have established rules for election that: ensure we have both primary and secondary representation. prevent domination by chains. Eligibility to stand for election current headteachers of individual academies rated by Ofsted as outstanding or good overall with outstanding leadership and management, or; recently (within two years of the election) served as a headteacher of an academy which met the criteria above at the time of their departure. Eligibility to vote All open academy headteachers in each of the eight regions on 1 st May will be eligible to vote. Timescales 23 rd May - Nomination process opens 13 th June - Deadline for receipt of nominations rd June - Elections open 11 th July - Deadline for receipt of ballot papers / e-votes – 40% 16 th July - Election results announced

Each Region has an HTB of 6-8 Mainly outstanding educational leaders 4 elected for a 3 year term– 160 candidates for the elections, others appointed or co- opted Meet regularly with RSC to Agree decisions on academies, sponsors, etc Arrange to commission intervention and support Strategic leaders of education system

Darlington, Sheffield, Cumbria, Oxford, Bromley, East Sussex, Barnet, North East Lincolnshire, Staffordshire Grouping all schools in a partnership, a federation or a trust. Education Commission Discussion of new role for LA and new relationship with its schools.

Peer review challenges schools to be better Support School improvement by S2SS Work with RSCs to support Academies and Free Schools by providing knowledge Become an arm in the array of support that RSCs can commission, or encourage schools to commission for themselves

Thank you