Stanway Federation Academy Trust “Why consider joining the Trust and what it means for the primary, infant and junior schools.” 12 December 2013

Stanway Federation Academy Trust  The Stanway and Thomas Lord Audley Schools Secondary academies that converted in March Ofsted: Stanway Good May 2013 TLA Satisfactory Jan 2012 Attainment 5A*-C GCSE w/ English & Maths: Stanway 70-80%, TLA 50-60% Managing the phased closure of Alderman Blaxill  Member of North East Essex Education Partnership (NEEEP) Umbrella Trust of seven secondary academies spanning the NE of county Purpose to enable member academies improve and sustain performance and operate efficiently Individual autonomy but sign up to agreed partnership principles of governance and operation  Year 7 pupils come from 25+ different feeder primary schools Truly comprehensive intake with diverse range of pupil attainment at entry A number of feeders are now Ofsted Outstanding  Approved as a sponsor by DfE in Sept 2013 Monkwick Junior School to join as sponsored academy April 2014 Monwick Infant School to join as a partner academy April 2014 (Ofsted Good)

Trust vision  A family of local schools that offer children aged 3-16 an excellent education regardless of starting point in life or where they live.  Between academies: 2 secondary and balance primary, junior and infants  All schools to be judged by Ofsted Good and Outstanding in time  Quality of teaching and learning excellent in every school, phase, class and subject  Every child achieves appropriate national standards through every phase  A learning community of school governors, leaders, teachers and support staff benefitting from coordinated professional development framework

Trust benefits for primary, infant and junior schools  Partnership working to support school improvement Support, challenge and ideas from fellow Headteachers Planning and delivering joint professional development Planning and delivering joint specialist and supply teaching Sharing of good practice and collective response to new DfE and Ofsted policy  Development of EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 partnership Working in partnership with other EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 teams  Governor support and training  Continuity of 3-16 pathway for local community Education Pastoral support Extended services  Capacity and capability to manage academy status efficiently Finance, Personnel, HR business management and FM Joint commissioning and procurement of services  Trust protection should Ofsted judge school Requires Improvement or Inadequate

Trust principles of governance and operation  Trust Board able to fulfil its statutory and regulatory responsibilities Educational Financial Operational  Clear delegated authority for each member academy Autonomy linked to Ofsted status Set out in Terms of Reference and Schemes of Delegation  Member academies sign up to Trust principles Governance Planning and operation Performance monitoring and reporting Financial management  No Executive Headteacher. Headteacher Group fulfil this role  No top slice for Trust membership. At cost charges for services provided by the Trust

M MAT Trust Board Headteacher Group Trust Members Stanway & TLA LGB Primary #1 LGB Primary #2 LGB Primary #3 LGB Trust Finance & Audit Cttee LGB C’ttees Trust governance model

Trust governance & delegation School judged Good or Outstanding School judged Requires Improvement or Inadequate Representation of academy on Trust Board Two directors, usually Chair and Headteacher Representation of Trust on academy LGB None. Powers to appoint in specific circumstances. Two Governors appointed by Trust. Further powers in specific circumstances. Representation on Headteacher Group Every Headteacher is on the Headteacher Group Representation on Trust Finance C’ttee Each Chair of Finance and Headteacher is on the Trust Finance C’ttee Governance delegationSet out in standard Terms of Reference for LGB. Principle of full delegation Financial delegationBudget to be ratified by Trust Finance & Audit C’ttee and approved by Trust Board Full budget control except contract value >£50k or £176k. Compliance with Trust Financial Management Requirements (TFMR).

Trust governance composition  Multi-Academy Trust Board Proportion of Stanway/TLA Directors as sponsor Two directors per academy usually Chair and Headteacher Composition will evolve as Trust grows  Local Governing Body Good/Outstanding schools can determine their composition Schools Requiring Improvement or Inadequate will agree the composition with Trust Must have two parent Governors on LGB  LGB committees Each LGB free to determine what committees they have and composition. Authority in line with LGB Terms of Reference and Scheme of Delegation

Monitoring & Responding Trust Planning and Operation Stanway TLA Primary #1 Primary #2 Primary #3 Primary #4 Primary #5 Targets Individual & Trust School Development Plans Key needs Support & resources Activity Programme Report to Board & LGB Review & Commentary by HTG Feedback

Trust support for academy conversion  Trust provides full project management and legal support for the conversion process Project management Academy consultation Land Transfer Commercial Transfer Agreement TUPE transfer of employees to Trust Financial transition including new software  Team comprises Project manager Legal advisors Trust Assistant Bursar  Reduces demand on Headteachers and Governors and simplifies the process  Typical timescale 4 months from application. September/April/Jan conversions preferred!  Trust receives the £25k conversion grant from DfE

Development of Trust services for schools  Financial services support for member academies All to comply with Trust Financial Management Requirements (TFMR) Trust has built additional capacity to provide support: 2 x Assistant Bursars Schools can choose the level of support they want  Self-supported: schools with capable finance staff who can manage all aspects of school finances and work within TMFR  Supported: schools that have finance staff who can manage finance operations but welcome support with budget preparation, monthly and annual accounts and tax  Managed : schools with little or no finance staff and would welcome full support from Trust finance team  Further packages of support will be developed to meet the needs of member academies such as  Payroll and pensions administration  Personnel and HR  Site and facilities management  Business management  ICT

Trust Financial Management Requirements  Financial policy and handbook: detailing the Trust’s policy, process and handbook to comply with statutory and regulatory requirements  Business cycle: detailing tasks and timetable for the Trust’s financial and regulatory reporting to Companies House, DfE, EFA. This would also include those tasks and timetables for the Trust’s own monitoring and oversight of financial matters such as academy budget approval  Scheme of Delegation: setting out the powers of individual Local Governing Bodies to agree expenditure and make budget vires.  Financial software: all academies to use the Trust’s preferred software which will be procured by the Trust.  Chart of Accounts: all academies to use a common framework of ledger codes and cost centres  Procurement: all academies to adopt the Trust’s procurement policy including sharing of contract and service agreements.  Tax management: all academies to adopt the Trust’s tax management policy for corporation tax, VAT and PAYE  Banking: all academies would be asked to bank with the Trust’s bankers