Collaborative working between schools Nigel Warbis, Education Improvement Officer Helen Martin, School Organisation 30 March 2011

Why collaborate? Improving provision and outcomes for children Preserving unique characteristics your school (as a non-negotiable of the arrangement) Seizing the initiative to shape the future for your school community Better value for money/economies of scale (e.g. school business manager) Recruiting/retaining quality headteachers - work/life balance Enabling the headteacher to concentrate on leadership and extend impact

Why collaborate? Cont…. Professional development of staff (teamwork, shared meetings, shared planning, leadership opportunities) Development of distributed leadership Recruitment of staff (more attractive posts) Sharing strengths (classroom/administration/governors) Helping to secure the best possible provision for your school community in the long term (whatever the future holds)

Risks If/when a National Funding Formula is introduced it will have major implications for all schools. Small schools will be particularly vulnerable. By working in collaboration schools will be better placed to meet the future learning needs of pupils. Working in isolation or denial is not an option for governors wishing to preserve the unique characteristic of their school community and make best provision for their children.

Types of collaborative working Informal partnerships Collaborative governance (joint committee) – formally soft federation Executive Headship (contract of partnership/joint committee) Federation A shared Trust Multi-school Academy Trusts

Today’s workshop We will be looking in more detail at the various types of collaboration This is a look at the various options – not all of these will be right for your school or community Governors need to decide on whether collaboration can meet the needs and challenges of your school and what form this should take The Local Authority can help with technical issues and processes, and experience from the rest of the county

Executive Headship One Headteacher leading two or more schools Enabling the headteacher to concentrate on leadership Can enable good and outstanding headteachers to extend their influence beyond their own school Recruiting/retaining quality headteachers Not the same as federation The Local Authority recommends that Executive Headship should be accompanied by robust governance arrangements

What are the options for governance with an Executive Headship? Manage the partnership through Collaborative Governance - a joint committee with delegated powers to oversee the partnership and make some decisions on behalf of both schools Each school retains its own budget and its own governing body Extend and formalise the collaboration through Federation – a single governing body for both schools Why an executive headship arrangement is not sustainable in isolation (headteacher work/life balance, recruitment and retention)

What is Federation? Where two or more maintained schools share a single governing body Each school remains a separate entity and has its own budget Often accompanied by a single headteacher, but this is not compulsory or permanent Can be dissolved if the aims of the federation are not being met

Potential benefits of federation Formalises and secures a partnership within a manageable framework of one governing body Rationalises the workload of the Executive Headteacher (where one is in post) and governors Provides opportunities for shared staff and leadership arrangements and appointments across the federation Increases the opportunities and flexibility for maximising the sharing of resources – funding can be spent across the schools in a federation A strong foundation for resilience against future financial and other pressures (but no guarantee of long term sustainability)

A shared Trust Trust schools are local authority maintained schools that are supported by a charitable Trust A Trust can consist of schools and external partners, such as higher education institutions or other agencies A Trust can support one school or a number of schools – this is known as a shared Trust A Shared Trust between a number of schools offers an opportunity to put in place long-term sustainable partnership arrangements, build on existing collaboration and develop a shared sense of direction

What do Trusts do? Appoint some governors to the governing body of each school Hold the schools’ land and buildings ‘on trust’ The Trust model is flexible and schools and partners can develop the model to meet local needs The Trust could be used as a vehicle to develop joint projects or commission shared services to ensure resources are used to maximum effect This could reduce administrative burden and provide a better deal on procurement The Trust’s income must be used for the Trust’s charitable purposes (i.e. back into the schools in the Trust)

What are the implications for governing bodies? Trust schools are local authority maintained foundation schools (not community Schools) The governing body will be the employer of staff and set the admissions arrangements Schools can change to foundation status and acquire a Trust in one consultation process Governing bodies retain responsibility for the running of the school and decisions about its future Could be accompanied by federation or collaborative governance arrangements

Academy schools State-funded independent schools Outside of local authority control Set their own ‘broad and balanced curriculum’ Employ their own staff and can set pay and conditions Have control over their land and buildings Are responsible for additional duties and tasks that would previously have been undertaken by the LA

Governance of Academy Schools (single Academy model) The Academy Trust A charitable company limited by guarantee Has control over the land and assets Enters into a funding agreement with the Secretary of State Has strategic responsibility for the running of the Academy The Governing Body Directors or trustees of the Academy Trust Manages the Academy on behalf of the Academy Trust

Multi-school Academy Trusts An Academy Trust can run more than one Academy school A group of schools can convert together under one Academy Trust, or schools can convert under an existing Academy Trust at a later date Multi-Academy Trusts have a board of Directors, as well as Local Governing Bodies for each Academy There are also other potential collaborative models between separate Academy Trusts

Considering Academy status The LA will build partnership working between all schools regardless of designation We advise all governors when exploring academy status to research as much as possible The LA has serious concerns about the capacity of single primary schools, particularly small schools, to cope with the additional workload and demands of academy status A larger grouping, such as cross-phase multi- school Academy Trusts, may be a desirable model

What to think about What should your partnership look like? What are the benefits for the whole school community? Preserving unique characteristics of your school as a non-negotiable of the arrangement Who will manage the consultation process and how? Keeping parents and the community engaged What are the alternatives?

How can the LA help? Local knowledge Access to local and national experience and expertise Partner in securing school improvement and support services (e.g. HR, legal) Can help to ensure statutory proposals are met and support processes relating to personnel and finance requirements Working with partners to explore ways of promoting sustainability

Cornwall Council County Hall Truro TR1 3AY Tel: