1. Schools’ conference May 2016

2. and the Notices… Bert Thomas –finishes at the end of the month but last day today Sue Emery – really is going in September, advert out Deborah Smith – our new full time deputy Penrith - we are all off to Penrith over half term (details on PA) Staff welcome event 6 th July 4.30 Rydal – deadline soon Bishop’s welcome letter Ask a bishop or an archdeacon New heads day 12 th October

3. Spirituality day – returning in the spring Michael Manley Understanding Christianity – launch later in month at Lambeth Palace - finally excellent materials and cheap to access – some training at cost. Leavers’ services – Chris September conference – 28 th Using the outdoors for worship, Christian meditation

4. Education and Adoption Act 2016 Schools failing their Ofsted will become academies Potential academisation of coasting schools Expectation of all schools as academies New powers for the RSC

5. So a Memorandum of Understanding DBE Involvement in discussions about solutions and respect for strategy and approach and role in school improvement. Key is the expectation in vast majority of cases governance without dilution. It’s about long term future proofing of the church Trust.

6. and a white paper U turn or not on all schools becoming academies Queens speech will include legislation for underperforming LAs and where majority of schools academies

7. What does all this mean Church schools in church majority MATs Need for more than one MAT because the RSC will have power to move schools around ‘re-broker’. Capacity to have one MAT given potential speed of change Securing a home for church schools so sponsors / new schools? It’s why we set up the MAT to get us going so should they have the same aspirations going forward? Trusts have to be ‘large’ to be effective in terms of finance and school improvement. Need to avoid  inward looking solutions  Isolated schools or pick and mix The point of MATs is the balance of having accountability but promoting system leadership and sharing with wider system.

8. Procurement of new services has to meet EU and DFE procurement guidelines Monitoring of schools –school data performance Health and safety and safeguarding across schools / reporting Risk management both a central Trust and individual school level Financial Management and Governance self assessment return Annual external Audit – full audited accounts meeting all DFE, charity and company law standards Annual external audit of TP contributions and LGPS contributions (plus extra audit every 3 years of the scheme) December return – follows external audit, January return extract of figures from external audit in full government accounting format, May return additional activity between September and March that cannot be extrapolated from audited accounts (ie when you take on new academies) again in full government accounting format. July return - expected budgets for following academic year in full government accounting format Company accounts – annual company returns, management of directors/ company secretary changes, details etc and returns for these/ reporting on people of significant interest (due to a recent change in company law) Compliant with all charity law Run an AGM as per the memorandum and articles of association (since the MAT is a company) Business planning and Business continuity planning HR policies, pay and conditions, unions

10. Cluster within a MAT Experienced and dispassionate directors Flexible arrangements and governance determined locally Cluster level budgeting and (shared staffing) Accountability to the Trust Do not have cost and bureaucracy of running a Trust Can evolve Need to be more consensual on policy and services but potentially more funding Added layer of decision making / communication Separate MAT Legal responsibility as company and charity including cost Local directors acting in interests of local need More difficult to resolve disputes Direct accountability to DfE Local level decisions on central costs and services, fewer schools involved Procure own services and manage finance systems, AGM returns etc. More likely to have one lead school enabling rapid intervention

11. Members and Directors Model articles version 5 - DBE Members - accountability need to be aware of what’s going on /when things go wrong - appoint the directors so need wisdom to do it. So members who are: Wise Committed, might be proxies for the DBE Light touch but hold the conscience of the Trust. Values assurance Shared vision across the MATs Directors – strategic direction responsible for management of schools should it be the same model? Who? Role of headteachers. Negotiate locally.

12. Questions

13. Partnership Consultants 125 days Sept –April Days Consultants meetings9 SIM8 Heads appointments28 Delivering training9 RE17 Christian leadership7 Performance management6 Ofsted1 School visits10 CASL /LASL9 School imp ctte /DBE5 SIAMS5 Co-ordination / reports6 Better places3

14. One of smallest by pupil numbers 12,000 One of biggest by area Middle by number of schools One of poorest funded - £17 per pupil

15. Priorities Meet the challenge of ensuring school effectiveness Safeguard and develop the distinctiveness of church schools Support fruitful, imaginative and meaningful relationships between schools, churches and families Create pathways to secure the future of church school provision Develop clear and effective systems of communication with partners, in particular communicating the work and role of the Diocesan Board of Education

16. Questions Are the current arrangements too complicated? Should there be an expectation that schools contribute something? What is our core business / priorities? Is it important to strengthen links with churches and equip them to support you?