1. Cambridge Consultation
Presentation to Staff
Wednesday 9th October 2019

2. Our Proposal
Cambridge and Queensmill Schools have a close history of working together.
The Schools believe that the time is now right to convert to Academies and form a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) in order to take our collaborative work to the next level for the benefit of pupils and staff.
Establishing a MAT will allow us to create a centre for excellence in the area and combine our expertise to open a new Free School – known as Barlby School.

3. What Are The Vision & Values Of The Proposed MAT?
We are committed to being at the heart of its community, reflecting the diversity and richness and responding sensitively to its need;
Every student has access to bespoke tailored support, advice and guidance that will enable them to progress to a meaningful pathway;
Every student has the right to an excellent education through access to a stimulating and enriching personalised curriculum and highest quality teaching;
Every individual within the school is entitled to learn and work in a safe, secure and positive environment where their well-being is prioritised;
Every member of the school community will be treated with respect and dignity at all times;
Every individual within the school community is valued and invested in to maximise their full potential and to feel empowered to achieve their goals and dreams

4. Benefits Forming the Trust will bring the following benefits:
• Access to locally based leadership and school improvement expertise to continue the drive for improved performance in teaching and learning;
• Sharing of best practice across all schools in the Trust;
• Greater resilience to future risks by joining a Trust containing other Schools;
• Opportunities to benefit from shared services in terms of back office and procurement of goods and services to reduce costs and free up more resources for use in the classroom; and
• Improved recruitment and retention of the most skilled teachers and leaders attracted by the opportunities that a wider successful Trust organisation will bring.
The Trust is very clear that the individual ethos and character and good practices of each school are retained and that all the schools operate as equals supporting each other.

5. What Will Not Change?
Our relentless commitment to delivering the very best education for our pupils
The individual ethos of each School;
The terms and conditions of employment for staff will remain unchanged;
The curriculum in each school;
Governors will continue to serve on a Local Governing Body providing challenge and support to the Head Teacher;
The School will remain part of Hammersmith and Fulham Council’s SEND Admissions process;
SEND Top Up funding will continue to be provided by the local authorities which send their children here;
The name of the School;
The school day and term dates; and
The buildings will remain as they are – for now!

6. What Will Change?
The legal status of the schools that become part of the Trust;
Five Members will be appointed;
A Board of Trustees will be appointed by the Members to have the overall responsibility for running the three schools;
The Trustees will appoint a Chief Executive Officer who will lead, line manage and support the Head Teachers;
The Trustees will appoint a Finance Director;
Staff will be employed by the Trust not by Hammersmith and Fulham Council;
Local Governing Bodies will be established under a scheme of delegation;
The responsibility for the school buildings will transfer to the Trust;
Financial arrangements – Most funding will come to the school direct from Central Government (with top up place funding still coming from LBHF); and
Some functions, e.g. Finance, HR, Site development and maintenance, will over time be managed centrally.

7. Proposed Governance Structure
5 Members
Trust Board
Local Governing Bodies
Signatories to the Memorandum and Articles of Association
Skills based. Representatives from each School plus external Trustees with business skills
Formed from existing Governing Bodies, responsible for day to day running of schools with Head Teacher

8. Proposed Organogram

9. Why Now? Severe pressure on School and Council budgets;
Reductions in capacity of Councils to provide adequate resources to support schools;
Schools will need to do more with less and realise economies of scale from working with other school;
Whilst the threat of forced Academisation has been withdrawn, the DfE has increased powers of intervention in underperforming schools;
MATs remains a central plank of Government’s education policy and
Better to proactively form a MAT now with trusted partners than to risk having other vehicles and structures imposed on us in the future.

10. Progress To Date Devising the vision and values, aims and objectives;
Identifying potential Members and Trustees.
Modelling the projected finances of Trust to ensure it is sustainable;
Submitting conversion applications to DfE
Submitting a Sponsorship Application to the DfE to open the new Barlby School
Receiving DfE approval to convert and Sponsor Barlby
Establishing a Project Steering Group of Headteachers and Governors to oversee the process.
Launching stakeholder consultation on 30th September

11. Next Steps
Simultaneous Consultation exercise across both schools open until 4th November for comments/questions;
Governors to review consultation results and decide whether or not to proceed;
If Governors give approval a TUPE consultation with staff will take place;
Legal work to transfer land to the Trust and set up Governance arrangements;
Finance work to set up new financial systems and procedures and procure Auditors; and
Work underway and aiming for 1st February 2020 start date.

12. Summary Table Of Pros & Cons
Of Conversion

13. Your opportunity to ask questions
Any Questions?
Your opportunity to ask questions

14. Thank you for your time and contributions