Academy Transition Strategy: Navigating Manchester Diocese's Education Policy Shift

1. The Diocese of ManchesterEducation DepartmentAcademy policy and strategy Canon Maurice Smith CB

2. Bishop of Manchester’s Pilgrimage Vision and statutory duties • Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus. • Pass on the gospel message of faith, hope and love. Education – “a conversation between generations” • DBE Measure/Academies Act 2010 – statutory role – • advise governors of CE schools on any matter; • consent to apply for Academy Order

3. What is the race set before us? The next lap: 2016-2020 • Compulsory ‘academisation’ – for some - by 2020? • subject to intervention • LA past ‘tipping point’ • LA unable to fulfil school improvement duties • Financial austerity/political ideology • New targets – new definitions and intervention in ‘coasting schools’ [Education and Adoptions Act 2016] • Secular challenge to Church schools • Demographic change: growth into secondary

4. Typology of collaborations: convertor; sponsored; multi-academy trust (MAT) • Convertor: outstanding/good • Sponsored: subject to ‘intervention’ (Warning Notice/Ofsted ‘category’ ? Or new categories: ‘coasting’ - Requires Improvement/below (raised) floor standards; ineffective LAs • Multi-academy trust: MAT, independent • Implications for governance and approvals required

5. Budget and White Paper 2016 “Next generation first” - Budget – 16 March 2016 Free from LA bureaucracy – by 2020, all schools will be, or in the process of becoming, academies; Educational excellence everywhere – White Paper – 17 March 2016 “The academy system is now sufficiently mature to move to the next phase, with every school an academy - a definitive end to the role of LAs maintaining schools - expect most schools will join MATs.”

6. March – May 2016 Step-back in the face of opposition: • 100,000+ on-line petition and Commons debate • Conservative CCs and headteacher unions New line to take 06 May 2016 Still government wish, but not compulsory except: • ‘Subject to intervention’ – duty of SoS • past LA tipping-point or in failing LA • ?? ‘coasting schools’ • “All that’s changed since the White Paper is the dates” – Baroness Estelle Morris 08 06 15

7. Emerging academy policy, strategy and communications for Manchester Diocese • From laissez-faire/permissive to facilitating/enabling • Dropped into strategic and Pilgrimage conversations • Conference debates and Director’s contribution • Primary heads and chairs meetings May/November ’15 • Think-piece paper to Board and Board/Schools • Committee special seminar – 29 09 15 • Primary conference – 02 10 15 • Spring term 2016 briefings in each LA • Sub-Committee paper approved on 10 May 2016

8. Policy on a page - Manchester • Voluntary Aided can only join a CE majority governance model • Voluntary Controlled can join a CE majority governance model, or; can form a VC minority model; or with guarantees built-into the Articles of Association, can join a minority (25%) governance model Still neutral - no plans to create a Diocesan-led MAT No ‘lost sheep’; no islands; conditions of consent

9. Conditions – on the back page • name of Trust for majority governance model must be explicitly CE; • payment from £25k start-up grant £2.5k+VAT for Diocesan legal fees, and £2.5k for Diocesan advice: Total £5k • membership of SLA • advice from Diocese on senior appointments • encouragement of primary chaplaincy

10. Governance model for MATs • Members: signatory/subscriber and appointed, usually 4/5, usually corporate • (Board of) Directors: appointed be Members • Local governing bodies Process of application for an Academy Order: • Resolution of GB(s); • Consent to apply from foundations, including DBE

11. Emerging academy questions • who should start the discussion? • should MATs be in defined geographic areas; if so which – LAs? other church geographies – joint parishes; deaneries, archdeaconries? • should there be geographical limits? “leave academy at the end of lunch-time, be in another academy by end of afternoon” – Lord Nash • what existing partnerships should be considered? • what is the future school leadership model – who’s in charge?

12. Pupils in CE Academy Pupils in CE Academies Pupils in CE Academies Headteachers and Staff Headteachers and Staff Headteachers and Staff Local Governing Body/Committee Local Governing Body/Committee Local Governing Body/Committee Scheme of Delegation and membership design Monitor performance and hold Headteacher to account Day to day running and operations Enter into contracts and set strategic direction Equivalent to company directors or trustees Board of Directors appoint Members Ability to appoint, evaluate and remove the Directors May appoint other members Change the name of the company Equivalent to shareholders Attend AGM Amend the Articles of Association

13. Key players • David Cameron – Prime Minister • Nicky Morgan – Secretary of State • Lord Nash – Minister for schools and academies • Sir David Carter – Schools Commissioner • Vicky Beer – Regional Schools Commissioner (RSC) • Foundations: PCC and DBE? • Diocesan and local authority (LA) Directors • Bishops, local clergy and ex officios