Atwood Academy Working Party 2013

1. Atwood Academy Working Party2013 Michelle Womack - Leader Sue Geekie Manjinder Gillett Pamela Jacques Alison Morgan Sue Skinner – Chair Rob Veale – Head Teacher

2. UPDATE • The Academy Working Party (AWP) met on several occasions. • Discussed ‘Why should Atwood become an Academy?’ and ‘What are the different Academy Models available?’. • Visited local schools that have already converted to Academy status to see the models in action. • Reported back their findings for debate. • Met up with other GBs of local schools for a collaborative meeting on ‘Why/How to become an Academy?’. • Attended Governor’s course at Croydon’s LEA ‘Academies: To convert or not?’ • Will attend the ‘Academy Show’ in London on 24th April.

3. Why should Atwood become an Academy • The Local Authority (LA) is on the demise. • Schools are developing partnerships with other local schools and opting out of the LA and so LA has less money centrally. • Under achieving schools are being forced to become an Academy under a ‘Sponsor’ (eg Harris) and so lose their own identity as they have to follow the Sponsor’s vision and are under their leadership.

4. Statistics in England • From 11th January 2013, 2,619 open academies i.e. 12% of all schools • 2,015 of these, are schools which have chosen to convert to take advantage of the freedoms that come with academy status • 974 are primary academies - 6% of all primaries (this includes 200 of the weakest primary schools which are now sponsored academies) • 1,584 are secondary academies - 48% of all secondaries • 78 schools (42 primary) opened as new academies at the start of this term • 3,167 open or pipeline academies - 15% of all schools • From 1st March 2013, 2,724 open academies i.e. a rate of approx. 3 every school day “Academies are becoming the ‘norm’ in every single part of the education system.” Nick Gibb, 2011

5. Academy Models There are 4 basic models: • Stand-Alone Academy • Umbrella Trust Model • Multi-Academy Trust Model • Collaborative Partnership Model

6. STAND-ALONE ACADEMY • Autonomy and freedom from LA • Ability to set own pay and conditions for staff • Freedoms around delivery of the curriculum • Ability to change lengths of terms and school days • Mostly for larger Secondariesand some Primaries • Must offer support to another school and help to improve standards

7. Stand-Alone for Atwood? • Under the last Ofsted Inspection, Atwood was graded as ‘outstanding’ - so this might be a possibility. • We would need to partner up with another school, preferably local to us and needing support - by working in partnership with them we would be working to drive up standards for both schools. • However, the current trend is to move local schools currently being graded 3 or 4 by Ofsted to Academy status under the “sponsorship” of one of the Multi Academy Trusts, so we would need to find a partner who is looking for support but is not in these categories.

8. UMBRELLA TRUST (UT) • Each school converts as a separate Academy Trust • An UT is then set up to join the schools together. Members of the UT Board of Directors are usually drawn from the different partner academies • Schools in the UT can be all primary, all secondary or a mix • Schools in the UT retain their autonomy by having their own Trust & Governing Body • Room for a number of collaborations e.g. procuring joint services; shared governance; shared vision/values etc. • Great for geographically close schools with mixed categories and varying resources • Each school could have a specialism which is shared across the UT

9. The Umbrella Trust can have a number of collaborative roles and it is for the schools involved to agree what the Umbrella Trust’s roles and responsibilities will be. Examples of functions include setting a joint vision and strategies for the group of schools, procuring services etc. Umbrella Trust Model Example based on DfE Guidance The schools or group setting up the Umbrella Trust can agree the Umbrella Trust’s membership. If the Academies want to be linked by shared governance then it can be agreed that the UT appoints a number of Members/Directors in each Academy. UMBRELLA TRUST (UT) Academy or MAT 1 Academy or MAT 2 Academy or MAT 3 Members Members Members Governors Governors Governors The Academies continue to exist as separate legal entities which sit under an overarching Umbrella Trust. Each Academy continues to have its own Articles and funding agreement with the Secretary of State. It is possible to have a combination of single Academy Trusts and Multi-Academy Trusts under an Umbrella Trust

10. Umbrella Trust for Atwood? • Could retain our own identity ie. Ethos/uniform • Shared resources • Better economies of scale • Joint INSET days • Share best practice • Staff and leadership development opportunities • Opportunity to expand the Trust to include more local schools • Have music as a specialism?

11. MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST (MAT) • Strong, formal structure; clear collaborative link between schools. • One Trust and Board of Directors who are responsible for all decisions from setting the curriculum to HR. They are legally responsible for standards across all schools in the chain. • Through a funding agreement could achieve economies of scale and better value for money. • One employer allows movement of resources/staff through the schools in the chain.

12. Option. Multi-Academy Trust Model Taken from DfE Guidance There is only one legal entity accountable for all schools within the chain, the Multi Academy Trust (MAT). The MAT has one set of Articles which governs all the Academies in that chain. MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST (MAT) The MAT has a master funding agreement with the Secretary of State Members Directors The MAT may set up either a local governing body or advisory body for each Academy. The MAT can agree to delegate some matters to this local governing body. Academy 1 Academy 2 Academy 3 Local Governing Body /Advisory Body Local Governing Body /Advisory Body Local Governing Body /Advisory Body

13. MAT for Atwood? • Academies forming a MAT need to be the same constitution, i.e. community, VA or VC therefore we might not be eligible for some • Loss of independence/identity • Dictated to by MAT • Some MATs are spread right across the country and so joint ventures could be very difficult

14. COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP • Informal/Formal partnerships with other local schools to share selected provision and resources • Can obtain some economies of scale • Decide on defined areas of collaboration • Each school retains their own identity • Under achieving schools may not be allowed to stay in this scenario and could face being transferred to a MAT, possibly weakening the remaining Collaborative Partnership

15. Collaborative Partnership Model Taken from DfE Guidance Schools work in partnership together Academy (or UT?) 1 Academy (or UT?) 2 Academy (or UT?) 3 Each Academy has its own Articles and funding agreement with the Secretary of State. Members Members Members Governors Governors Governors There is no shared Trust or governance arrangement in a collaborative partnership. A collaborative partnership is simply an agreement between a group of Academies to work together. The Academies themselves can decide how tight or formalised to make such an arrangement e.g. through agreeing a contract or publicising their arrangement. There are some schools whose performance is not strong enough to be included in this loose model and who would need to be in a stronger shared governance arrangement e.g. a Multi-Academy Trust.

16. Collaborative Partnership for Atwood? • Would be good for collaborating with other local primaries in the Selsdon and Kenley clusters • Could secure service level agreements to benefit all schools • However, not secure financially as schools could opt out or be taken out – variable levels of commitment • Possible lengthy negotiations to reach agreement and/or additional meeting time

17. RECOMMENDATION AWP recommends the Umbrella Trust as the best Academy Model for Atwood.

18. WHO DO WE PARTNER? Local Primaries Local Link Secondary RV & AWG looking at schools in the Selsdon Cluster. Already have a good working relationship with them and have shared INSETs and combined student groups egG&T. Could form Year Co-ordinator Meetings for teaching and planning. 4 Primaries together would create economies of scale. Share good practice. Share non-teaching costs? Gordon Smith, Principle of Riddlesdown, contacted RV in Feb re: partnership working. Already a Stand-Alone Academy - Good achieved in last Ofsted Inspection, 2011. Looking to expand Academy trust to an UT to incorporate a local Primary School at the top level Science speciality Many fantastic resources on site. Large no. of students so already achieving economies of scale. Share good practice. Share non-teaching costs?

19. Riddlesdown Proposal COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS UMBRELLA TRUST (UT) Currently 5 Members - increase to 7, extra 2 coming from the Atwood GB Other Schools And Academies Further Schools joining the UT, but without UT membership Atwood Riddlesdown Members Members Members Governors Governors Governors Further Primary Schools joining a MAT structure Members Governors

20. RECOMMENDATION The AWP recommends a partnership with Riddlesdown Collegiate Academy Trust as the best way forward for Atwood

21. VOTING TO CONVERT • The GB needs to vote on whether to proceed with conversion to an academy or not. • The GB needs to vote on theirpreferred Academy Model. • The GB needs to vote on their preferred Partnership. • The GB needs to vote on the approval of engaging a project manager consultant / legal firms with the £25k grant from the Government to cover conversion costs.

22. Becoming an Academy: conversion process Registration 1. Schools Register interest using the on-line form.2. A named contact in Department for Education (DfE) contacts the school and supports them through the conversion process.3. School governing body starts the consultation required by legislation with interested parties (can start later but must be completed before Funding Agreement). • School governing body and Foundation (where relevant) pass a resolution in favour of academy conversion. • School submits application to convert form to DfE. • Schools develop plans to support another school to raise standards and discuss with named DfE contact. • Local Authority/ governing body start the TUPE process. • Secretary of State approves school proposal and issues Academy Order. Application to convert/ pre-approval checks Overall process can typically take between 3 and 4 months • School submits grant claim to DfE and receives £25,000 grant to cover costs associated with the conversion process. • School finalises governance documents based on DfE model documents provided. • School registers the Academy Trust with Companies House. • School agrees leasing arrangements for the school land and buildings. • Local Authority/governing body complete the TUPE process. • School completes required consultation with interested parties. • 7. School submits the Funding Agreement to the Secretary of State for approval. Achieve Funding Agreement 1. YPLA provide school with indicative funding letter.2. DfE sign and seal Academy funding agreement.3. School undertakes CRB checks as necessary. 4.School puts new financial systems and contracts in place.5. School completes academy registrations e.g. with exam bodies. 6. School opens officially as an Academy Pre-opening - Opening