The Future
St Andrew’s
Church of England (Voluntary Controlled)
First School
Outline
1. Expansion of the school
• Present building works
• Future building works to accommodate increased
numbers from Autumn 2015
2. Becoming an academy
• Why are the governors considering converting to
become an academy?
• What options have we considered?
3. What are your views?
Building 1
• Present building works
• To allow the removal of temporary classrooms (no
increase in pupil numbers)
• Provide one additional classroom - reception
• Reconfigure and refurbish the other classrooms
• Build a new hall
• Avoid the need to go through the hall to get to
classrooms
• Improve the school reception to allow control of visitors
• Increased on site parking
Building 2
• School is important part of the community in
Hampton – we need to continue to serve it
• Already applications greatly exceed the number of
places available in the school
• Some children travelling longer distances to go to
their allocated school
• From 2015 intake the number of pupils will be
increased from 30 to 60
• New building proposed on part of the playing field
behind the school – no plans available yet
What is the role of the Governing
Body?
• The purpose of a Governing Body is “to conduct the
school with a view to promoting high standards of
educational achievement in the school”
• Main strategic Duties
• Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
• Holding the Headteacher to account for the educational
performance of the school and its pupils
• Overseeing the financial performance of the school and
making sure its money is well spent
Our Vision
‘Developing happy, confident learners with the skills
they need to succeed’
• St Andrew’s is an emotionally intelligent school where all
individuals are valued and encouraged to achieve their best.
• A culture of high expectations is underpinned by a shared
philosophy of care and support, which focuses on developing
key skills and Christian values through a broad and balanced,
integrated curriculum.
• Everyone in our school community understands the
importance of their individual role in achieving success, and
recognises that outstanding attainment, achievement and
progress is a measure of individual and shared success.
Academy 1
• At present we are a Voluntary Controlled school
• That means we are local authority school where
the local church ensure that the school has a
Christian ethos
• The Vicar is a governor and two other governors
are appointed by the church
• Funding and support is provided by the local
authority
• Support also from the Diocese of Worcester
• Inspected by OFSTED and SIAMS (church)
Academy 2
• Options for the future considered by the governors
1. Continue as we are
2. Apply to become an academy on our own
3. Apply to join the Diocese of Worcester Multi Academy
Trust
4. Apply to join an established Academy Chain
5. Apply to join Prince Henry’s Multi Academy Trust
Option 1 – no change
• The government is reducing the size of local
authorities already
• LA commissioning out services
• Need to buy in support services from
commissioned providers
• Much of the expertise / local knowledge in the LA
has already been lost and will continue
• Governors don’t think this is a viable option if we
are to become an outstanding school
Option 2 – become a stand alone
academy
• School would be funded directly
• The governors would become directors of a
company managing all the resources and
accountable for it
• Need additional staff to ‘run’ all the back office,
maintenance, etc.
• As a small school it is unlikely our application would
be accepted
What is a MAT (Multi Academy Trust)
• One Trust (company) overseeing a number of
schools
• Some of the functions performed by Trust –
including setting overall strategic direction, finance,
etc.
• Details set out in the ‘Articles’ of the company
• ‘Governing Body’ for each school deals with local
issues – in a similar way to present
Option 3 – join Diocese MAT
• Trust Board made up of nominees from Worcester
Diocesan Board of Education
• Maintains Christian aspect of schools
• Many small schools in Worcester Diocese (extends
from Broadway into Dudley)
• This is a new venture for the Diocese
• No experience of running schools
• No support structure in place for the range of services
previously provided by the LA
• The Governors can see many challenges with little
benefit in this option
Option 4 – join an academy chain
• Chain already exists
• Board, Support Services, systems
• Mr Coaché experienced last autumn during secondment
• Question about the Christian aspect of the school
• Diocese may not give approval
• Governors concerned about recognition of local
circumstances (three tier system confuses many)
• Governors concerned the particular characteristics
of St Andrews will be lost
Option 5 – join Prince Henry’s MAT
• Prince Henry’s is already an Academy
• Long experience of direct funding models
• PH Academy becoming a MAT
• High standards at PHHS depends on the work done
feeder first and middle schools (church and community)
• Proposal based on working with local schools to
maintain those high standards across the pyramid
• Discussions with Diocese to ensure their input at Trust
level and Christian ethos maintained
• Swan Lane (Community school) and St Egwins (church
school) have already applied to join
Option 5 – join Prince Henry’s MAT
• Governors favour this option
• Local circumstances recognised
• Long experience of informal collaboration over years
• We have taken the first steps
• Still much detail to be agreed
• Need permission from Diocese as well as other
approvals
• Setting up various structures – responsibilities of Trust
and ‘Governors’
• PH also have experience of building projects
What are your views?
• Governors keen to keep parents fully informed of
progress
• Things moving quickly – we want to be involved in
the early stages to shape the development of the
MAT
• Questions ….
(There is a vacancy for a parent governor which we
will be advertising later this term)