Welcome to Merley First School
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
Our vision for the future of
education across our schools
Nigel Paton
Chair of Governors
Merley First School
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
Our Proposal
Colehill First
School
Wimborne
Academy
Trust
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
Why a formal Partnership?
Preserve the
church and
community ethos
while sharing the
diversity
Share resources
& generate
efficiencies giving
us more to spend
on the children
Access more
funds and adapt to
reducing budgets
to ‘deliver more for
the same’
History of positive
working together
that we can build
upon
The children
benefit from us
being Stronger
Together
Keep control of
education locally
and develop the
Teaching School
Alliance
To share staff &
expertise, train
together, improve
further
Common
catchment area /
families in multiple
schools
Take advantage
of changes in
education system
to become leaders
in our field
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
What it means for our schools
Children
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An ‘all through’ learning journey – strengthen
transition between phases
Access to wider peer groups
Access to greater learning resources
To improve teaching and learning
opportunities across all schools for all
children
Strengthen their links to the wider world
Staff
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Ability to achieve more ambitious and better
outcomes for all our pupils
Greater opportunities for staff development
Access to greater learning resources
Sharing best practice, subject leadership and
distributed leadership
All staff employed by the Trust
Opportunities to work in others schools
Opportunities within the Teaching School
alliance
Community and Governance
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To continue to work with the Diocese
To continue to be a part of the local community
Local governance at the Trust and school level
Shared policies
Shared buying power to save money & release more funds for Teaching & learning
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
Why we can be successful
Size
Style
c. 1900 children
c. 250 staff
c. £7.5m revenue
c. £30m+ asset value
Status
All schools good or
outstanding in latest
Ofsted Inspection
Sharing
Friendly rivalry
AND sharing best
practice.
Every school to
embrace its unique
ethos and
construction.
Structure
Governance based
on skills,
For the benefit of all.
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
A Multi Academy Trust model
Diocesan Board of
Education (DBE)
SoS funding
agreement
Wimborne
Academy Trust
Trust leadership
Allenbourn
Middle
Colehill
First
Hayeswood
First
Merley
First
Diocese of Salisbury
Education Trust (DSET)
St John’s VC
First
St Michael’s
VA Middle
Witchampton
VA First
Schools become academies within the Trust with their own leaders and governors
LGBs will have appropriate Foundation
representation to reflect their VA/VC/C status
Colehill’s local Governing Body will retain it’s
community status
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
The Proposed Governance of the Trust
Trust Members (5)
Diocesan Foundation Members x 2
Non-CofE Members x 2
Chair of the Trust Board
Board of Trustees (9 - min 50% Foundation)
Elected Chairs from the 7 academies x 2
Skill based Trustees appointed by the Members x 6
Chief Exec of the Trust
(Elected head – non voting)
(Finance Director non-voting)
Local Governing Bodies
(min 9 Governors)
Skills based Board selected from
existing school Governing Bodies
where available:• Finance
• Company management
• Educationalist
• HR/ Personnel
• Legal
• Assets
• PR /Comms
Each school to retain a Local
Governing Body with significant
delegated responsibility
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
The Academy Trust Governance roles
A charitable company limited by guarantee
Members
Trustees
Agree the articles which
define the charitable
purpose and how the AT
will run
Company directors and
charitable trustees responsible
for operation of the Academy
Trust, including:
Appoint some trustees
and power to remove
trustees
The 3 core functions common
to all governing bodies
Sign off company
accounts and annual
report
Power to amend Articles
Hold Board of Trustees
to account
Set Strategic Direction
Create Robust
Accountability
Ensuring Best Use of
Financial Resources
Ensuring compliance with
charity and company law and
Funding Agreement agreed
with SoS
Local Governors
Responsibilities delegated
from the trustees to support
the running of the individual
academy - empowered to do
so by a “Scheme of
Delegation”.
Core focus on:
Academic performance
Local community and
stakeholders
Other delegated functions
as agreed
Reports back regularly to the
Directors enabling them to
monitor the Academy’s
performance
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
What stays the same
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The three tier system of education
Our children’s teachers and our staff
Our school’s name and ethos
Our school’s status as a Community school
We will continue to have our own local governing body as will
the other schools
Each school would still be bound by the statutory codes for
Special Educational Needs
Our admissions criteria and catchment areas
We value our relationships with other local schools and these
will not change
The school day and terms
Our School uniform
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
What it means for Merley First?
• We will retain our name and uniform
• We will retain our school ethos
• Our children will benefit from being part of a larger
community of schools with increased opportunities for
learning.
• Our staff will have better career opportunities meaning
we can develop our leaders within our school family
• All our staff will become employed by the new trust, they
will TUPE across – and they will be consulted
• We will be able to buy things more cost effectively and so
have more money to spend on education
• Our children will have a stronger route through school
phase transition
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
Project Key phases
• Key stages
– Academy applications & respond to DfE queries
– Academy orders granted
– Establish Governance and Operational leaderships
plans
– School performance evaluation and improvement
planning
– Communication and consultation
– Financial due diligence and planning
– Set up the Trust
– Action land transfer and leases
– Action contract novations and changes
– Staff TUPE transfers Develop processes and systems
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
Project Timeline
From September 2014 to February 1st 2015
• Academy Applications submitted end of April
• Draft school Improvement Strategy developed
• Academy Order approved August 2014
• Development Governance and leadership model from October –
November 2014
• Consultation window from October- November 2014
• TUPE transfer process window from October 2014 – January 2015
• Legal Trust development and conversion work up to late January 2015
• December/January – key Governing Body and Trust Board decision
meetings
• January 2015 secure Funding Agreements
• February 1st 2015 – Conversion date and complete TUPE transfers
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
Project delivered through a series of
work-streams
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
What are the risks?
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We are 7 schools joining together which means there may be times when we don’t see
eye to eye
– and so we may need to compromise on some aspects for the benefit of all
There is a cost to the set-up of the Trust in both time and money
– we aim to use the DfE grants available to fund this
We are one of the first of this size, we are being innovative and so not all the processes
we need to go through have been proven
– but we get to develop them and be leaders in this field and we have secured
external advisors to help guide us
We understand some of our staff may be concerned about the changes and what it
means for them
– We have bought in external experienced advisors to help to ensure the TUPE
transfer is carried out effectively and that all staff are supported
The Trust will be a large company and we must get the governance and leadership right
– We are working with experts in their field and with the DfE to ensure we create the
Trust in the right way
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
Wimborne Academy Trust
Growing from great foundations
Size
Style
c. 1900 children
c. 250 staff
c. £7.5m revenue
c. £30m+ asset value
Every school to
embrace its unique
ethos and
construction.
Status
All schools good or
outstanding in latest
Ofsted Inspection
Sharing
Friendly rivalry
AND sharing best
practice.
Structure
Governance based
on skills,
For the benefit of all.
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
Why should Merley First join the new
Wimborne Academy Trust?
– Our staff will benefit from support from colleagues across the
trust and sharing of good ideas and training
– Our children will have increased contact with children from the
other schools and benefit from shared activities like sport and
music
– Our children will benefit from better curriculum and learning
opportunities as staff from the schools work together
– High standards can be ensured as schools support one another
– Our school will have greater purchasing power as part of a multi
academy trust
– Our community will be part of a larger, Wimborne, community
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
The children
benefit from us
being Stronger
Together
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL
Questions & Comments
We want to hear your views
If you have further questions or points of
view, these can be sent to:
watfeedback@yahoo.co.uk
Or alternatively send in your feedback on the
forms supplied
WIMBORNE ACADEMY TRUST - PROPOSAL