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MORGAN’S VALE AND
WOODFALLS PRIMARY SCHOOL
Governor development event
Saturday 8th September 2012
08/04/2015
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08/04/2015
STRUCTURE
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National context
Academy facts
Why have some schools converted?
Academy pros and cons
Implications and considerations
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08/04/2015
NATIONAL CONTEXT
• Useful resources:
• Academy conversion
decision-making toolkit
(NCOGS 2010)
• Academies: research into
the leadership of sponsored
and converting academies
(NC 2011)
• Becoming an Academy (DfE)
– heads talk about how they did
it
• Plan A+ Unleashing the
potential of academies
(Schools Network/Reform)
• The growth of academy
chains: implications for
leaders and leadership
(NCSL)
• Downloadable, along with many
other useful documents, from
www.thegovernor.org.uk
• DfE website – search for
“Academies”
(www.education.gov.uk)
• NGA Q and A on Academies
(www.nga.org.uk)
• Local Schools Network
• www.localschoolsnetwork.org.u
k
• Anti-academies Alliance
• www.antiacademiesalliance.org.
uk
THE MUDDLE IN THE MIDDLE
• LAs declining but not at same rate everywhere – year
on year budget cuts; focus on weakest schools
• Local collaborative arrangements – education
trusts, federations, partnerships
• More Academies and Free schools outside LA control
– responsible to Sec of State
• New executive agencies
• Academy chains growing; varied approaches
• Private companies providing services – for and not
for profit
• For profit companies running schools – Social
Enterprise schools?
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08/04/2015
AUTONOMY AND CHOICE
• “The new theology of the Coalition government is
autonomy and choice…Governors are more important in
a more autonomous system. Their ability to challenge and
lead is the key.”
• Sue Hackman
• Chief Adviser for School Standards, DfE
• 13.10.2011
STRUCTURAL MODELS (1)
Single schools
This is the standard model with one school, one Headteacher and one governing
body but shared headship is increasing as a new model of leadership.
Academies
These schools are independent of local authority control.
‘Sponsored’ Academies are expected to have innovative leadership structures to
help them tackle underachievement. ‘Converting’ Academies are expected to
work with other schools to help raise standards.
Collaborations
This is a formal partnership model using the using the collaborative regulations to
establish a strategic group across a number of schools. May share roles.
Federations
This is where two or more schools are governed collectively under a single
governing body. Often share Headship, may share other roles.
Mixed Federations and Collaborations
This is where groups of schools apply both sets of regulations according to their
local circumstances.
STRUCTURAL MODELS (2)
Trusts
This is a strategic model encompassing one or more schools with partners
(educational and non-educational) to deliver improved outcomes.
Partnerships
Increasingly, groups of schools and academies are establishing a wide range of
formal and informal agreements to work together outside the constraints of
the current statutory framework.
Chains of Schools / Multi-Academy-Trusts
These may be academies, federations or other providing bodies where successful
schools formally support others to develop improvement systems. They are
already in existence and expanding.
Locality Clusters and Companies (also Umbrella Trusts)
Joint working may be secured through the creative use of the Limited Company
Model, Partnership Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding to deliver
services across a range of schools.
Free Schools (also Studio Schools & UTCs)
These schools are created by Academies bill and therefore independent of
local authority control. They will be sponsored by parents, teachers,
community groups and others. Studio Schools are for 14-19 and have specific
local business engagement. UTCs are co-sponsored by a University
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08/04/2015
OPINION:
POOR GOVERNANCE LED TO ACADEMIES
• "If local democracy had
worked, if local governing
bodies had worked in the
most challenging schools
and for the most
disadvantaged children, we
would never have needed
academies"
• "Often governing
bodies are the problem,
actually“
• Sir Michael Wilshaw
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08/04/2015
FACTS: RECENT HISTORY
• May 2010
• July 2010
• Sept 2010
• March 2011
Labour gov’t had established 203
sponsored academies
Academies Act becomes law
First 32 “converting” academies
established
195 “outstanding” schools had
converted to academies
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08/04/2015
FACTS: CURRENT SITUATION
• As of 1 July 2012 there are 1957 (or 2150?)
academies open in England
• In perspective:
• there are 3127 secondary schools and 16971
primary schools in England
• 10.7% of all schools are academies
• 42% of secondary schools are academies
• 3.3% of all primary schools are academies
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08/04/2015
FACTS: WILTSHIRE
• Wiltshire has 25 secondary schools; 196 primary
and 6 special
• 14 secondaries are academies (56% of sec)
• 8 primaries are academies (4% of pri)
• 1 special school is an academy (17% of special)
• 10% of all Wiltshire schools are academies
• (as at 1st July 2012)
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FACTS:
MAINTAINED SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIES
• LA Maintained schools
are those funded by the
local authority
• community
• foundation
• voluntary aided
• voluntary controlled
• Academies are
‘independent’ state schools
• charitable companies
limited by guarantee
• funded by and accountable
to the Secretary of State
• have an Academy Trust
which is responsible for the
school’s land and assets
• expected to support another
school or schools
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FACTS: ACADEMY FREEDOMS
• adapt the national curriculum to suit the needs
of pupils
• set own pay and conditions for staff
• change the duration of terms and school days
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FACTS: ACADEMY TYPES
Sponsored
Converter
• led by sponsors from a wide
range of backgrounds (eg,
business and voluntary sector,
Dioceses, other academies,
Academy chains)
• new buildings (pre-Coalition
gov’t)
• not required to have an
external sponsor (the academy
trust delegates management of
the school to the GB) but may
do
FACTS:
ESTABLISHED SERVICE PROVIDERS
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Multi Academy Chains, such as..
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 AET - Academies Enterprise Trust (24
+?)
 E-ACT (18)
 Kunskapsskolan / Learning Schools
Trust (3)
 Schools Partnership Trust (14 + 11)
 Oasis (14)
 ULT - United Learning Trust (19)
 Kenmal Academies Trust (17)
 ARK - Absolute Return for Kids (11)
 Ormiston (18)
 Aldridge Foundation (5)
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Sponsoring weaker schools /
partnering with converter schools
Education and support services
Multi Academy Trust
Providers/Clusters/Umbrella
Trusts such as..
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Haberdashers / Askes (3)
London / Kent
Grace (3)
West Midlands
Cabot Learning Federation (5 +1)
Bristol / W-S-M
Also working closely with primaries
Primary Academies Trust (11)
Devon
Harris (15)
London
Diocese groups – umbrella trusts
Some local groups have
‘transferred’ their academies to the
big chains
FACTS:
NEW SERVICE PROVIDERS
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New providers in 2011/12
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Elliot Foundation
Navigate Trust
EMLC Academies Trust (NPAA)
Active Learning Trust
Education Fellowship
Predominantly looking to work
with the primaries as sponsors or
support partners
Range of existing academy
converters looking to create local
chains/support other schools,
such as..
 Pickwick Learning
 Barnfield College
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FE colleges and Universities
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A market Economy ?
 Collaborative Academies Trust
(Edison)
 US Charter schools profit based
company
 Track record of support >100 UK
schools
 3 schools joining in Sept 2012
 International English Schools
(IES)
 10yr contract to run a Suffolk Free
School
 19 schools in Sweden
 Policy Exchange report –
‘John Lewis model’
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08/04/2015
FACTS: ACADEMY FUNDING
• general annual grant (GAG) funding based on
the level of LA funding already calculated for
the school prior to it becoming an academy
• grant payments to academies to replace LA
services depend on the level of central spend
in the LA
• as LAs cut expenditure on central services,
the amount schools receive may reduce
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08/04/2015
FACTS:
WHO CAN BECOME AN ACADEMY?
• “outstanding” and ‘good with outstanding features’ schools
• other schools need to apply in partnership with an existing
academy or join an existing academy trust with a proven
record of school improvement in order to apply for academy
status
• special schools and PRUs
• underperforming primary schools will be forced to become
Academies
• free schools are Academies
• any new school built by a LA must be an Academy
• schools failing to meet floor targets are forced to become
academies
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FACTS: GOVERNANCE
Sponsored
• managed by academy trusts,
companies limited by guarantee
with charitable status. A trust may
include one or more academies
• a GB governs the academy on
behalf of the trust.
• Articles of Association
determine the GB constitution
• sponsor appoints the majority of
governors
• the GB should include an LA
representative, the principal in an
ex-officio capacity, and a parent
Converting
• not required to have a sponsor but
GB has to comply with legislation
and take on trust status
• Articles of Association
determine the GB constitution
• GBs need to ensure necessary
challenge is generated either
internally or by buying in external
support so that educational
standards continue to remain
high
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08/04/2015
FACTS: GOVERNANCE
• A multi-academy or umbrella trust has one
overall governing body
• Each academy within the trust has a “local
governing body”
• A local governing body is essentially a teaching
and learning committee – not a GB as we know
it
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08/04/2015
GOVERNANCE
• “The establishment of academies and trusts has
moved the governance of schools away from a
stakeholder model…a corporate sector model is
becoming more prominent and whilst there are
still places as of right for parents, the governing
body has taken on a more non-executive role,
with individuals recruited for their expertise and
experience”
• NC 2011
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08/04/2015
GOVERNANCE
• Since converting to academy status and experiencing
reduced involvement of the LA, governors are expected
to take on more responsibility (eg, for buildings and
other assets)
• One governor explained this as “the buck now stops with
us”
• Need for additional training, in particular relating to the
new responsibilities and accountabilities that academy
status brings
• “The governing body is now running a small
organisation. The school took advice on risks which are
perceived to be different, but not more serious.”
(Academy senior leader)
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08/04/2015
WHY HAVE SCHOOLS CONVERTED?
• Independence and autonomy are key motivating
factors in themselves for both sponsored and
converting academies, but for different reasons:
• Money: financial autonomy and increased funding
enabled converting academies to achieve better
value for money and better student outcomes
• Standards: primary motivation for independence
in sponsored academies was to use their
independence to help raise standards rapidly
• NC 2011
WHY HAVE SCHOOLS CONVERTED?
• Schools Network and Reform survey 2012
• 478 academies responded
• Funding: 78% chose to become an academy for
additional funding. 39%: main reason for their
conversion
• Autonomy: sense of financial autonomy (73%),
educational autonomy (71%) and freedom to buy
services from providers other than the local
authority (70%). 57% wanted opportunity to
innovate to raise standards; 51% wanted less LA
involvement
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08/04/2015
WHY HAVE SCHOOLS CONVERTED?
• www.education.gov.uk
• short videos
• Becoming an Academy : Heads of converted
schools talk about how they made the change
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08/04/2015
FREEDOMS: FOR AND AGAINST
• Raising standards
• Funding and financial management
• External support and challenge
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STANDARDS:
GUARANTEED IMPROVEMENT?
• “Evidence shows that the academy programme has had a good
effect on school standards” Michael Gove 16 June 2011
• National Audit Office report (NAO, 2010): most
(sponsored) academies are achieving increases in academic
attainment for their pupils compared with their predecessor
schools
• Although still below the national average, the proportion of
their pupils achieving five or more A*-C grades at GCSE or
equivalent is improving at a faster rate than maintained
schools with similar intakes
• a small number of (sponsored) academies have made little
progress, particularly when English and mathematics are
taken into account
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08/04/2015
DFE STATEMENT
• for the 166 academies with results in both 2010
and 2011, the percentage of pupils achieving five
or more good GCSEs including English and
maths rose from 40.6 per cent to 46.3 per cent,
an increase of 5.7 percentage points
• academies' GCSE results improved by nearly
twice the level seen across all maintained
schools
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08/04/2015
ACADEMY SCHOOLS “INFLATE RESULTS WITH
EASY QUALIFICATIONS”
• The Government's flagship academy schools have been accused of
shifting pupils onto inferior courses to dramatically inflate their
GCSE results. Research suggests academies are more likely to use
“easy” vocational qualifications than ordinary comprehensives
• ministers … have regularly used academies' results as proof that
they perform better than the national average – a key plank of their
drive to extend academy status to thousands of other schools
• one of the government’s flagship academies was named as the worst
performer: just three per cent of the 115 pupils at St Aldhelm's
Academy in Poole, Dorset, gained five A* to C grades including
English and maths.
• Graeme Paton, Education Editor, The Daily Telegraph
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08/04/2015
SECONDARY SCHOOL RESULTS 2011
• Only one in 33 academy pupils achieved Ebacc – even though most
of their pupils are not disadvantaged
• On average, of pupils nationally who got 5A-Cs with English and
Maths, 33% achieved Ebacc
• In academies, the proportion is 12%
• It is even worse (about 8%) once you remove academies which are
former independent, grammar or other very high achieving schools
• Dr Terry Wrigley, Visiting Professor, Leeds Metropolitan
University
• Editor Improving Schools journal
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08/04/2015
THIS YEAR’S RESULTS
• Overshadowed by the controversy over shifting
grade boundaries in English
• No comment from DfE re academy results
• “Some of Gove's favoured academies were…affected.
Results at four schools run by the academy chain
Ark were down on last year, out of five Ark schools
with children taking GCSEs. At Burlington Danes
academy in west London, regularly praised by Gove,
64% of students achieved five good passes with
English and maths, compared with 75% last year.”
Guardian 23.8.12
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08/04/2015
FUNDING
• “Schools that do well, like ours, can get overlooked in
funding discussions. Because we are not problematic and
seem to be doing OK, resources are pumped elsewhere.
We suffered underfunding over a long period and
Academy status allowed us to take control, and hopefully
make the right decisions.”
• “We’re in a challenging area, so every penny of resource
is important to us to make a difference for our pupils.
Academy status enables us to put the money where it
suits our needs.”
• Heads quoted in “Becoming an academy” DfE
•
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08/04/2015
FUNDING
• “We are saving a lot of money – for example, our new payroll system costs
half what the local authority charged. We can plough that money back into
teaching.”
• “We have more control over the allocation of our resources to meet our own
needs. So, not only do we not have to lay off any teaching assistants, we
have employed an extra teacher and I’ve been able to promote our secretary
to become a business manager, freeing up my time from office work.”
• “We’ve been able to appoint an extra teacher and set up an extra class. As a
result all our classes – which used to be about 28 pupils each – are now
reduced to an average of 20. Every class now has a full time teaching
assistant, which was previously not the case.”
• Heads quoted in “Becoming an academy” DfE
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08/04/2015
PAYING FOR CONVERSION
• Too much of a meal can be made of the difficulty of the
paperwork involved, insists Jim McAtear, head of Hartismere
school in Suffolk. He scrutinised the legal requirements
carefully beforehand and decided a DIY approach was
perfectly viable. "The way the DfE has set up the process
actually strengthens the infrastructure of those schools," he
says. "The difficulties entailed are largely illusory.“
• Lampton academy in Hounslow: schools are given £25,000 to
effect the conversion: fortunate to have a governor whose
hard work cut down their legal fees: a colleague in Brent
without any expertise received a bill from the same firm of
solicitors that Lampton used for less than £10,000
• Guardian 30 May 2011
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08/04/2015
FUNDING
• A challenge for all academies in the future, is to
ensure that their GB is sufficiently rigorous in how it
spends public money
• The Public Accounts Committee noted that in the
past, many academies did not have adequate
financial controls, and that the GBs of all academies
should comply with basic standards of governance
and financial management. This should include
segregation of key roles and responsibilities, and
timely submission of annual accounts
• NC 2011
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08/04/2015
FEARS FOR ACADEMIES AFTER 8 NEED RESCUING
• Eight academy schools in financial difficulty were
rescued by a DfE quango over the past 18 months at
a cost of £10.7m, intensifying concerns in Whitehall
that state schools moving outside the local authority
system were not being adequately supervised.
• One accountancy firm, which declined to be named,
found a school had been overcharged tenfold for
laptop computers by a now-collapsed leasing
company.
• Financial Times January 8, 2012
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08/04/2015
EXTERNAL SUPPORT AND CHALLENGE
• “Be careful not to present Academy status as anti-local
authority. It’s about a school’s ability to review what we buy
in. We still use some of the council’s services but where the
provision is poor or inadequate to meet our needs, we don’t.”
• “We were one of the first to convert and we found the local
authority very slow to engage in the process. Our legal team
had to push to organise the completion of documents. Having
said that, we still use the buying power of the local authority
for energy.”
• Heads quoted in Becoming an academy
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08/04/2015
EXTERNAL SUPPORT AND CHALLENGE
• “Schools take the role of the local authorities for
granted. Cutting the apron strings is not a simple
process and will require schools to adopt
behaviours which are not natural to them.”
• Philip White, chief executive of Syscap
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08/04/2015
CALLS FOR AN EXTERNAL PERSPECTIVE
• "It is no good just relying
on Ofsted to give the
judgment. By that time, it
is too late. We need some
sort of intermediary bodies
which can detect when things
aren't going well, look at the
data and have their ear very
close to the ground to
determine when there is a
certain issue.“
• Michael Wilshaw HMCI
•
Guardian Dec 2011
• It seems preposterous that
we have no organised
supply of expert advisors
to support improvement.
• Recommendation: a new
nationwide support system to
facilitate advice, support and
collegiate school-to-school
learning.
•
RSA 2011
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08/04/2015
REASONS FOR CHANGING
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Money
Autonomy
Improved sustainability
Fear of being left behind or being forced
Dangers of isolation
Weakening of LA support/services
Diocesan favourable attitude to academies
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08/04/2015
REASONS FOR NOT CHANGING
• How new are these “new freedoms”?
• Freedom from LA control – LMS was established in 1988
• Set your own pay and conditions – but virtually no
Academies have done it – risks disruption and inflation
• Freedom from National Curriculum – NC is under
review to reduce prescription
• Change length of school day and terms – you can
already change day lengths. Changing term dates likely to
cause local difficulties, esp for parents of children at different
schools
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08/04/2015
OTHER REASONS
Learn from the past
Moral issue
• GM status – some leapt at it,
got most of the money; others
pressurised to follow (domino
effect), got less; most chose
not to; new government
reversed policy
• If many become Academies,
what happens to all the
other schools?
• Less money
• Reduced services
• Two-tier system
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08/04/2015
AND…
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Very little research on converting academies
Academies don’t necessarily raise educational standards
What’s next – privatisation?
Locked in for 7 years
Insecure future funding and costs of services
Lack of open accountability
Accidents waiting to happen: indemnity insurance
IMPLICATIONS and CONSIDERATIONS
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Reports that 300 pupil school groups are not sustainable – how does our
school compare?
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What will the new Ofsted focus and changing curriculum mean for us?
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How will the changing financial situation affect our school?
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What’s happening across our area re structural change and the Local
Authority model - and how will that affect our school?
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What will happen in our area if other schools start to convert or join chains? Is
Strategic Partnership on the cluster agenda?
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What impact will these changes have on our ability to attract and retain good
teaching staff?
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What is our Diocese’s approach to structural change? – What support models
are available?
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How will the changes in secondary level impact through to the Primary?
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It will be critical to collaborate for buying power in the future – how will our
school address this?
IMPLICATIONS and CONSIDERATIONS
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What opportunities do these changes present?
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If change is more about ‘When’ rather an ‘If’ – what factors are we monitoring
to know ‘When’?
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Do we know our strengths and weaknesses?
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What is important to our community – what do they want?
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Do we understand the opportunities open to the school and the threats it may
be facing?
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What is our experience in school collaboration – what have we learnt and how
can it help?
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Where is the capacity to lead and manage change? - How ready are we for
partnership?
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What are the benefits and challenges with each of the structural models and
how do they meet our school’s needs?
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How does any or all of this affect and benefit the children?
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08/04/2015
SOME QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
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Where are you now in consideration of Academy status?
What appeals to you about Academy status?
What puts you off?
What questions remain unanswered?