Frequently asked questions about Multi Academy Trust

1. What is an Academy Trust?

An Academy Trust is a single legal entity and is the employer of all staff members who sit within the affiliated school structure.

The Trust Board is made up of Directors and Trustees and is legally accountable for all academies in the group.

2. How does the governance differ in an Academy Trust?

Usually the Trust Board will delegate certain powers to the existing Local Governing Body (LGB) and Executive Headteacher.

3. What is a sponsor-led Multi-Academy Trust?

The Multi-Academy Trust is made up of a number of schools and is established by a sponsor who is a Department of Education approved external agent or organisation, not a school.

4. Would the school/schools still be part of our Local Authority – Staffordshire

After the school joins the MAT it will not be controlled or be part of the Local Authority.

5. Would the school lose its voluntary controlled (VC) status as we are a Church school?

As we are Voluntary Controlled, we will still be inspected by the Diocese.

6. Will the name of the school change?

No.

7. Will the leadership and Management Team stay the same?

Yes. They will still be accountable to the school’s Governing Body as well as the MAT Board.

8. Will the school still be inspected by OFSTED?

Yes.

9. Will the school uniform change?

No.

10. Will conversion alter the existing ethos of the school?

No.

11. Will the conversion affect the curriculum opportunities for pupils?

No. It provides opportunities to enhance the curriculum further by looking at best practice in other schools in the MAT.

12. Will conversion alter the village ‘feel’ of the school?

No.

13. Will school transport still be provided to bring pupils in to school and take them home at the end of the day?

Yes – if pupils are statutory entitled to transport, Academisation doesn’t affect this.

14. Will the school have less money to spend?

No. The finances will continue to be carefully monitored by Governors but this will be overseen by the Trust.
There may be some financial savings if the MAT purchase goods and services at reduced prices because of improved ‘bargaining power’ and greater economies of scale.

15. What are the benefits to the school?

The MAT will encourage your earned autonomy, enabling the school to share in the support and challenge of a collective Trust combined with the freedom to continually develop the Christian ethos suited to the needs of the community.

16. What are the benefits to staff?

•   Greater opportunities for staff to visit colleagues in contrasting settings to share best practice and moderate work together.
•   Improved professional development and training opportunities re curriculum, safeguarding, admin etc.
•   Opportunities for staff to meet in forums and othernetworks of schools.
•   These enhanced training opportunities should thenimpact on the quality of teaching, learning and provision.

17. Will the term dates change?

 No. These will stay in line with that of local schools.

18. Do we still have to follow the National Curriculum?

 The school will still broadly follow the key aspects of the National Curriculum but will adapt this to suit the needs of pupils in this school and incorporate best practice from elsewhere.

19. Will parents or the community see a change?

•   Probably not early on as the school, although parents may begin to see and hear about the benefits of joining the MAT.
•   Communication for the school will include reference to the MAT via logos on publications, signs etc.

20. Will the learning journey of pupils change?

No. The pupils will still transfer from the same First schools into Brewood. The school will still welcome pupils from out of the catchment area. Pupils will still transfer to Wolgarston High School. The 3 tier system will remain.

21. Can staff still work with schools outside the Multi-Academy Trust?

Yes. Local schools in different MATs can still work together.

22. How is an academy funded and how does this improve current funding arrangements?

•   Academies receive a similar level of per-pupil funding as maintained schools, plus funding to meet additional responsibilities that are no longer provided for them by the Local Authority.The money that would have been provided to the Local

  Authority is provided directly to the Trust Board.

•   All of the money provided by the Government for theacademy will be spent on behalf of pupils in academy. (The Trust Board usually retains some of the budget in order to provide services to the academy. Local Authorities fund their core services in a similar way.)

23. What are the typical functions of a MAT?

•   Appropriate governance compliance.
•   Project management of the process of conversion.
•   Human Resources ie payroll of staff.
•   Financial operations.
•   Audit (internal and external) and VAT.
•   School Improvement ie of teaching.
•   Performance Management of the ExecutiveHeadteacher and other Senior Staff, if required.
•   Quality Assurance.
•   MAT policies and procedures.
•   Statutory responsibilities.
•   Accounting Officer/Chief Financial Officer.
•   Information Governance; HMRC; EFA; CompaniesHouse; OFSTED;DfE.

24. Will the MAT grow?

MATs do grow when they can see natural groupings which could have the potential to work together closely.

25. What happens to the children at the school which is converting to an Academy?

When an academy conversion is approved to go ahead, it will do so with the minimal disruption to the staff and pupils. The transition will be robustly managed and will outline each step of the process.

The MAT’s main priority is to ensure a safe working environment for both staff and pupils and a smooth transition throughout the conversion.

26. Can the school alter teachers’ pay and conditions

When a school converts to academy status, the conversion is covered by the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE regulations.) This means employees are legally protected when the school converts to an academy and they will transfer from their old employer on the same employment terms and conditions.

27. Will all staff transfer to the academy?

All staff primarily employed by the Governing Body at the date of transfer will transfer to the new employer.

28. Will there be a chance for parents to come into school to meet with the MAT sponsor, Governance and Senior staff to ask any questions about the MAT?

Yes. The school will arrange for a series of Parents’ Forums in school for parents to attend.