Considerations for Growth

There is moral obligation for us to consider how we can best support the wider education system, pupils and students in other schools and academies. This can take many forms. We already contribute to wider system leadership through the work we do to support other Trusts through the Education Exchange.

Strategic growth underpins our plans for raising standards and we have carefully analysed both the performance data and the capacity of existing providers in the regions. Establishing hubs to act as points of coalescence for school improvement and collaboration is an essential component of raising standards for disadvantaged and challenging communities at scale without cost; hence the need for balanced portfolios. It is incumbent upon all in the school system, including the DfE, Trusts and schools to consider carefully their strategic objectives and priorities and use the analytics available to model the impact of the growth of academy groups in their region. Insular Trusts which tie up capacity contribute to the challenges faced by other academies in their immediate locality. We are critically aware of the need to grow in a sustainable and prudent manner.

The key decision factors in informing our strategy are:

1/

Do we have the capacity to sponsor new schools or academies wishing to join the trust without compromising the quality of education in our existing academies?

2/

How can we ensure that our growth does not negatively impact on others and, does it meet our moral purpose to support the development of the wider system?

3/ 4/

Is there an opportunity to establish an Education Exchange to support the growth and development of other MATs or could it be used to establish a new MAT by providing practical support for instance, back office, SLA, etc.?

Does the proposed growth either contribute to already established clusters within the trust or form a sustainable base to create or have the potential to create a new hub?

In determining that growth is the preferred option, it is also worth considering some of the reasons

Schools and Academies may seek to join an existing MAT, these can be grouped as follows:

1/ Strong Performer

Converters: schools or academies that are strong performers may feel relatively isolated or would like to contribute to a wider group as the role of the L.A. diminishes.

2/ Vulnerable

Converters: schools or academies that are vulnerable. They may seek to join a MAT to enable them to develop and improve outcomes through sharing capacity and systems of the MAT.

3/ Inadequate

Sponsored: schools or academies judged Inadequate.

4/

SATs or MATs

There is a growth in small or single academy Trusts that are joining MATs.

1/

Our partnerships and collaborations are an example of how this group of academies can support the wider system through MAT capacity. When these types of schools contribute to well structured system MATs, they represent the future potential for school improvement. However, this is only true where the MAT is willing to use this to support the system. Where MATs simply tie up human resource and capacity they are the antithesis of strong Trusts.

These are where we would plan to appoint capacity in advance of need in the first instance to drive change. Systems and structures provide efficacy.

4/

WCAT is an example where things had deteriorated at a cost to the system. The four academies which moved to Delta saw investment in the infrastructure workforce and children which rapidly transformed these schools. Our capacity and track record gives us confidence that in similar circumstances we would welcome a whole Trust into the group.

The key to maintaining quality at scale is to ensure that we have:

• A strong and consistent model of school improvement with common systems.

• Timely metrics that allow the Board and Executive to take appropriate actions through a tight scheme of delegation.

• Sustainability:

Human resource and talent retention through succession planning and growth

Financial stability based on prudent financial and curriculum management (CLFP)

Strong financial systems, compliance and governance.

• Collaboration and engagement with the wider system.

A balanced portfolio would include a range of academies within these groups. There is a need to ensure that the academies capable of generating financial surplus are strategically shared across the system if we are to unlock the financial and human resources currently tied up in Trusts which have an over representation of these strongly performing schools and larger academies in their portfolio.

Geographic Location to ensure Sustainability

Our growth strategy identifies three distinct models of future development:

1/

Expanding our existing clusters of high-performing academies.

2/

Developing our existing hubs to release capacity and develop system collaboration.

Geographic Areas for Growth

3/

Establishing two more EdEx hubs (North and South) to facilitate collaboration and system growth.

Our current academies with areas of potential growth. New areas identified for growth.