New report highlights the dangers of a MAT system

A NEW report by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) has concluded that the Government’s aim to make all schools join multi-academy trusts (MATs) by 2030 will “certainly” be missed. The report warns that rapid trust growth would involve huge cost, cause upheaval and risk creating issues for quality.

The Government’s White Paper published in 2022 set out an ambition for all schools to be part of a “strong” trust of ten or more schools, or 7,500 pupils, by 2030. But the NFER points out that “there is currently a lack of evidence on the optimal size of a trust for good pupil and financial outcomes” and that “research has shown that academisation alone does not necessarily improve school outcomes”.

While the Government remains committed to the aims of the White Paper, it has scrapped its schools bill, removing a major lever for academisation.

The NFER report also confirms that appetite for academisation is weaker than ever. Just six per cent of councils responding to an NFER survey were in favour of all schools being moved into MATs, while more than half said their local maintained and standalone academy schools were opposed to joining MATs.

Fundamental problems with MATs

Mary Bousted, NEU joint general secretary, said: “This report makes clear that the Government’s stated ambition to get all schools into MATs by 2030 is totally unrealistic.

“The fact that the Government persists with this policy indicates that it is not at all concerned by the huge problems in the academies policy and the confusing and fragmented schools landscape brought into being by the expansion of MATs.”

Mary added that there are fundamental problems with MATs, including issues with accountability, lack of staff and parent voice, and the ability of local authorities to co-ordinate services for those children who need support.

“The Government appears to have given up even the pretence that these problems will be addressed. Instead, it wants to find new ways to force schools into becoming part of a MAT in order to create a sense of momentum behind an academies policy that was already running out of steam.

“This cannot and should not be a priority for Government right now. The crises of recruitment and retention of teachers, and school and college underfunding, should be paramount,” she said.