Diversity, Choice and Access

Trust Schools

Jacky Griffin(Office of the Schools Commissioner, DCSF)

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Schools Commissioners Objectives

Promoting Choice and DiversityChampioning Parental ChoiceChampioning Fair AccessSupporting Local Authorities in Commissioning School PlacesPromoting Trust partnershipsDeveloping Academy proposals*

Creating more places in good schools that parents and pupils want:Expansion of successful and popular schoolsRadical solutions for weak / undersubscribed schoolsSustainable success and improvementIncreased self-governance across schools

Exploiting opportunities for step change, e.g. BSF, places planningTackling surplusResponding to demographic change and parental demandOffice of the Schools Commissioner supports:*

Establish Demand - what parents want and need Planning - Planning a system which responds to parental demand Implementation - Commissioning the services which parents want and need Support & Challenge Acting on behalf of parents/pupils to ensure all schools provide the high standardsLocal Authority Commissioning*

What should schools expect from a commissioning local authority?A more arms-length relationshipStronger and faster challengeMore support for schools from schoolsEnabling and brokering partnerships with other schools*

Self governanceMaintained by the Local AuthorityIndependent & Funded by DCSF

AcademiesIndependent secondary or all-through schoolsPublicly fundedJointly commissioned by LA, DCSF and sponsor.Increasing evidence of their success New sponsorship arrangements will lead to more educational sponsorsIncreasingly part of the family of schools

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Trust SchoolsFoundation school(s) backed by a trustSchool driven with Heads well placed to determine the needs of their pupils. They could:Develop positive, mutually beneficial partnerships between good and poorly performing schoolsReinforce and sustain existing positive relationships between schools and external partnersCreate a lasting legacy for schools in futureIn Clusters respond to strategic LA-wide issues e.g. 14-19 agenda, ECM, NEETs and progression.*

Different Models

One School with a TrustOne poorly performing school with a TrustA number of local Schools with a TrustA number of National Schools with a Trust

*Common purposeSustainable engagementStrong, relevant partners

Educational Advantage Help Deliver Every Child Matters 14-19 AgendaExtended SchoolsNew DiplomasPersonalised LearningSchools supported by other services for children, young people and families DistinctiveProfessional Development*

Pathfinders

The first 30 schools became Trust schools in September 2007

Expectation of at least 300 schools either as Trust schools or working towards Trust status by the end of the year.*

FederationsFederations could be used to support better collaborative working between schools as well providing a strategic response to LA-wide issues e.g.:Falling pupil numbersHeadteacher recruitmentBenefits of economies of scale through shared facilities, resources and services.Trusts and federations not mutually exclusive*

Comments and Questions?*

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*Trust Schools encourages you to consider different models with different areas of education and including a formal outside partner.

Needs to be sustainable to ensure it is not the strong Head or SMT that holds the partnership together.

Important it is right for the individual school.

After you become a Trust in September, the model may be adapted to better suit the needs of the school

The different models are; One School with a Trust LA can use this model to pair a poorly performing school with a [Strong] Trust HEI or a local successful schoolA number of local Schools with a Trust Cluster TrustDifferent Cluster can be:Secondary School working with their feeder primariesSecondary's working together (Rural, different specialism) (Rural Academy, Cumbria)Primaries working together (Rural, Trust helps with Admin) (Ashby Cluster)

A number of National Schools with a Trust Join specialist schools or Trust can provide administrative responsibility.Develop a specialismProvide subject specific CPDSecure best practiceCommon educational philosophy

Creating support, and not allowing, as the Ministers says, school to be islands anymore.*Deliver ECM, 14-19 agenda, extended schools & the five new diplomas supporting diversity of curriculum choice

Links with other schools can help you achieve these links

Schools work more closely together and shape their areas of expertise

Personalised Learning - Schools supported by other services for children, young people and families

Pupils taking ownership of their learning Closely monitoring pupils behaviour.

Joint training is a proven forum for staff to learn and better understand new techniques.

Economies of Scales and can bring the training to the schools, not travel to the training, which will save effort and time.

With Trust Schools we are looking to develop a combination of:- self confident institutions with the freedoms and flexibilities - innovate and set their own agenda- making use of the expertise and support offered by external partners - individual character and ethos. - formalising collaboration so that partnerships dont crumble when key individuals move on. And using these collaborative arrangements, where appropriate to support other agendas like the delivery of the 14-19 entitlement.

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