Trust Status

Presentation for the Opening Celebrations of Sir Thomas Wharton Community College

1st July 2009

What is a Trust?• A state funded foundation school, supported by

charitable status• A school where school and partners work together for

the benefit of the school• A school that employs its own staff, sets its own

admission arrangements and usually manages its own assets

• A school that chooses its own partners, providing the opportunity to go beyond ad hoc projects and build a sustainable mutual partnership for the benefit of its students

What is it not?

• An academy

• A grant maintained school

• An independent school

• Different from community schools

• Run by business

• Separate from the Local Authority

So what is the role of the LA?• To fund the school on the same basis as its

other schools• To intervene if the school is failing or

underperforming• To inform the schools adjudicator if the process

of becoming a trust is not consultative in line with the process laid down or if the established trust is having a negative impact

How will it help Students?• Better promote the school’s Business and

Enterprise status and its community plan• Bring in aspirant leaders as partners for the

school• Provide a solid link with Further and Higher

Education• Promote an enterprising “can do” culture• Offer work based placements through our

partnerships for students and for staff

What opportunities will it bring?• Role Models who embody the “Can Do” philosophy• Community Programmes for an Open College• Real business and enterprise examples in the classroom• Enriched experiences in the Curriculum• Professional Development for Staff• Access to funding for Community projects• Enhanced Governance and Leadership

Why Now?• Part of our Strategy For Change, building on our successes

1. Positive Ofsted report demonstrating Good Capacity for growth and confidence in the College to improve

2. Re-designation as a Business and Enterprise College3. Desire to provide for our young people and their families4. Community College which is at the cutting edge of enterprise,

technology and learning• Partnership working needs to be sustainable with committed like-

minded people

What partners did we seek?

• Ambassadors with knowledge and experience of:– Our community– Business and enterprise– Further and higher education and training– Local people with personal success stories – The Triple X factor

• excitement, experience and expertise

Approaches Made• Formulated a wish list based on criteria given• Asked staff for former students who have done well• Tried to add in a creative link due to our performing arts

credentials• Took initial thoughts to governors and worked with a sub

group of chair and vice chair• Made university contacts but re-adjusted the plan,

support from Liverpool Pat Shenton• Consulted with the Friends of STW

Who are our potential partners and what would they bring?

• Trevor Heptinstall – Neighbourhood Manager for Doncaster MBC

• David White – Creative Director of Public Ltd• Stephen Shore – Chief Executive of Doncaster Chamber

of Commerce and Enterprise• Dylan Lisle – Acclaimed Artist• Carol Deeman – Vice Principal of Doncaster College• Gary Thomasson – Regional Director of Vinci

Construction

Trevor Heptinstall• Neighbourhood Manager for Doncaster MBC

Trevor has a wealth of knowledge of our Community and its needs and has developed a reputation for making things happen. He is widely experienced in accessing funding support and he is an important “on the ground, common sense” Local Authority connection. Trevor already works with the college and many of our families in all areas of community well-being. A stronger partnership with Trevor will serve our whole community well and serve to widen Trevor’s Community involvement too.

David White• Creative Director of Public Ltd

A former student of the school, David has returned to Doncaster after his successes in London and seeks to give back something to the college. Public Ltd already works with our staff and students and together through the marketing group, produced the logo and prospectus for the college. David is a keen advocate of Doncaster and understands the importance of nurturing our talented young people into Doncaster. His company is founded on a “Can Do” culture and David leads from the front; he will be a superb role model for our students.

Stephen Shore• Chief Executive of Doncaster Chamber of Commerce and

EnterpriseStephen is Sheffield born and trained in Law at Hull University. He has recently taken over as Chief Executive bringing in many changes to custom and practice creating the forward-looking, forward-thinking organisation which is the voice of Business and Enterprise across the Borough. He understands totally the benefits of engaging students from an early age with the work of the Chamber. His enthusiasm and experience will enhance our governance and Leadership, our curriculum and our teaching and learning, giving real life opportunities for students.

Dylan Lisle• Professional Artist

Another former student of the school who wishes to give something back, Dylan is a Contemporary Figurative Artist of International repute, having had solo exhibitions in London and a proposed solo exhibition this year at the Medici Gallery. Dylan’s work is a strongly influenced by the “Old Masters”. Despite working in Edinburgh Dylan remains in contact with staff at the College, with Doncaster developments and of course his family in Edlington. Dylan is keen to enhance the work of the Performing Arts Faculty with workshops, mentoring and by promoting in students an “anything’s possible” attitude.

Carol Deeman• Vice Principal of Doncaster College

Carol has been VP, Curriculum and Planning, at Doncaster College for 3 years and has been responsible for change management and quality improvement. She is passionate about developing trust and a better understanding between schools and Doncaster College and is an excellent female role model. Joint working with our respective staff and students, professional development and our access to some of their excellent facilities are but 3 of the benefits of cementing this partnership. Further their link to Higher Education through the Business College and as an associate institution to the University of Hull is a distinct advantage for our staff and students.

Gary Thomasson• Regional Director of Vinci Construction UK

Vinci is the world’s leading construction and concessions group with 158,000 employees in 90 countries around the world and whose vision is “to exceed the expectations of all our stakeholders”. As Regional Director, Gary was instrumental in building our new College and works with schools to make their vision the reality. Vinci is our PFI partner and it is both our desires for Sir Thomas Wharton to be a true Community Resource. In addition this multi-national company can offer our students experiences at home and abroad to enhance their learning through placements, scholarships, etc. Our aim is for Sir Thomas Wharton to be a showcase college for what is possible when working in partnership.

The Consultation Process• Produced a leaflet to promote the Consultation Process• Distributed to all staff• Distributed to all parents through the students• Given to School Council Members• Placed copies in the Partners offices / places of work in town and in

school• Leaflets placed at the Hill Top Centre• Distributed to libraries in Warmsworth, Edlington, Tickhill and in the

Post Office in Wadworth• Feeder Primary schools given copies• Copies available for all business partners• Copies available at the College Celebration Evening

What do you think?

• Consultation Period 22nd May to 3rd July

• Please take a brochure and let us know your views before the end of the Consultation Period.

The Trust’s FocusThe trust will consist of a range of partners who will:

•Strengthen and add expertise to our specialism, promoting sustainability and enterprise throughout school.

•Support our vocational/applied learning programme And personalisation through enterprise and other aspects of the business curriculum.

•Raise standards in education and training in our school and community through raised aspirations, ambition and a culture of achievement.

•Offer a new, purposeful and dynamic perspective to leadership and governance which will enable and embody our specialist status.

Our VisionWe believe that the school, as a Business and Enterprise College, is the single most

important factor in lifting the climate of deprivation in the Community by building a climate of aspiration, positive risk-taking and the confidence to problem-solve.

Whilst increasingly our students are demonstrating more confidence and enterprise skills, especially as a result of our partnership work and a more vocational curriculum; we see the Trust as a platform to make a step change by formalising and adding permanence to our partnership arrangements and by embodying our specialist status through a Business an Enterprise focussed Trust.

This will lead to enhanced leadership and governance; a “can-do2 mentality through greater autonomy and responsibility and a culture of striving for higher standards and higher attainment through relevant education and training: thus shifting the critical mass.

What is a Trust?• A state funded foundation school, supported by

charitable status• A school where school and partners work together for

the benefit of the school• A school that employs its own staff, sets its own

admission arrangements and usually manages its own assets

• A school that chooses its own partners, providing the opportunity to go beyond ad hoc projects and build a sustainable mutual partnership for the benefit of its students

How will it help Students?• Better promote the school’s Business and

Enterprise status and hence its development plan• Bring in aspirant leaders as partners for the school• Provide a solid link with Higher Education• Promote an enterprising “can do” culture• Offer work based placements through our

partnerships for students and for staff

Continued

• Keep the momentum of the new head and the new school alive to provide an ethos over time of positive change, which will be self-sustaining

• By employing staff your own staff, central to raised achievement and by ITT links with HE that will promote the school to quality applicants

• By considering admission arrangements

How do you become a Trust School?

Decide on whether to become a Trust• Probably a year to implement, try for

January 2010?• Select your Trustees• Consult widely• Set up a Charitable TrustImplement

How will it make a difference?• By enabling students, parents and the business community to

contribute to the strategic direction of the school• By establishing more formal relationships with our partners through

a more permanent relationship in business, training and higher education for our community.

• By better contributing to and delivering the education and training of our young people.By bringing new leadership and policy perspectives through the Trust appointed governors.

• By raising aspirations and expectations by accessing higher education courses, higher education students, business mentors and successful former Edlington students.