Plantation Academy Conversion Update

Message to all school stakeholders

I am writing to provide you with an update following the decision of our Governing Body to convert to become an Academy and join the Rowan Learning Trust.

This decision was agreed by Governors back in March 2022 following consultations with stakeholders, including parents and carers, in February 2022.

Since then, our application has been with the Department for Education (DfE) and the decision on our application would normally take approximately six weeks.  Factors nationally and locally have meant that this process has been significantly delayed.  I want to be able to reassure you that the delay is in no way a reflection of the quality of our application and we have now received confirmation from the DfE of their approval for our conversion, this is called an Academy Order.

School will now begin a formalised process as part of the conversion process and we are hopeful of a conversion date before the end of this school year.  I will contact you again as and when I am able to provide any updates or further information.

As in my communication back in February 2022, below is an overview of what an Academy is, the Governing Body’s reasoning for taking this step and some FAQs which you may find helpful.

Yours sincerely

Mr Mike Parsons

Chair of Governors

What is an Academy?

At present the local authority, Knowsley Council, receives money from the central government for all their schools.

• Part of this money is then given to each individual school based on pupil numbers.
• Some of this money is kept back for standard functions and building maintenance.
• So, it is unlikely that we will ever receive the full amount of money that central government provides to the local authority
• On top of this, we must also now buy back services from the local authority, such as payroll, HR, legal etc.

Regarding Academies, a few snippets taken from www.gov.uk

• Academies receive funding directly from the government.
• They have more control over how they do things.
• They are still inspected by Ofsted.
• They have to follow the same rules on admissions, special educational needs and exclusions as other state schools
• Pupils sit the same exams as those attending state schools, e.g. Key Stage 1 and 2 SATs.
• Academies are run by Academy Trusts – which are not-for-profit companies

So, whilst the Academy receives all the monies, much like the local authority, they will also have all the resources and support in place, without the need for each school to individually buy back. Further information can be found here.

Whilst Academies have been in existence for several years, until recently we have not appreciated the full benefits that they would bring to Plantation Primary School. However, as more and more schools move to an Academy Trust, the support and services available through the local authority will reach a tipping point regarding cost and availability.

As such, and in line with the current drive from the Department of Education, we wanted to take proactive steps: “We want every school in the country to be part of a family of schools in a strong multi academy trust.” What is an academy and what are the benefits?, October 2021

What we don’t want is for the school to be in a position where we are reacting to a mandated change or a resource/cost impediment. We would rather take a proactive approach, choosing an Academy Trust that fits into the ethos of Plantation Primary School, at a time that suits us best.

Mr Hanley and the Governing Body have previously looked at a variety of different academies and would only be satisfied if they found an academy trust that they firmly believed was in line with our ethos and culture.  Up until last year, we had not met with an academy trust that we felt could live up to our high expectations.

The Governing Body have spent time investigating the Rowan Learning Trust (RLT).

• We have met with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and spent time finding out how their schools worked, their educational ethos and how Plantation Primary School would benefit from joining them.
• Mr Hanley and the Governors met to discuss our findings and the CEO of the Trust met with Governors for our further consideration.
• From that, it was clear that RLT met our high expectations, sharing our ethos and culture with a keen interest in working to ensure the pupils are at the centre of everything we do.
• The CEO has also talked to all staff at school so we could consult and gain their feedback too.
• During the interim period since our application, we have begun to work closely with schools already in the Trust. This has involved developments to improve our curriculum further, professional development for staff, and opportunities for staff to work with other colleagues to develop their thinking and teaching to positively impact on our children.

You, better than anyone, understands what it means to have Plantation Primary School continue to thrive in the community. We believe that securing this change will help ensure the future of Plantation Primary School remains positive in the face of ever-increasing challenges. I hope you are as excited as we are at the positive impact joining with RLT can have in the short and long-term for your children and the community.

FAQs for parents/carers

How will this affect pupils’ experience of school?

• Pupils will not be affected by the transition period involved by joining the MAT (Multi Academy Trust). The school’s Senior Leadership Team and MAT’s trustees will work together to ensure this transition is as seamless as possible. Once the transition period is over, the school will continue running as normal and the school is confident pupils will not be affected.

How will parents be affected?

• Parents will not be affected; however, they may start to see and hear more information about the MAT.
• Parents may notice that correspondence sent by the school, e.g. letters and emails, will include the MAT’s logo.

Will the uniform change?

• No, the uniform will not change and there are no plans for this to change in the future.

Will the academy still follow the national curriculum?

• Academies in a MAT don’t have to adhere to the national curriculum; however, the academy will continue to follow this framework.

Will the admissions arrangements change?

• There are currently no plans to change the admission arrangements; however, academies are their own admissions authority and are in charge of deciding their admissions arrangements.
• Like maintained schools, academies are required to comply with the Admissions and Admission Appeals Codes of Practice. Academies are also required to participate in Local Authority (LA) coordination of admissions processes and the LA’s Fair Access Protocol.

Will term times change?

• No, the term dates will stay the same as other local schools.

Will the school name change?

• No, the school name will remain the same.

Will my child’s pupil premium be affected?

• The school expects all pupil premium payments to remain with pupils and be spent on enhancing and assisting their learning.

Will my child’s EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) be affected?

• The school will continue to support your child as set out in their EHC Plan if they are in receipt of this additional support. The school’s SENDCO, Mrs Dundon, will continue to coordinate its delivery by staff and reviews will continue as normal.

General questions about academies and Multi Academy Trusts

What is a MAT?

• An MAT or Multi Academy Trust is a single charitable entity which controls a group of academies (schools) within the trust.
• The trust’s directors (or trustees) are responsible for overseeing the running of all the academies (schools) within the trust.
• The trust is accountable for all the academies (schools) within the MAT; however, before joining the MAT, the school and trust would agree on the matters that would be handled by the trust, e.g. legal services and financial auditing, and those that will remain the responsibility of the local governing board.

Why is the school considering converting as part of a MAT?

• Being part of an MAT offers better opportunities to collaborate and share resources with other schools/academies.
• All the schools in the trust are working to one common goal, which will help drive our school’s standards and, ultimately, benefit the pupils.

What are the responsibilities of the MAT once the school has joined?

• The main responsibilities of the MAT include:
• Setting the strategic direction for all the academies (schools) within the trust
• Being responsible for the performance of the academies, including monitoring and, where necessary, intervening to improve performance
• Ensuring that the right structure and organisation is in place to deliver the necessary high-standards for pupils
• Ensuring value for money, maximising available funds and identifying and securing additional finance and support when required
• Challenging progress in all aspects of academy operations and providing support and guidance to achieve the highest outcomes
• Leading involvement with parents and the wider community to promote the MAT and support the community.

What are the members of a MAT?

• Members are like the shareholders of a commercial company, they appoint trustees to run the MAT and are the only people able to amend the trust’s Articles of Association – the Articles of Association is the document that sets out the framework to which the academy (school) and the trust will work together.

What are the trustees of an MAT?

• The trustees oversee the day-to-day running of the MAT, determine what policies will be implemented and make the decisions that impact the entire trust.
• The trustees are the official statutory governing board for the MAT.

Will conversion alter the school’s existing ethos?

• No, the school will retain its own values and ethos whilst working to the goals shared by the academies within the MAT.

Will the academy (school) still be inspected by Ofsted?

• Yes, all academies (schools) are inspected by Ofsted using the same framework and timescales as maintained schools.
• The academies in the MAT will continue to be inspected separately; however, this may change in line with government policy.
• Ofsted will carry out inspections of the trust as whole; however, we’re unsure when and how often these inspections will be carried out.

How will a MAT be chosen and who makes the final decision?

• The governing body of the school will consult with staff members, parents and academies currently in the MAT in order to make an informed decision on whether or not to join the MAT.
• The governing body, in collaboration with the SLT, will undertake formal due diligence on the academy’s potential partners before a decision is made.
• After collecting evidence and hearing the case for and against joining the MAT the final decision will be made by the governing body.

Does the MAT have charity status?

• Yes, the MAT has charity status – the directors of the academy trust are the charity trustees.
• Academies in MATs are ‘exempt’ charities – this means they are not required to register formally with the Charity Commission, but the academies have the same charitable status as the organisations that are fully registered charities.