At this year’s Labour Party Conference, the Education Policy Institute has partnered with the National Association of Head Teachers to hold a public panel on: ‘Building a trust-led system that works for all – what is needed from schools’ policy?’
The schools white paper, published in February, set out an ambition for all schools to become part of a ‘strong’ Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) as a route to achieving high standards. MATs have the advantage of scale to share best practice, pool resources, and provide financial support and stability. Yet many school leaders and governing bodies are not yet convinced that joining a trust is in the best interests of their schools and pupils. As the white paper moves towards implementation, it is timely to consider what an attractive offer should look like to support and incentivise schools to achieve the government’s vision.
The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has been monitoring its members’ responses to the white paper, a large number of whom currently lead maintained schools – a group of leaders who it will be crucial to convince if the government is to achieve its ambition. While some maintained schools are not ideologically opposed to joining a trust, the sheer volume of education reform on the horizon, including the new Ofsted framework, major SEND reform, a new engagement framework, an enrichment offer and breakfast clubs, means that most do not have the capacity to consider major changes to their governance structures. Whilst some school leaders and governing bodies are actively exploring joining a trust, others question whether this is in the best interests of their school.
So, how should the government approach encouraging schools to join a trust? This timely panel will bring together policymakers, education leaders and sector experts to consider how schools should be incentivised and what a compelling offer would look like. Panellists will explore the concerns and potential barriers facing schools and discuss what’s needed from policy to make the trust model more attractive, including the importance of local governance, place-based policy and funding arrangements.
Speakers will be announced in due course.
** Note: This event will take place in the conference secure zone. To access the secure zone you will need to obtain a pass directly from the Labour Party.**
