157:
academies and join an academy chain. In effect there were two inspection regimes: the education minister Damian Hinds told the 2018 NAHT this must change: âOfsted inspectors should be the only people who should be inspecting schoolsâŚwhich means no more RSC-initiated visits that can feel like inspections with those extra demands for data, adding to bureaucracy.â Regional School commissioners do not stay in post for long, and often leave to become CEOs of multi-academy trusts.
85:, i.e. schools deemed to be failing by central government. It was considered that the governors of such schools were failing, so the existing governing body was dissolved and replaced by a structure determined by an external sponsor. The sponsor could be a charity, philanthropist, FE College or, or another academy.
550:
published a report, Chain
Effects 2018, building on work they had done in previous reports on the effectiveness of MATs in improving the performance of disadvantaged children. Poorer pupils in 12 out of 58 chains analysed by Professor Merryn Hutchings and Professor Becky Francis, performed above the
62:
Sponsored academies were introduced from the early 2000s by the Labour government. The sponsor paid the capital cost and the revenue costs were paid by central government. A sponsor set up a charitable trust and individual contracts were signed with the
Department for Education (DfE). These were all
106:
By 2017, the concept of academy chain was in retreat, the multi-academy trust was the predominant model of governance. The MAT contracts with the
Secretary of State directly and schools run by a MAT have no separate legal identity. Each school is, in law, simply the local site through which the MAT
66:
The
Academies Act 2010 was passed by the incoming Conservative Government, It provided a bespoke statutory mechanism for maintained schools, both primary and secondary, to be forced or allowed to âconvertâ to academy status. The DfE adopted various âmodel funding agreementsâ for new academies. New
242:
found that
English MATs had significantly higher annual turnover of secondary classroom teachers (19.5%) than local authorities schools (14.4%). Large MATs, with 10 or more schools, also had higher rates of pupil absence, suspension and unexplained departures than smaller MATs and local authority
70:
In 2014, eight
Regional Schools Commissioners (RSCs) were appointed as DfE civil servants. with the responsibility for approving new academies and intervening to address performance issues in academies. They have significant powers to influence to academies and local authority maintained schools.
115:
There is one central board of directors, who may call themselves the board of governors. The majority are appointed by the sponsor. They appoint the executive head teacher, and run the back-office services such as building, human resources and allocation of special fund. They may govern all the
227:
Other, independent research has examined the impact of MATs. Bernardinelli et al (2018) found no positive impact from MAT status overall, but that pupils in small and mid-sized MATs tend to perform better, on average, than their peers in comparable maintained schools in both phases and, in the
156:
and the local community. Ofsted is a separate government department not answerable to the DfE. The regional commissioners ran shadow inspections of schools and trust, bypassing Ofsted. On the strength of these, they informed headteachers that their schools were failing and must apply to become
58:
The
Education Act 1944 established a national system of primary and secondary education, with schools under the overall supervision of âlocal education authoritiesâ who were responsible for funding all such schools. This legal called maintaining then in 1988 schools gained legal autonomy.
49:
BESA, the
British Educational Suppliers Association states that in November 2019 there are 1,170 Multi Academy Trusts in England that manage at least two schools: 598 have five or fewer schools, 259 have 6-11 schools, 85 have between 12-25 schools and 29 have 26 or more schools.
223:
has verbalised the concerns that academies and particularly academy chains (MAT)s were not always delivering the results that the government had hoped for. They sponsored and published research challenging aspects of policy; the programme is called Chain
Effects.
551:
national average on key measures of 2017 attainment for disadvantaged pupils. Three chains â City of London, Diocese of London, and Harris â were significantly above the average. However, in 38 of the 58 chains analysed, disadvantaged pupils performed below the
148:. Their role was expanded in July 2015 to approve converter academies and assign sponsors. It remained unclear exactly what the limits to the role of Regional School Commissioner were and how they related to the elected Headteachers Board (HTB), to the
568:
The
Government should work with the National and Regional Schools Commissioners to create mechanisms to share good practice. Chains that demonstrate they are able to better assist students in attaining results should be used as a model for other
67:
academies called âfree schoolsâ could be built. A local authority needing to build new school in its area had to seek proposals to establish an academy, in the form of a âfree schoolâ. They were no longer allowed to construct it themselves.
228:
primary phase, than comparable standalone academies. Conversely, secondary school pupils in larger MATs (with 16+ schools) tend to do worse compared to those in both standalone academies and maintained schools.
235:'s (2018) study of academisation and the Government's wider 'school-led self-improving system' reforms, which showed that MATs were contributing to fragmentation and reduced democratic oversight of schools.
565:
Regional Schools Commissioners must take action against chains that are underperforming and do not show improvement. RSCs should be allowed to include successful local authorities as alternative providers.
1031:
46:
control. The terms of the arrangements are set out in individual Academy Funding Agreements. The group of schools in a multi-academy trust work together under a shared academy funding agreement.
1073:
939:
1241:
1236:
211:
announced it was winding down and ceasing to trade as it hadn't the capacity to manage its 21 schools and asked the government to make an alternative arrangement.
627:
1256:
1251:
1039:
562:
Ofsted should be permitted to perform formal inspections of academy chains, then make criteria-based judgments rather that the current summary evaluations.
1121:
518:
revealed that they fail in gender equality. The study reveals several trusts where women face hourly pay deficit of more than 50%. The worst offender is
102:
A third model is the Collaborative Partnership where the academies are directly answerable to the Secretary of State but not to each other. This is rare.
849:
1150:
908:
1221:
418:
1002:
1065:
769:
1231:
743:
438:
671:
107:
delivers the central contract. Local staff and any local âgoverning bodyâ have only the role assigned to them by the MAT board itself
730:
1246:
931:
526:
where the median hourly pay gap in favour of men is 62% â meaning that a woman is paid 38 pence for every ÂŁ1 earned by a man. The
129:
371:
598:
527:
428:
341:
331:
281:
208:
31:
875:
1216:
133:
535:
361:
178:
638:
239:
170:
99:
is an alternative structure for converter schools that is less used, where the schools maintain more local control.
478:
448:
311:
194:
144:(DfE); were given responsibility for intervening in under-performing academies in their region and approving new
1176:
519:
251:
Following mounting ongoing concern a league table was produced to name and shame the worst performers using the
488:
190:
166:
141:
88:
78:
39:
27:
1201:
819:
63:
schools that had been failed the Ofsted criteria. By 2010 there were 203 such schools, out of a total 3333.
458:
900:
498:
1226:
794:
468:
408:
381:
198:
165:
A number of private and charitable organisations run groups of academies. These major operators include
145:
321:
252:
117:
1095:
961:
1003:"Multi-academy trusts have higher secondary-level teacher turnover than local authority schools"
663:
739:
301:
291:
182:
255:, which measures GCSE results after compensating for each pupil's performance at the end of
149:
82:
43:
693:
531:
351:
572:
Ofsted should commission additional research on what makes a chain successful and why.
1210:
137:
876:"Another regional schools commissioner leaving to join an academy chain | Tes News"
552:
547:
220:
987:
590:
232:
514:
Trusts are exempt from all Teacher Pay and Conditions agreements. In March 2018,
523:
256:
186:
91:, schools who have chosen to convert, have increasingly chosen to join existing
204:
The Department for Education publishes a full list of active academy sponsors.
120:
with defined delegated powers which act as subcommittees to the central board.
1151:"TWO-THIRDS OF ACADEMY CHAINS PERFORM BELOW AVERAGE FOR DISADVANTAGED PUPILS"
820:"The role of Regional Schools Commissioners First Report of Session 2015â16"
850:"Has peace broken out between Ofsted and regional schools commissioners?"
1122:"Academy chains underperforming for disadvantaged children, study finds"
1032:"League tables: Best and worst performing multi-academy trusts revealed"
231:
Other studies have focussed on the wider impact of MATs. This includes
35:
132:, through the National Schools Commissioner. In September 2014 eight
986:
Bernardinelli, D.; Rutt, S.; Greany, T.; Higham, R. (17 April 2024).
153:
988:"Multi-academy Trusts: Do they make a difference to pupil outcomes?"
530:, which managed 21 schools before its collapse, had a median hourly
732:
Academies, the School System in England and a Vision for the Future
74:
The academy trust model of governance was the one imposed on all:
174:
1066:"Gender pay gaps in academy school chains among the worst in UK"
128:
The board of directors originally were responsible to the
637:. Specialist Schools and Academies Trust. Archived from
16:
Trust in England operating multiple academy schools
932:"Failing academy trust to pull out of 21 schools"
1064:Adams, Richard; Duncan, Pamela (25 March 2018).
738:. LSE Matrix Chambers: LSE Academic Publishing.
177:(formerly Edutrust Academies Charitable Trust),
26:is an academy trust that operates more than one
591:"What is a Funding Agreement? | a can of worms"
1059:
1057:
1144:
1142:
1025:
1023:
764:
762:
8:
724:
722:
720:
718:
716:
714:
664:"Become an academy: information for schools"
622:
620:
618:
616:
538:staff face a gender pay gap of almost 50%.
262:A summary of the league table for 2017 is:
95:s rather than find their own sponsors. The
352:The Seckford Foundation Free Schools Trust
396:
372:The Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust
269:
582:
1242:Public education in the United Kingdom
1237:Education policy in the United Kingdom
930:Press Association (9 September 2017).
942:from the original on 9 September 2017
7:
1257:United Kingdom educational programs
1252:State schools in the United Kingdom
1175:Francis, Becky; Hutchings, Merryn.
1149:Veenman, Grace (20 December 2018).
601:from the original on 4 January 2018
1076:from the original on 25 March 2018
1030:George, Martin (25 January 2018).
558:The Sutton Trust recommends that:
282:The Thinking Schools Academy Trust
136:(RSCs) were formally appointed as
14:
1120:Weale, Sally (20 December 2018).
729:West, Anne; Wolfe, David (2018).
536:Kent Catholic Schools Partnership
362:Kent Catholic Schools Partnership
38:which are directly funded by the
130:Secretary of State for Education
911:from the original on 4 May 2014
674:from the original on 4 May 2014
489:Fylde Coast Teaching School Ltd
393:Worst-performing academy trusts
81:when they were forced to leave
1222:Secondary education in England
1001:Weale, Sally (16 April 2024).
901:"Academy sponsor contact list"
528:Wakefield City Academies Trust
429:Wakefield City Academies Trust
342:Outwood Grange Academies Trust
266:Best-performing academy trusts
209:Wakefield City Academies Trust
134:Regional Schools Commissioners
1:
1202:Research gate selected papers
694:"Key UK education statistics"
116:schools centrally or appoint
1232:Secondary schools in England
907:. Department for Education.
670:. Department for Education.
332:Tudor Grange Academies Trust
449:Eastern Multi-Academy Trust
419:The Midland Academies Trust
179:Emmanuel Schools Foundation
1273:
827:publications.parliament.uk
520:Schoolsworks Academy Trust
240:Education Policy Institute
171:Academies Enterprise Trust
1247:Public finance of England
795:"Schools causing concern"
479:Greenwood Academies Trust
382:The Redhill Academy Trust
312:North East Learning Trust
195:Tauheedul Education Trust
20:Multi-Academy Trust (MAT)
774:www.carterandcoley.co.uk
770:"Types of academy chain"
191:Ormiston Academies Trust
142:Department for Education
40:Department for Education
207:In September 2017, the
83:local authority control
546:In December 2018, the
542:Disadvantaged children
499:Learning Schools Trust
118:local governing bodies
30:. Academy schools are
938:. Press Association.
459:Athena Learning Trust
199:United Learning Trust
1217:Academies in England
1177:"Chain effects 2018"
1096:"Chain Effects 2015"
962:"Chain Effects 2015"
322:Dixons Academy Trust
253:Progress 8 benchmark
32:state-funded schools
854:www.prospect.org.uk
89:Converter academies
79:sponsored academies
42:and independent of
1042:on 30 January 2018
848:Mansall, Warwick.
597:. 8 October 2011.
555:national average.
469:Aldridge Education
409:Hart Schools Trust
745:978-1-909890-42-8
595:davidwolfe.org.uk
510:Gender inequality
507:
506:
403:Progress 8 score
390:
389:
302:Harris Federation
292:Inspiration Trust
276:Progress 8 score
233:Greany and Higham
183:Harris Federation
150:Local Authorities
1264:
1189:
1188:
1186:
1184:
1172:
1166:
1165:
1163:
1161:
1146:
1137:
1136:
1134:
1132:
1117:
1111:
1110:
1108:
1106:
1092:
1086:
1085:
1083:
1081:
1061:
1052:
1051:
1049:
1047:
1038:. Archived from
1027:
1018:
1017:
1015:
1013:
998:
992:
991:
983:
977:
976:
974:
972:
958:
952:
951:
949:
947:
927:
921:
920:
918:
916:
897:
891:
890:
888:
886:
871:
865:
864:
862:
860:
845:
839:
838:
836:
834:
824:
816:
810:
809:
807:
805:
791:
785:
784:
782:
780:
766:
757:
756:
754:
752:
737:
726:
709:
708:
706:
704:
690:
684:
683:
681:
679:
660:
654:
653:
651:
649:
643:
632:
628:"Academy Chains"
624:
611:
610:
608:
606:
587:
397:
270:
1272:
1271:
1267:
1266:
1265:
1263:
1262:
1261:
1207:
1206:
1198:
1193:
1192:
1182:
1180:
1174:
1173:
1169:
1159:
1157:
1148:
1147:
1140:
1130:
1128:
1119:
1118:
1114:
1104:
1102:
1094:
1093:
1089:
1079:
1077:
1063:
1062:
1055:
1045:
1043:
1029:
1028:
1021:
1011:
1009:
1000:
999:
995:
985:
984:
980:
970:
968:
960:
959:
955:
945:
943:
929:
928:
924:
914:
912:
899:
898:
894:
884:
882:
873:
872:
868:
858:
856:
847:
846:
842:
832:
830:
829:. UK Parliament
822:
818:
817:
813:
803:
801:
793:
792:
788:
778:
776:
768:
767:
760:
750:
748:
746:
735:
728:
727:
712:
702:
700:
692:
691:
687:
677:
675:
662:
661:
657:
647:
645:
641:
635:SSAT UK website
630:
626:
625:
614:
604:
602:
589:
588:
584:
579:
544:
512:
249:
217:
163:
126:
113:
56:
44:local authority
17:
12:
11:
5:
1270:
1268:
1260:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1239:
1234:
1229:
1224:
1219:
1209:
1208:
1205:
1204:
1197:
1196:External links
1194:
1191:
1190:
1179:. Sutton Trust
1167:
1138:
1112:
1087:
1053:
1019:
993:
978:
953:
922:
892:
874:Hazell, Will.
866:
840:
811:
786:
758:
744:
710:
685:
655:
612:
581:
580:
578:
575:
574:
573:
570:
566:
563:
543:
540:
532:gender pay gap
511:
508:
505:
504:
501:
495:
494:
491:
485:
484:
481:
475:
474:
471:
465:
464:
461:
455:
454:
451:
445:
444:
441:
435:
434:
431:
425:
424:
421:
415:
414:
411:
405:
404:
401:
395:
394:
388:
387:
384:
378:
377:
374:
368:
367:
364:
358:
357:
354:
348:
347:
344:
338:
337:
334:
328:
327:
324:
318:
317:
314:
308:
307:
304:
298:
297:
294:
288:
287:
284:
278:
277:
274:
268:
267:
248:
245:
216:
213:
162:
159:
138:civil servants
125:
124:Accountability
122:
112:
109:
104:
103:
100:
97:Umbrella Trust
86:
55:
52:
28:academy school
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1269:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1245:
1243:
1240:
1238:
1235:
1233:
1230:
1228:
1225:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1215:
1214:
1212:
1203:
1200:
1199:
1195:
1178:
1171:
1168:
1156:
1152:
1145:
1143:
1139:
1127:
1123:
1116:
1113:
1101:
1097:
1091:
1088:
1075:
1071:
1067:
1060:
1058:
1054:
1041:
1037:
1033:
1026:
1024:
1020:
1008:
1004:
997:
994:
989:
982:
979:
967:
963:
957:
954:
941:
937:
933:
926:
923:
910:
906:
902:
896:
893:
881:
877:
870:
867:
855:
851:
844:
841:
828:
821:
815:
812:
800:
796:
790:
787:
775:
771:
765:
763:
759:
747:
741:
734:
733:
725:
723:
721:
719:
717:
715:
711:
699:
695:
689:
686:
673:
669:
665:
659:
656:
644:on 4 May 2014
640:
636:
629:
623:
621:
619:
617:
613:
600:
596:
592:
586:
583:
576:
571:
567:
564:
561:
560:
559:
556:
554:
549:
541:
539:
537:
533:
529:
525:
521:
517:
509:
502:
500:
497:
496:
492:
490:
487:
486:
482:
480:
477:
476:
472:
470:
467:
466:
462:
460:
457:
456:
452:
450:
447:
446:
442:
440:
437:
436:
432:
430:
427:
426:
422:
420:
417:
416:
412:
410:
407:
406:
402:
399:
398:
392:
391:
385:
383:
380:
379:
375:
373:
370:
369:
365:
363:
360:
359:
355:
353:
350:
349:
345:
343:
340:
339:
335:
333:
330:
329:
325:
323:
320:
319:
315:
313:
310:
309:
305:
303:
300:
299:
295:
293:
290:
289:
285:
283:
280:
279:
275:
272:
271:
265:
264:
263:
260:
258:
254:
247:League tables
246:
244:
241:
238:In 2024, the
236:
234:
229:
225:
222:
214:
212:
210:
205:
202:
200:
196:
192:
188:
184:
180:
176:
172:
168:
160:
158:
155:
151:
147:
143:
139:
135:
131:
123:
121:
119:
110:
108:
101:
98:
94:
93:academy chain
90:
87:
84:
80:
77:
76:
75:
72:
68:
64:
60:
53:
51:
47:
45:
41:
37:
33:
29:
25:
24:academy chain
21:
1227:School types
1181:. Retrieved
1170:
1158:. Retrieved
1155:Sutton Trust
1154:
1129:. Retrieved
1126:The Guardian
1125:
1115:
1103:. Retrieved
1100:Sutton Trust
1099:
1090:
1078:. Retrieved
1070:The Guardian
1069:
1044:. Retrieved
1040:the original
1035:
1010:. Retrieved
1007:The Guardian
1006:
996:
981:
969:. Retrieved
966:Sutton Trust
965:
956:
944:. Retrieved
936:The Guardian
935:
925:
913:. Retrieved
904:
895:
883:. Retrieved
879:
869:
857:. Retrieved
853:
843:
831:. Retrieved
826:
814:
802:. Retrieved
798:
789:
777:. Retrieved
773:
749:. Retrieved
731:
701:. Retrieved
697:
688:
676:. Retrieved
667:
658:
646:. Retrieved
639:the original
634:
603:. Retrieved
594:
585:
557:
553:state school
548:Sutton Trust
545:
534:of 52%. The
516:The Guardian
515:
513:
261:
250:
237:
230:
226:
221:Sutton Trust
218:
206:
203:
164:
146:free schools
127:
114:
105:
96:
92:
73:
69:
65:
61:
57:
48:
23:
19:
18:
1183:24 December
1160:20 December
1131:20 December
1105:24 December
971:21 December
946:9 September
885:22 December
880:www.tes.com
859:22 December
833:21 December
804:21 December
703:15 November
524:West Sussex
257:Key Stage 2
187:Oasis Trust
167:ARK Schools
140:within the
1211:Categories
1046:29 January
751:2 November
577:References
111:Governance
779:28 August
605:4 January
243:schools.
161:Operators
1080:25 March
1074:Archived
1012:16 April
940:Archived
909:Archived
672:Archived
599:Archived
215:Concerns
569:chains.
54:History
36:England
905:Gov.uk
799:GOV.UK
742:
668:Gov.uk
493:-0.41
483:-0.43
473:-0.44
463:-0.49
443:-0.51
433:-0.54
423:-0.69
413:-1.21
400:Trust
273:Trust
154:Ofsted
915:4 May
823:(PDF)
736:(PDF)
678:4 May
648:4 May
642:(PDF)
631:(PDF)
503:-0.4
453:-0.5
386:0.27
376:0.31
366:0.36
356:0.45
346:0.48
336:0.50
326:0.53
316:0.53
306:0.54
296:0.55
286:0.68
175:E-ACT
152:, to
1185:2018
1162:2018
1133:2018
1107:2018
1082:2018
1048:2018
1014:2024
973:2018
948:2017
917:2014
887:2018
861:2018
835:2018
806:2018
781:2019
753:2019
740:ISBN
705:2019
698:BESA
680:2014
650:2014
607:2018
439:UCAT
219:The
197:and
1036:Tes
34:in
22:or
1213::
1153:.
1141:^
1124:.
1098:.
1072:.
1068:.
1056:^
1034:.
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