Since the introduction of the Academies Act in 2010, Schools have been talked to at great length about structures. First it was lose collaborations vs umbrella trusts and federations. This was closely followed by the single vs Multi Academy Trust (MAT) debate with the concept of empty MATs thrown in for good measure. The future is undoubtedly MATs and this is for one reason only; financial viability. Whilst we are in a state of political turmoil and the National Funding Formula consultation is on ‘pause’, it is clear that School budgets will be significantly reduced in the years that follow and Schools will need to form or join a MAT. So what should a MAT look like?
The truth is there is no perfect model. It’s about what works for the Schools and our role is to understand that. We hold vision shaping sessions with Schools that are thinking about forming a MAT. During this session the Schools discuss what they currently do really well. They also agree where there are holes and how they could benefit from the MAT. They agree the vision, the ethos and most importantly, the ‘red lines’.
We have supported Schools since the beginning of the academies movement. In our experience, those Schools that worry about fitting into a perfect structure are those Schools that become unstuck later on. If you understand what you do well and what you would like to achieve from a MAT, the structure will follow.
If you are thinking about creating a MAT and would like to arrange a vision shaping day, please do get in touch with a member of our Education team.