Please see below for answers to frequently asked questions. We have shown questions in green and answers in black.
Why are we proposing the formation of a multi-academy trust (MAT)?
Brimsdown and Lavender have worked successfully together for over two years, with both schools going from strength to strength with both schools enjoying improved OFSTED or LA judgements.Forming a MAT is the natural progression of this successful relationship.
What are the benefits for the children of this proposal?
Additional progress will be made through the benefits highlighted above.
It will provide an opportunity to share expertise. The trust will have a large number of Specialist Leaders of Education who can spread good practice across all schools. Furthermore, it will provide the very best professional development opportunities for staff. This will help us retain our best staff at this time of potential teacher shortages.
A school is only as good as its teachers, support staff and leaders. With a worrying crisis in recruitment, we want to do everything possible to recruit and retain the best staff. For example, we would be able to set up our own teacher and support staff training facility, enabling each school to benefit from the best new staff entering the profession.
With a greater ability to share resources between schools and greater economies of scale as a MAT, there will be cost savings when it comes to areas such as purchasing services. This money can go directly back into the individual schools’ budgets. Furthermore, with greater pooled experience within the trust, the schools will be able to respond to new initiatives, always be ahead of the game and not waste time re-inventing the wheel.
What will be the main characteristics of this MAT?
Each school will retain its own individual character and uniqueness. Each school will still have its own local governance. Each school will continue to serve its local community. The Executive Head will retain his strategic and operational decision-making. We will share good practice only when we see it benefiting the children of an individual school. One of the guiding purposes of this MAT proposal is that we retain our schools’ uniqueness and do not become part of a one size fits all chain in the future.
What other options have been explored?
The governing bodies of both schools have looked into a number of options including forming a federation, staying as we are, joining a large MAT or setting up our own MAT, undertaking a SWOT analysis as part of this process. Next, both governing bodies met to hear from representatives of existing MATs and federations. Following this, a working party was established to create a business plan, which was then voted upon, and the decision taken to set up a MAT.
When it was first discussed about MATs, it was decided to drop and now it's being consulted on a second time. Can you please explain why has this happen? Will it be stopped again?
The consultation was previously stopped due to there not being a way to represent Matthew and Sarah as joint CEOs. The governors were presented this option and this was what they voted on to move forward to consultation, however there can only be one CEO and that person would then be the executive head across the schools. There is not plan to stop this consultation. The governors feel forming a MAT is the best way forward for Brimsdown and therefore want to be thorough and get things right.
Will there be a consultation of the local residents’ views?
The information is on our website for the local community to respond to. The change in status to become an academy will not change any admissions criteria therefore a meeting for local residents we believe was not necessary, and we have been advised that we have followed the normal process in this regard.
How will it affect staff?What will happen to staff pay and conditions?
All pre-existing terms and conditions will be honoured.We plan to keep everything the same after TUPE, Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment).The Ivy Academy Trust intends to mirror the STPCD and the Burgundy Book for teachers, and the National (Green Book) for support staff. A consultation period is taking place currently, this has included a meeting for staff members with representatives from the local authority and the main unions involved (NUT, NASUWT, NAHT and Unison). Although TUPE involves statutory consultation with staff representatives, informal discussions will also offer opportunities for individuals to ask questions about their position. Amongst the positive benefits for staff is that the formation of the MAT may lead to career development opportunities to work across the whole organisation.
Will staff see any changes to their terms and conditions when they transfer?
Existing terms and conditions will transfer to the new employer, The Ivy Academy Trust. This will include such things as pay (‘School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions’ for teachers, and ‘National Joint Council Conditions’ for support staff). The new employer takes over all rights and obligations arising from those contracts of employment, except criminal liabilities.
Which staff will have their contracts tuped over?
All staff employed at Brimsdown, from senior leaders to admin staff to teaching assistant to communication support worker, will have their contracts tuped over from the Enfield to The Ivy Academy.The Ivy Academy Trust intends to mirror the STPCD and the Burgundy Book for teachers, and the National (Green Book) for support staff.
What if staff are currently employed on a Fixed Term, Temporary or Casual Contract?
Staff, who are employed on fixed term or temporary basis and are in post at the time of the transfer, will transfer under their current terms and conditions. For example if you are employed on a fixed term contract that is due to end after date of transfer, then your employment will transfer to The Ivy Academy Trust and terms and conditions, including the end date of your fixed term contract remain unchanged. If you work for the school on a casual basis you are a ‘worker’ rather than an ‘employee’ and you will not TUPE transfer, however the school still expect to have a continuing need for casual staff beyond date of Transfer, meaning opportunities may still exist for you to work at the school.
Will continuous service of staff be broken by transferring to The Ivy Academy Trust?
A transfer does not break an employee’s continuous service and, for the purposes of calculating entitlement to statutory employment rights, the date on which the period of continuous employment started remains unchanged.
What will happen to staff pensions? Will they change?
If staff are currently a member of either the Teachers’ Pension Scheme or the Local Government Pension Scheme, then membership will continue unaffected. The Ivy Academy Trust is required to offer or continue membership of either Teachers Pensions Scheme and the Local Government Pensions Scheme (as appropriate) to existing and new employees; continuity would be maintained for any employee moving back to a maintained school. Therefore nothing will change.
Some staff members pay extra pension/additional payments into the fund, is this still guaranteed?
As member is in the LGPS (main scheme) staff can opt to increase their pension via two methods, by taking out an AVC, additional voluntary contribution via Prudential or, secondly, by Additional Pension Contributions (APCs), the link below covers both options.
As an academy Brimsdown would remain in the local government pension scheme (as we have treated other such school changes), albeit, as an employer (The Ivy Academy Trust) in their own right.
Will the MAT follow the cycle’s scheme like the LEA?
We can currently see no reason as to why this would stop.
How will we work with the Local Authority?
The Local Authority is facing unprecedented cuts and therefore will not be in a position to provide the same level or range of support they have provided to our school so well in the last few years. The Trust plans to enjoy the best of both worlds: continuing to work very closely with the LA, choosing to buy back into the excellent services they offer wherever possible, as well as looking to set up services within the Trust where gaps may exist. As a National Support School, Lavender, with Brimsdown, will continue to provide a considerable amount of training and development for schools in the Local Authority.
How will this affect admissions and SEN provision?
It will not have any adverse effects and could have positive benefits. For example, working so closely with other schools will mean we will be able to benefit from experts in all fields of SEN.
Will HIRBiE be affected or anything change in how it is run?
There will be no changes as the same systems will be in place for children entering HIRBiE through the SEN panel. There are no plans to change the organisation of HIRBiE as it works well.
How will it provide the very best professional development opportunities for staff when the MAT will only consist of 2 schools as opposed to the wealth of expertise shared by students under the LEA?
We plan to expand to more than 2 schools but there will be many opportunities for professional development across both schools e.g. delivery of training/staff meetings.
Do you feel that you haven't been currently able to 'respond to new initiatives, always be ahead of the game and not waste time re-inventing the wheel'? What do you think it means to always be ahead of the game and how might this affect other schools in the borough that could probably do with some support to be a bit further ahead of 'the game'? Are there examples you can give of where working with the LEA has led to you needing to re-invent the wheel?
Working in conjunction with other schools rather than in isolation helps efficiencies and enables streamlined procedures both financially and in pedagogy.
Why can’t we share expertise now, without becoming a MAT?
We can, and do, share expertise now. Becoming a MAT will give further opportunities to do this more formally.
Will each school have control over its own organisational and financial arrangements?
Yes because each school will have a local governing body, which will act in its best interests and will have a representative on the Trust Board.
What are the financial implications of forming the MAT?
As a MAT, the school will still receive the level of funding, but the LA will not ‘top slice’ this budget to fund centrally provided services before passing it on to us. We believe that with economies of scale we can procure the services we require more efficiently. We will also continue to ‘buy back’ into the LA services where appropriate.
The Government has recently announced that it will be changing the schools funding formula, which will have an adverse impact on London schools. We believe that enhanced purchasing powers, as a MAT will help to counteract this. Some of the future cost savings will come from sharing the workload for example when new initiatives come in.
How do Brimsdown and Lavender compare as schools? What is the proportion of allocated pupil premium funding currently at Brimsdown when directly compared to Lavender? Why should Brimsdown Lavender join?
Pupil Premium funding allocation is available on both school websites. There will be no ‘top slicing’ of the pupil premium money that each school received. Brimsdown and Lavender have been working together for the last 2 years to good effect following Matthew’s appointment as Executive Head for both schools.
Will the proposed academy be subject the same financial regulations and governance as Brimsdown school currently is?
Comparable regulations and governance will apply.
Why will it provide a greater ability to share resources between schools?
Economically, we can act as one entity.
Who will pay for the conversion?
Each school will receive £25,000 from Central Government to help the conversion process.
How will the £25,000 for helping the conversion process be spent?
It will be spent mainly on legal fees and staff costs to set.
Who will own the land and the buildings? Who pays for maintenance?
The academy will have a long-term lease (125 years) from the local authority. The MAT has a capital budget and can apply for additional money from the government through the Academies Capital Maintenance Fund if there is a major capital project.
Will there still be parent governors?
The local governing body of each school will continue to include parent representatives.
If there is an issue in future that a parent feels is unresolved at a school/trust level, what would be the process for escalating this?
It will go first to the trust and then on tothe regional schools commissioner.
Will the schools still be subject to OFSTED inspections?
Yes – this situation will not change.
Who are the trustees and what are their skillsets?
We have a number of trustees with specific skillsets (e.g. finance, governance) who have expressed an interest in being involved in the formation of our MAT and who will be appointed as part of the process.
Who will decide who the Trustees will be?
The Chairs of Governors in consultation with the Executive Head.
How many regional schools commissioners are there currently?
8