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Trusts: A new future for schools? Thursday 2nd February 2006. Sarah Tough, ippr, 2 nd February 2006. Trusts: A new future for schools?. “The trust school concept will be widely ignored by the vast majority of heads and governors” - John Dunford, ASCL
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Trusts: A new future for schools?Thursday 2nd February 2006 Sarah Tough, ippr, 2nd February 2006
Trusts: A new future for schools? “The trust school concept will be widely ignored by the vast majority of heads and governors” - John Dunford, ASCL “[there are] fears that the Bill will lead to a fragmented and fractured education system” - John Bangs, NUT
Trusts: A new future for schools? “Becoming a Trust school is a very simple way of making relationships [with partners] more sustainable, putting them on a firmer footing and ensuring more pupils have access to a wider range of opportunities.” - Trust School Prospectus “Not all schools have the same flexibilities. That causes confusion in the system. … We are trying to bring some coherence to the system...” - Ruth Kelly
Characteristics • Independentstate schools - trust schools, like foundation schools, will own their own assets, employ their own staff and be their own admissions authorities. • Governors - trusts will appoint governors for trust schools. Trusts can appoint either a minority or a majority of governors, depending on results of the consultation process.Some external partners already appoint school governors.
Characteristics • Power to Innovate – trusts, like existing schools, can apply to the Secretary of State for additional flexibilities (e.g. freedoms over curriculum and pay/ conditions of staff enjoyed by academies). • Admissions – own admissions authorities, must follow Code, no selection by ability. • Funding – trust schools will be funded by LAs, like other state maintained schools. All trusts will be charities.
The potential of trusts ‘engine for real collaboration’ (DfES 2005) • long-term, sustainable involvement of partners in leadership • efficiency gains where trusts run more than one school • good practice and innovation spread throughout the trust schools easily • shared ethos and identity/ ‘brands’ • increased access to facilities
Interested groups • Universities: Exeter, Portsmouth, UWE, Open University • Businesses: Microsoft, KPMG • Educational charities • Community groups • Other schools • Faith groups
Potential number of trust schools • Ruth Kelly – “we are working with a lot [of organisations interested in setting up trusts]” • “Trust schools, in law, are foundation schools with a foundation or a trust.” • 513 foundation schools (January 2005) • some foundation schools already have their own foundation • Take up of foundation status slower than hoped/ expected • “Firms say no to trust schools” (TES 25/11/05)
The process (source: Trust School Prospectus)
Key questions • Can we envisage a future where all schools are trust schools? • Do we like this vision? • What safeguards are necessary to ensure trust schools development in a positive way?