Consultation – Academy Status
Governors have for some time been considering whether an academy model would be in the best interests of the children, teachers and staff at Holy Trinity Rosehill Church of England Primary School.
School have researched, considered, and spoken to, several Multi-Academy Trusts as part of this process and are proposing that we join the Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust (DNDLT). Further information on the reasons for this decision is set out in the FAQ document attached. Governors would now like to consult more broadly as to the best way forward for the school. Twenty-one other Church of England Primary schools are already part of the DNDLT and there is more information on the DNDLT on its website at www.durhamdmat.co.uk/About-Us/
If you wish to respond to the consultation, please complete the following survey https://forms.office.com/e/0AXFDNunKx
FAQs
Why is Holy Trinity Rosehill considering becoming an Academy?
Governors have been considering for some time whether we should join an Academy Trust that shares our values and which would work with us to keep improving our school.
When considering which Academy Trust we could join it became apparent that our values align with those of the Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust (DNDLT). As a CofE school we already have strong working relationships with the key people in the Trust. Following conversations with them we believe that:
- The school effectiveness support being offered by the DNDLT would be more than we currently receive from the Local Authority. Their offer includes additional days of practical school improvement support.
- There are potential financial benefits as we could take advantage of shared buying of services and have increased negotiating power. This could in turn release funding for curriculum. We could also work more closely in partnership with nearby DNDLT schools to ensure the most efficient use of resources and cost savings where possible.
- We would retain our own unique vision and a large degree of local autonomy whilst benefiting from support from a dedicated central team.
What is an Academy?
Academy schools are state funded schools in England which are directly funded by central government (specifically, the Department for Education) and independent of direct funding and control by the Local Authority.
Academies were initially established through the Learning and Skills Act 2000. There are now over 9,400 academies and the previous government stated the aim for all schools to become part of a strong academy Trust (or have plans to join one) by 2030. The Schools Bill intended to implement this plan has now been abandoned and a new government is now in place. However, we had started exploring options before this change and following careful consideration we still believe the collaboration and support within the DNDLT is the best option for our school going forwards.
What is the Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust (DNDLT)?
The Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust (DNDLT) exists to enable all schools, including Church of England Schools to continue to achieve educational excellence.
The DNDLT was born out of the vision of the Durham Diocesan Board of Education to give a further option to both Diocesan and community schools who wished to seek an academy solution, with the launch of the original Durham Diocesan MAT in November 2017. This vision was expanded in 2020 to reflect existing partnership working with the Newcastle Diocesan Education Board and enable the Trust to also become an option for schools within the Newcastle Diocesan area. In November 2020 the Trust formally changed its name to become the Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust and amended its Articles and Membership to reflect this wider scope and commitment from both Diocesan Education Boards.
Holy Trinity Rosehill is a Church school. The Church school system is managed and developed through individual dioceses, and each Diocese has a Diocesan Board of Education (DBE) which is a statutory body. The Diocese of Durham covers seven local authority areas (Durham, Darlington, Stockton and Hartlepool as well as Sunderland, Gateshead and South Tyneside) and the Diocese of Newcastle covers three local authority areas (Northumberland, Newcastle and North Tyneside).
There are currently 49 church schools in the Diocese of Newcastle and 57 church schools in the Diocese of Durham, around half of these are already academies. The two Dioceses set up their own Multi-Academy Trust in 2017 which is a separate organisation called the Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust (DNDLT).
Are any other schools in our local area academies?
Twenty one other church schools (17 of which are currently within the Diocese of Durham area) are also part of the Durham and Newcastle Diocesan Learning Trust. Two other Stockton schools (St Mary’s Church of England Primary in Long Newton and Egglescliffe Church of England Primary) are close to the school as well as two Darlington schools (Bishopton Redmarshall and St George’s CE Academy). There are also other academy trusts containing Church schools in Durham and many non-church schools which are part of separate academy trusts unconnected with the Diocese. Our governing body considered various options before taking the decision to consult on joining the DNDLT.
Will a move to academy status mean a new name for the school?
No. The school will continue to be called Holy Trinity Rosehill CofE Primary School and there is no intention to change the name of the school.
Will a proposed new academy have a new uniform?
No. Parents will not need to buy a new uniform.
Will a proposed new academy still be open to the community?
Yes. There will be no change to the current provision.
What will be the impact on our children with special needs?
There will be no change to the level of support provided. The school will continue to recognise that every child is unique and has the right to be included as a valued, respected and equal member of the school community. All SEND services will continue to be managed by the local authority with budgets administered by the local authority. There are good support systems within the DNDLT for SENDCos and headteachers needing ideas or advice about supporting children with additional needs.
Will the school hours be any different as an academy?
Although it is highly unlikely that the school day will be changed, it is the decision of the DNDLT Board to decide this as they have the power to do so. This decision is usually delegated to the school specific ‘academy council’ of an academy, so there is no real change from our authority in this regard. As is the case now, parents/carers would be consulted prior to any change in school hours, although no change is envisaged.
Will children’s education be disrupted by a transition to academy status?
No. When an academy is approved to go ahead, it will do so with minimal disruption to the children. Most of the changes will take place behind the scenes with support from a dedicated team from the DNDLT.
If we move to being an academy will this change what is taught?
We would be expected to continue to offer the full range of National Curriculum subjects. OFSTED continue to inspect academies and their handbook for inspection is the same one as used in any other school.
Would there be an increased emphasis on religion and Christianity in a Diocesan academy?
We would maintain our status as a Church School and the existing emphasis on our Christian values and ethos would not change. Church schools are also subject to the statutory (section 48) Church School Inspection (SIAMS) and this also would not change.
How is an academy funded?
Currently, all revenue funding goes directly to the Local Authority. The Local Authority (LA) takes a proportion of the money from the school budget to provide essential services to the school and the rest is delegated under the Local Management of Schools. Schools can, and do, buy additional services from the LA and other providers. As a result schools currently depend upon the local authority for many services. This historically led to a dual system where the LA has taken the lead on school effectiveness whilst the Diocese has focused on the distinctive and inclusive characteristics of the school.
Academies receive a similar level of per-pupil funding as maintained schools, plus funding to meet additional responsibilities that are no longer provided for them by the Local Authority (LA). With DNDLT, the money that would have been provided to the LA to run the school is provided directly to DNDLT. The DNDLT will retain an agreed figure (usually around 6%) of the school budget in order to provide services to the academy including school effectiveness support, HR, Health and Safety and Safeguarding support, governor support and finance support. Local authorities fund their core services in a similar way.
Does this improve on current funding arrangements?
Converting to an academy should not be to our detriment financially and there may be the potential for some financial gain due to the increased buying power across the DNDLT and the opportunity to compare and contrast services centrally to ensure we are obtaining the best value for money.
However, any decision to join the DNDLT is not motivated by money. We may have opportunities to support and be supported by other schools and to benefit financially from doing so. In addition, the DNDLT Board is allocated capital funding to invest in school buildings on an annual basis.
What are the Terms and Conditions for staff?
On conversion to academy status teachers and staff employed by the school will transfer with the same terms and conditions, via a formal TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment) process. In addition, conversion will not affect any union memberships.
Who will employ teachers and staff following conversion?
At present teachers and staff are employed by the governing body. Following conversion, teachers and staff will be employed directly by the DNDLT.
Will the DNDLT employ non-qualified teachers?
All class groups of children will be registered to a qualified teacher, as is the case in schools currently.
Will the Board of Governors have less authority and control?
Instead of a Governing Body there would be an Academy Council. This Academy Council would operate in a similar way to the Governing Body. The composition and powers of the Academy Council will be set out in a formal ‘Scheme of Delegation’ which allows the DNDLT board to delegate responsibilities to the Academy Council. There will continue to be (elected) parents on the Academy Council (as at present), together with Foundation (Church link) representatives and a staff representative as well as co-opted nominees.
That said, the DNDLT may appoint additional academy councillors such as academy councillors provided from the local community, and may step in if the Academy Council is not performing its duties effectively. Our School and Academy Council would have considerable freedom and responsibility to take operational and strategic decisions.
Does the DNDLT have the capacity to raise educational standards?
The DNDLT has its own school improvement capacity for those schools choosing to become an academy which includes a Director of School Improvement and consultants with a proven track record and capable of working at the highest levels. The DNDLT will offer 6 days of school improvement partner support including practical school improvement support and follow up every year.
How will an academy raise achievement?
The whole structure of the Multi Academy Trust is designed to challenge and support schools in equal measure. As stated above we would receive at least 6 days of school improvement support from a school improvement professional, irrespective of whether the school is outstanding or inadequate. This is more than we currently receive from the LA.
These visits are not inspections but an opportunity for senior leaders to benchmark their judgments through shared lesson observation, work scrutiny, analysis of data, supported self-evaluation and school improvement planning. Indeed the outcome of these visits will confirm the development state of the school.
The DNDLT will intervene rapidly in schools that are underperforming or on a downward trajectory based on OFSTED criteria.