EQUA MAT Communications and Consultation Pack
This pack outlines the consultation on the proposed conversion to academy status and the formation of the EQUA Multi Academy Trust. It covers objectives, reasons for creating a Multi Academy Trust, details about EQUA MAT, its schools, and governance structures. Feedback and questions are sought from stakeholders to ensure transparency and understanding.
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EQUA MAT Communications and Consultation Pack 04 Nov 18 Consultation on proposed conversion to academy status and the formation of a new multi-academy trust called the EQUA Multi Academy Trust. Sarah Lowkis John Evans Crispin Haywood Anne Curry
Objectives To consult with you on our proposals to become an academy within the new Equa Multi Academy Trust Bring everyone up to speed on current EQUA MAT developments and ensure open and transparent communications 1. Provide an overview of proposed governance and accountability structures 2. Bring clarity about the plans, next steps and timelines 3. Hear your views and capture key questions 4. EQUA MAT
Why create a Multi Academy Trust (MAT)? Allows member schools to achieve strong and accountable collaboration and to use this to drive up school standards For strong high performing schools in the Trust, drive sharing of best practice to improve standards further Turn underperforming schools in the group around More freedom to determine how to allocate budget to deliver the curriculum Directly funded and regulated by the Department for Education, rather than the local authority EQUA MAT
What is the EQUA MAT? A brand new multi-academy trust in Wiltshire, that will be set up by the founding schools to support and run the schools Focused on driving aspirations and ambition of children from rural villages and market towns in Wiltshire EQUA consists of a mix of Church and non-church schools, of all ages primary to secondary and including a special school EQUA is committed both in terms of its vision and legal obligations, to maintain the individual ethos and character of each school The structure of the Local Governing Board for each school in the MAT will be reflective of its current status as a Voluntary Aided, Voluntary Controlled or Community school EQUA MAT
EQUA MAT schools Lavington Secondary School (Non Church School) All Cannings Primary (Church School) Bishop Cannings Primary (Church School) Chirton Primary (Church School) Downlands Special School (Non Church School) Rushall Primary (Church School) Woodborough Primary (Church School) EQUA MAT
EQUA MAT benefits Improved learning outcomes Sharing of best practice Independence Shared Staffing Specialist Resources Professional Development Economies of Scale Dedicated & experienced leadership leam EQUA MAT
Every Child, Every Chance For children aged 2-19, EQUA schools recognise that all children are gifted and positively contribute to society. We deliver excellence in education, a strong Christian ethos in Church schools and tackle rural deprivation by ensuring every child has every chance to succeed. EQUA MAT
EQUA MAT Operational Structure Salisbury Diocesan Board of Education Members Board of Trustees Accountability Line Regional Schools Commissioner Service Delivery Line CEO Heads School Improvement Group Deputy CEO / Primary Improvement Lead Head Teacher Downlands Head Teacher All Cannings Head Teacher Bishop Cannings Head Teacher Lavington Head Teacher Rushall Head Teacher Woodborough CFO Head of School Chirton Teaching & Education Support Staff Teaching & Education Support Staff Teaching & Education Support Staff Teaching & Education Support Staff Teaching & Education Support Staff Teaching & Education Support Staff Teaching & Education Support Staff Business Support Staff Business Support Staff Business Support Staff Business Support Staff Business Support Staff Business Support Staff SBM SBM SBM SBM SBM SBM
CEO, Deputy CEO, CFO responsibilities CEO Designate Sarah Lowkis (Head Teacher Lavington) To be the Accounting officer and to lead the operations of the MAT To lead School Improvement, Growth and Change/transformation Initially a part time role, increasing to full time with growth Deputy CEO / Primary Improvement Lead - Richard Borman (Head Teacher All Cannings) To lead on primary School Improvement through the School heads SI Group Initially an Interim part time role for 1 year developing in line with growth. CFO / Business Support Function Lead Co-ordination of all areas of business management Finance / HR / Estates / IT / Procurement / Revenue generation Company Secretary function EQUA MAT
Governance Structure Salisbury Diocesan Board of Education Members Regional Schools Commissioner Board of Trustees Accountability Line Reporting Line Collaboration School Improvement & Standards Committee Resources Committee Local Gov Board Bishop Cannings Local Gov Board Churton Local Gov Board All Cannings Local Gov Board Lavington Local Gov Board Rushall Local Gov Board Woodborough Local Gov Board Downlands Chairs of LGBCs Forum Committees both receive reports and challenge the LGBs
Members Responsibilities Appoint the Auditors Approve the annual accounts (presented by the auditors) and receive and comment on the annual statement Appoint (and remove) other members and non-executive directors Consider making changes where deemed necessary any proposed amendments to the articles of association Conduct any other business as requested either by the chair of directors or by one or more of the members Check compliance & scrutinise the board through reviewing board minutes and outcomes One of the 4 members is the Corporate Member and is the Salisbury Diocesan Board of Education representative, sitting as a member and trustee to ensure the protection and progress of the church schools within the Trust EQUA MAT
Members Representatives Name Experience / Skills Designation Salisbury Diocese Board Member (SDBE) / Trustee and Interim Chair of Trustees Charity governance/leadership, military, health Nicky Clarke Property development , public private partnerships Foundation (Church) Member Aiden Johnson-Hugill Jon Barber Military, education leadership Member Investment banking, consultancy, venture capital, private equity Charles Nettlefold Member Vacancy EQUA MAT
Board of Trustees Responsibilities Setting the vision, direction and priorities for the MAT across all aspects of its operation Holding the CEO to account for all aspects of performance of the MAT Appointing the school Headteachers (in conjunction with the CEO & LGBCs) Monitoring and seeking improvement of outcomes Scrutinising and ensuring financial efficiency, sustainability and compliance Establishing an effective committee and governance structure including a scheme of delegation Ensuring compliance under charity and company law and best practice Preserving & progressing the Christian ethos of the Church schools within the trust Ensuring effective risk management including succession planning EQUA MAT
Board of Trustees Representatives Name Experience / Skills Designation Salisbury Diocese Board Member / Trustee and Interim Chair of Trustees Charity governance/leadership, military, health Nicky Clarke Commercial business leadership, non-exec experience, corporate governance HR large scale commercial/charity/public sector Roger Townsend Trustee Pauline Cooke Trustee Andy Jefford Risk, audit, finance Trustee Paul White Finance, MAT experience Trustee Start up and large scale business experience, marketing, communications, Foundation (Church) Trustee John Evans Senior management of global business, change management, marketing Foundation (Church) Trustee Crispin Haywood Education leadership, former Excalibur Academies Trust CEO Patrick Hazlewood (Co-opted Trustee) 2 x Vacancies EQUA MAT
Local Governing Board Committee Focus of LGB is to hold the school leadership to account Assumed high degree of autonomy with flexible delegation model based on triggers of performance and through a defined Scheme of Delegation Accountable to the Trustees via the central Board committees 1 Local Governing Board per school Governors to be appointed by the Trustees / parent representatives will have been nominated by parent groups Retain respective status as CofE (VA, VC) or Community schools status representation VA = majority CofE foundation c.55% VC = minority CofE foundation 25% Community = no foundation Between 8 and 12 Governors relevant to each school s need skills and community focused Headteacher as ex-officio Governor and up to 1 other staff Governor if desired 2 Parent Governors Schools can have local committees if they wish EQUA MAT
How will the role of Governors change in the MAT ? All academies in a MAT are governed by one trust and a single Board of Trustees The MAT will establish a Local Governing Board for each of its academies, to which it will delegate some of its functions. Each LGB is a committee of the trust board and the MAT remains accountable for these functions The exact delegation of these functions is being worked out at the moment through the development of a Scheme of Delegation The core principle behind this scheme, is that while schools are functioning and performing effectively i.e. financially, in terms of local governance and in terms of educational achievement - they will be given delegated authority to continue If key areas of performance are not met, these delegations can be removed Additionally, there will be some functions that will be managed centrally such as aspects of HR, finance, buildings (again, not yet fully agreed). This means that local governing boards are freed up to focus on ensuring their school achieves all it can within their local community and ensuring the school delivers the best it can for it s pupils. EQUA MAT
Linked Trustees Facilitates easy and constructive communication between the board and the school Ensures that at least one trustee on the board has a more detailed knowledge of a school Helps trustees remain rooted in the needs of the schools Does not formally represent the school LGB on the board School Trustee Representative Lavington Patrick Hazlewood Downland Roger Townsend Chirton Pauline Cooke All Cannings Paul White Woodborough John Evans Rushall Crispin Haywood Bishops Cannings Andy Jefford EQUA MAT
Nominated School MAT Project Link Each school has nominated a staff member or governor to act as the key project link within the school. This role is responsible for ensuring that the school undertakes its individual tasks for conversion in a timely manner within the project. School Project Link Lavington Sarah Lowkis (Head Teacher) Downland Chris Wiltshire (VCoG) Chirton Nicky Wragg (VCoG) All Cannings Richard Borman (Head Teacher) Woodborough Mark Banham (Gov) Rushall Sharon Prance (CoG) Bishops Cannings Matt Langdale (CoG) EQUA MAT
Partnership development & conversion process Ongoing Diocese engagement Design Implementation Academy Orders / Change Approvals Staff Transfer / TUPE MOU / Principles Policies Structure Governance and Operational model Business Plan / 3-5Yr Financial Planning Governance / Operations Accountability framework Contract transfers / Procurement Leases / Buildings Financial Planning Stakeholder Consultation Funding Agreements (Master / Supplementary) Education / School Improvement Mem & Arts Local authority engagement
Sub-Committee workstreams during conversion Lead Paul White Involved Angela Downing / Roger Townsend / Sarah Lowkis / Lindsey Wallace Finance & Contracts Lead Roger Townsend Involved Nicky Wragg, Sharon Prance, Chris Wiltshire, BC rep, Michael Rees (L), AC rep, Mark Banham, Nicky Clarke, Paul White, Patrick Hazlewood, Sarah Lowkis Governance & Legal Lead Pauline Cooke Involved Sarah Lowkis, Roger Townsend, Patrick Hazlewood, Richard Borman, Angela Downing, Chris Jones Staffing & Operations Lead Sarah Lowkis Involved all Headteachers + Patrick Hazlewood Education Lead Andy Jefford Involved Sarah, Lowkis, Angela Downing, Sally Banham, Aubrey Newman Land & Buildings Lead John Evans Involved Sarah Lowkis, Crispin Haywood, Anne Curry, Dan Davies Stakeholder Engagement EQUA MAT
Timeline (from academy order date) Key stages Timing Key stages Timing Land & buildings due diligence and transfer planning Academy Orders Sept 2018 Oct Nov 2018 Detailed plan in place Oct 2018 Grant funding received Nov 2018 Legal / constitutional development inc delegation & local governance planning Oct Dec 2018 Stakeholder consultation Nov 2018 TUPE planning and consultation Nov Dec 2018 GBs & Trust Board - Due diligence review and approvals January 2019 Contracts assessments /procurements and transfer planning Now to Dec 2018 Conversion readiness / secure funding agreement decision End Feb 2019 Develop EQUA brand and website Nov 2018 Feb 2019 Further Financial due diligence and planning Nov-Dec 2018 March 2019 Proposed Conversion date
Feedback Questions raised verbally at the meetings are being recorded and collated Written comments can be emailed to us at - (email address here) or handed in at the school office 23
