Collated by the MAT research sub-group of King Edward VII “KES The Future” Parents Group
Multi-Academy Trusts vary a lot in lots of ways. The experience of children and young people at the school, as well as parents and teachers could vary a lot depending on the type KES might join. This is a brief guide for parents to understand important differences between trusts.
Differences can be confusing!
It’s important to remember that research has found that becoming an academy does not – on average – lead to a school’s results going up or down. It appears that schools in smaller MATs do better than in large MATs. The government claim that becoming an academy leads improvement in Ofsted grading; but when looked at in detail, it seems this would have happened anyway. In any case, it seems that the Ofsted grade doesn’t make a difference to outcomes for pupils when other factors are taken into account.
Links
https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10053502/
http://blog.soton.ac.uk/mshe/files/2023/02/WP_Inspector_Effects_FINAL_020223.pdf
1. Local, regional or national
Some trusts are based in and around Sheffield (Local). Home grown trusts in Sheffield are Minerva, Chorus, Tapton, Brigantia, Mercia Trust (note Mercia school is part of Mercia Trust, but King Egberts was the founding school)
Some are regional – Outwood is an example of a regional trust operating in Sheffield
Some are national – United Learning Trust is a national trust working in Sheffield.
To confuse things, there are trusts that are small local trusts based in other areas that could operate in Sheffield – for example, Trusts based in Rotherham.
2. Centrally directed or more local freedom
There are some trusts that are centrally directed. This often means they have same or all of the following:
- The same name or part of a name for the school,
- the same uniform in all schools
- The same curriculum and teaching approaches.
In some ways these Trusts can be seen as one very large school with lots of different sites.
Examples of such trusts in Sheffield, or near to Sheffield, are Outwood and Delta.
Schools in other Trusts have more local freedom. Here, trusts provide central support to schools but expect schools to be more independent and different. Confusingly this can be different for different aspects of school life. Chorus is an example of a Sheffield Trust that has more difference between schools – for example over uniforms. So at Hope Valley College – a Chorus Trust school – the uniform is somewhere between a dress code and uniform – sweatshirts with jeans allowed, but Silverdale also in Chorus has a more formal uniform.
Others can be somewhere in the middle. For example, Mercia Trust has some common aspects but the three secondaries in the trust – King Egberts, Newfield and Mercia school – are all different to each other. At all three, uniform is important, but each has a different uniform.
3. Size and types of school
Trusts vary from a few secondaries – like the local ones above – to dozens or more. . Some are more secondary based, others have lots of primaries.
4. Money paid to the trust
There is no government set amount of money that a trust charges to an individual school. The LA have said schools pay around 5% of their income on average. For a school the size of King Edwards that will be more than £500000 – so a lot of money. Generally, centrally directed trusts tend to take more than 5%. This is because they tend to have bigger central teams to ensure that all schools in the trust are following the Trust approach. So they may employ a central team of Trust Directors of Maths, Science, English and so on to support school Department Leads. It is hard to compare ‘value for money’ for schools for the central fee as different Trusts offer different services and support.
5. Ethos
Ethos is shorthand for educational values, school culture, and atmosphere. Some schools place a great emphasis on strict behaviour policies, and school exam outcomes. Others emphasize other aspects of education such as arts, social education and wellbeing. These differences in trusts can make a difference to schools. If there is a clash of cultures between a central trust and a school this can cause friction.
6. Mission
Some trusts specialise in ‘turning schools around’ by bringing in their own culture and ways of doing things and have a strong belief that they have answers to educational issues. Sometimes these are called ‘turnaround trusts’/ This can cause issues for children and young people during times of change – https://schoolsweek.co.uk/flattening-the-grass-whats-really-going-on-at-ogat-and-delta/
Others have a more hands off way of supporting schools and a more gradual approach to change.
King Edward’s ‘mission’ currently is to be a comprehensive, inclusive school for everyone.
Trusts currently operating in Sheffield
Catholic trusts/schools are not included as they would be a very unlikely sponsor for King Edwards. Also another Trust not yet operating in Sheffield could take over King Edwards. A Trust with existing links to Sheffield may be preferred.by the DfE as being more able to support King Edwards.
| Trust | Sheffield (and nearby) secondaries in the Trust | Number of schools | Notes on trust |
| Minerva | High Storrs, Handsworth, Ecclesfield, Stocksbridge | 6 | Schools have relatively a lot of autonomy e.g. different uniform policies |
| Chorus | Silverdale, Westfield, Hope Valley | 5 | Have successfully supported schools forced to academise. Sliverdale is a ‘Teaching School Hub’. ‘Schools have earned autonomy, – different uniform policies |
| Tapton Academy Trust | Tapton, Bradfield, Forge Valley, Chaucer | 9 | Schools have joined the trust following Ofsted judgements |
| Mercia Learning Trust | King Egberts, Newfield, Mercia | 6 | King Egberts originated.Trust uses the phrase of aligned autonomy. Mercia school has had media controversy for strict policies |
| Brigantia | Hinde House, Yewlands, Longley Park 6th Form College | 5 | Originated from Hinde House |
| Oasis | Oasis Fir Vale, Oasis Don Valley | 54 | Large national MAT. Christian originated ‘but will not impose vision’ inclusive |
| United Learning Trust | Park, Springs | 98 | Large national MAT, Christian originated |
| Outwood | City | 49 | All schools called Outwood, central direction, ‘turnaround trust’ |
| LEAD | Birley | 25 | East midlands based trust |
| E-Act | Parkwood | 28 | Mid-sized national Trust |
| Astrea | Astrea Sheffield Academy | 26 | Largely S.Yorks MAT., Astrea Academy opened in 2018 in Burngreave as 2-18 school, sixth form now opening |
Stop the academisation of King Edward VII School 