elsiegee40 Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 Does anyone know if this really means all schools as foundation, voluntary aided and free schools are already out of LA control? Yes it includes all those as well. 1
mikeprice Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 Basically my view is that my school will probably wait until the last minute to convert - at which point some one will take over and that'll be me made redundant (yet again!) as I don't fit the 'normal' profile of anyone The good thing is that my pension should be due about then so I'll probably due b***er off and watch Home under the Hammer every day
sparkeh Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 I hope that schools don't leave it last minute :S Was talking it over with management and they said there's no way IT support is leaving the school which is quite reassuring.
elsiegee40 Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 (edited) Education White Paper is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/educational-excellence-everywhere Role of the LAs - page 70 Spotted by someone on UKGovernors: QTS will be abolished Remember the criticism recently of the MAT chain that effectively abolished Local GBs and removed all their delegated functions? Guess what, that's now the DfE preferred model. Academy Trusts staffed only with professional (albeit still usually unpaid) and LGBs role to be "allowing school level governing boards to focus on understanding and championing the needs of pupils, parents and the wider local community" (pp 50-52). Not compulsory to do that though, functions can still be delegated if MAT chooses. Requirement for Academy Trusts to have a Parent representative removed. Edited March 17, 2016 by elsiegee40
elsiegee40 Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 The actual paragraphs (my bold) 3.28. The growth of MATs will improve the quality of governance – meaning that the best governing boards will take responsibility for more schools. As fewer, more highly skilled boards take more strategic oversight of the trust’s schools, MAT boards will increasingly use professionals to hold individual school-level heads to account for educational standards and the professional management of the school, allowing school-level governing boards to focus on understanding and championing the needs of pupils, parents and the wider local community. This does not mean less accountability – MATs must publish a clear scheme of delegation to set out how their governance is organised, including any functions they choose to delegate to regional or school level. 3.30. We will expect all governing boards to focus on seeking people with the right skills for governance, and so we will no longer require academy trusts to reserve places for elected parents on governing boards. We will offer this freedom to all open and new academies, and as we move towards a system where every school is an academy, fully skills-based governance will become the norm across the education system. 3.31. Parents often have these skills and many parents already play a valuable role in governance – and will always be encouraged to serve on governing boards. We will also expect every academy to put in place arrangements for meaningful engagement with all parents, to listen to their views and feedback. It says nothing about elected staff governors, but by implication they may be removed too.
CyberNerd Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 Was talking it over with management and they said there's no way IT support is leaving the school which is quite reassuring. What did you think they would say? That the school would make everyone redundant when it closes and you'd apply for your job again in the new school. If they said that then everyone would look for other jobs and they would have no support during the switchover period !
sparkeh Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 What did you think they would say? That the school would make everyone redundant when it closes and you'd apply for your job again in the new school. If they said that then everyone would look for other jobs and they would have no support during the switchover period ! Yeah that's the cynical way of looking at. Perhaps knowing the school and management I trust them to be square with me, they always have been in the past. 2
CyberNerd Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 Spotted by someone on UKGovernors: [*] QTS will be abolished [*] Remember the criticism recently of the MAT chain that effectively abolished Local GBs and removed all their delegated functions? Guess what, that's now the DfE preferred model. Academy Trusts staffed only with professional (albeit still usually unpaid) and LGBs role to be "allowing school level governing boards to focus on understanding and championing the needs of pupils, parents and the wider local community" (pp 50-52). Not compulsory to do that though, functions can still be delegated if MAT chooses. @elsiegee40 would you mind updating that link please; it's not working for me.
elsiegee40 Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 @elsiegee40 would you mind updating that link please; it's not working for me. Done UKGovernors
Andrew_C Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 3.31. Parents often have these skills and many parents already play a valuable role in governance – and will always be encouraged to serve on governing boards. We will also expect every academy to put in place arrangements for meaningful engagement with all parents, to listen to their views and feedback. It says nothing about elected staff governors, but by implication they may be removed too. These academy chains are businesses. There's no way they want people interfering with the money making potential of schools. My bold - and then ignore them completely.
elsiegee40 Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 These academy chains are businesses. There's no way they want people interfering with the money making potential of schools. My bold - and then ignore them completely. It only says to listen... it doesn't say they need to act on it like to you say.
CyberNerd Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 Yeah that's the cynical way of looking at. Perhaps knowing the school and management I trust them to be square with me, they always have been in the past. That's good to know! How do the school management at the other MAT's or your sponsor feel about it ? What did the MAT Governors say ?
sparkeh Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 That's good to know! How do the school management at the other MAT's or your sponsor feel about it ? What did the MAT Governors say ? Fair point. But don't you think that the market place is about to change? With thousands of schools about to start looking at MATs who is going to want to be dictatorial, schools won't join them. I predict that there will be lots of local MATs appearing that will more collaborative than prescriptive. There are talks around here to do just that.
sparkeh Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 Another thing. Did they actually announce that schools had to join MATs as rumoured?
elsiegee40 Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 Another thing. Did they actually announce that schools had to join MATs as rumoured? The relevant paras are in the document I linked to earlier. I'm on my phone so can't easily access it at the moment Reading between the lines, they're saying you don't have to be part of a MAT but it'll be hard to find reasons they'll accept for you to stay standalone 1
timbo343 Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 Well, looks like they want to get rid of everything from schools. LEAs, parent governors, what next? Parent governor role to be scrapped as part of school reform - BBC News
timbo343 Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 This may have been mentioned before but are lots of these MATs going to be like LEAs? Thats the impression im getting.
adamholt1 Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 Very worrying for myself on a personal note as currently a parent governor of my sons school. Would be very surprised if this did go ahead though - can't see it happening somehow.
FN-GM Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 Some academies do not have a governing body at all.
elsiegee40 Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 (edited) Academy Parent Governor thread merged in with this Edited March 17, 2016 by elsiegee40
elsiegee40 Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 Very worrying for myself on a personal note as currently a parent governor of my sons school. Would be very surprised if this did go ahead though - can't see it happening somehow. Why? Parents can be co-opted governors. Many are. We have many parents on our GB with great professional skills. Many started as elected Parent Governors and were converted
GrumbleDook Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 Why? Parents can be co-opted governors. Many are. We have many parents on our GB with great professional skills. Many started as elected Parent Governors and were converted I'm a co-opted governor as 2 of us went for parent governor, it was tied so I opted to be an associate member for a bit. When space became open I was co-opted onto the board. Even being an associate member is worthwhile. Get involved with the committees and in supporting activities at the school.
sparkeh Posted March 17, 2016 Posted March 17, 2016 (edited) @elsiegee40 out of interest, your school converted and you continued with IT support right? Edit: am I thinking of someone else? :s Edited March 17, 2016 by sparkeh
elsiegee40 Posted March 18, 2016 Posted March 18, 2016 @elsiegee40 out of interest, your school converted and you continued with IT support right? Edit: am I thinking of someone else? :s My governor school converted voluntarily and IT support remained in situ. When school 2 joined the Trust, the tech had just left and another was recruited. School 3 was PfI: 'nuff said. We took existing arrangements and can't change them. There isn't enough money to join networks so they're all run independently. 1
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