The decision to join a multi-academy trust involves a period of researching and getting to know those MATs that the school believes are the ‘right fit’ for them in terms of their culture, values and ethos. Schools will want to be assured that their chosen trust will be a great place to belong in every respect: a strong trust that is governed ethically and strategically; that will work with them to maintain or improve educational performance for the benefit of current and future pupils; that will provide access to established central services; that has a strong track record on finance and other key compliance measures; and that provides access to progression and development opportunities for all staff, among many other considerations.
A trust’s scheme of delegation should also be considered carefully, as it is one of several documents that give insight into how the trust is governed and its approach to delegating functions and powers to the local level: governors, leaders and staff who know and understand their school community.
Sector bodies including the Confederation of School Trusts and the National Governance Association provide detailed, independent advice and information about multi-academy trust structures and the legal process of joining or forming a MAT. Other important sources of information include the DfE documents Convert to an Academy: documents for schools and Due diligence in academies and maintained schools, as well as the Academy Trust Handbook and Academy Trust Governance Guide, which set out the requirements for trusts as a single legal entity.
We invite any schools who would like to learn more about Stour Vale, or about the process of joining a multi-academy trust more generally, to contact us. We are committed to sharing our skills, knowledge and experience as a successful trust with the wider education system and would be pleased to hear from you.
Hear from leaders who have recently joined Stour Vale.