December 2024

1. Will anything change from Diocesan support if we don’t join a MAT?

Schools will always be part of the church school family whether they join a MAT or not. All schools will be able to access the full range of services, support and training from the DBE.

 

2. Our school is in the Lincoln area. As we understand it, only LAAT is active in our area, which presents a very limited choice.  Is this correct?

Currently, LAAT is the only MAT with a school in the Lincoln area – Branston CE Infants. The MAT wants to develop a Lincoln hub.

A church school in the north of Lincoln city is currently applying to join Infinity Academies Trust. The MAT wants to develop a Lincoln hub.

Keystone Academies Trust has just got DFE approval to be a church MAT which provides another option for church schools in the Lincoln area.

St Lawrence Academies Trust is based in North Lincolnshire but would also be interested to form a Lincoln hub of schools.

 

3. Budgets in schools are ever tighter, with an increasing number in budget deficit.  How will MATs deal with growing, if most new schools are struggling financially?

As per the MAT roadshow presentation, the MATs will work with school leaders to find efficiencies whilst ensuring the quality of education is developed. There is greater scope in a MAT to achieve economies of scale e.g. bulk purchase of resources across the MAT etc. It is advised that schools speak directly with MATs to find out how finances are managed when budgets are stretched.

 

4. How do trusts ensure economy of scale when the largest is 23 schools/ 4592 pupils, and the others are far smaller?  LA schools = 171 schools, 27,264 pupils.  Surely the LA still has far greater economy of scale?

The LA delegates budget responsibilities to individual Governing Boards. The schools are generally left to independently procure the staffing, resources and support needed in school. In a MAT, there is scope under the Trust Board policy and direction to obtain universal services such as HR, property contractors, health and safety, school improvement with greater efficiency and effectiveness. Schools tell us that the LA capacity to provide certain services is declining.

 

5. Discussion was had about outcomes (data) in the LA.  Does the Diocese have attainment data for pupils in church MATs to be able to back up its argument that pupils achieve better in a MAT?

All the data for the Trusts can be found at https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/#SearchMats

As always, data is used with some caution because some MATs have taken in schools that failed in the LA sector. These schools enter the MAT with a legacy of a weaker curriculum, and weaker teaching and learning. In all the church MATs we have seen school outcomes improve as validated by positive Ofsted and SIAMS reports. The DFE use our MATs to provided funded school improvement for underperforming schools. Good schools have seen their individual outcomes improve within MATs.

 

6. What’s happened to the 6^th MAT? What are the plans? When is it expected that Keystone will be approved? Seems like a long time?

The DFE has just approved Keystone to be the 5th church MAT (beginning of December 2024). This MAT is now part of the DBE MAT strategy. Schools are welcome to explore this MAT now.

The DBE has not given approval yet to a 6^th church MAT. The Horncastle Education Trust is hoping to be the 6^th church MAT – but this may be 12 to 18 months away yet.

 

7. DFE are asking for ideally 7 schools in a new MAT as it perceives this number is needed for success – systems etc.  Only 2 MATS currently exceed this number, which is worrying.

In Lincolnshire where there are lots of small schools, we don’t believe counting the number of schools in a MAT is a helpful measure. Instead, we consider the number of pupils in A MAT.

For MATs to start achieving economies of scale, they need to have about 3,500 pupils in them.

LAAT have 4500 pupils.

Infinity will be exceeding 3500 pupils in the next few months. There are 3 more schools due to join Infinity within 6 months.

Keystone has 2000 pupils and is expected to grow now it has just been approved as a church MAT.

St Lawrence is currently the newest MAT with 1200 pupils. Another school has just been approved to join this MAT.

With the exception of Abbey Trust, we expect all church MATs to be at around 3,500 pupils in the next 12 to 18 months.

 

8. How does the LDBE reconcile their desire to support schools with advocating against the position taken by 57% of schools?

The LDBE will support all church schools whether they are in a MAT or not. All diocesan schools and academies will always be part of the church school family. The DBE will always respect the GB’s decision made about MATs. The DBE is not saying that schools wishing to ‘stay as they are’ is a wrong decision. The DBE is saying that it recognises the benefits that church MATs can offer schools, especially in a climate where there are lots of pressures upon individual schools. The DBE is saying that its desire and preference is for church schools to join a church MAT BUT respects the decision of the Governing Board.

 

9. Children’s outcomes – is there data comparing outcomes in MATs vs. LA schools?

See question 5

 

10. Is there evidence of the success of MATs in Lincolnshire?  How is this measured and published?

No church MAT has had a MAT inspection. However, Ofsted has inspected a large number of church school within the MATs. You will see from the school inspection reports that the Trusts support schools very well.

 

11. How are Diocesan MATs prevented from becoming insular and how do they link to non-church schools and learn from their successes?

Diocesan MATs are outward looking and play a key role in supporting the wider sector.

The MATs support schools that are not in the MAT, e.g. leadership, finance packages (at the request of the LA, DFE and DBE).

MAT leaders engage in LA and diocese network meetings.

All church MATs are able to take in community schools as well as church schools. Infinity, St Lawrence and Keystone have community schools in them.

LAAT is working with LCC to develop SEND hubs.

 

12. How can we recruit governors for a diminishing role?

Recruiting governors is a national issue impacting all types of schools.

The diocese has about 70 governor vacancies in LA church schools. We believe the increasing demands on governors is contributing to governor vacancies. Alleviating some pressures from the local governors within the MAT and placing some responsibility at Trust Board level has helped to retain governors.

13. Are there any stand-alone academies which are church schools in the diocese?

There are currently 13 Single Academies in the diocese. The DFE would not approve schools to become single academies now. We have seen some join a MAT over the past few years to gain the benefits of being in a MAT.

 

For further information, please contact Paul Thompson at paul.thompson@lincoln.anglican.org