Key Questions about Multi Academy Trusts (MATs)?

The recent education White Paper gives LAs the option of setting up their own MATs - will this be just like the current Local Authority? The White Paper states ' Local authorities will be able to establish new multi academy trust s where too few strong trusts exis t , enabling high performing schools with a track record of local partnership to formalise their relationships and add expertise and capacity to the trust system .' This statement contains some clear messages. Firstly LA MATs will only be able to establish MATs where there is not the capacity in storng trusts to take more schools. The focus will also be on the high performing schools to set up the MATs, with LA support. But these schools must have significant experience of supporting other schools. The White Paper continues ' These trusts will be regulated in the same way as any other trusts, and we will ensure that safeguards are in place to effectively manage any potential for conflicts of interest both for...

  We like working with the Local Authority, will this change if we join a MAT? The Local Authority is still responsible for some statutory functions (including SEND funding, tranport and some aspects of admissions) for all schools, including academies. Local MATs (ie not large national MAT chains) tend to continue to work closely with the LA because we share a view that our responsibility is for high quality education for all children in the area. Suffolk LA in particular has a very active relationship with many MATs working in the county. This positive relationship ensures that the LA and MATs work in partnership to ensure the best for pupils. Tilian has a very strong relationship with the LA and its senior education officers. We encourage our schools to continue, and expand further, their links with the LA, because these can be useful for staff and pupils.

  HR Questions when joining a MAT How are staff contracts protected when moving to a MAT? Staff terms and conditions are protected as they transfer through TUPE. TUPE is Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, and its purpose is to protect employees if the business in which they are employed changes hands. Its effect is to move employees and any liabilities associated with them from the old employer to the new employer by operation of law. As part of TUPE unions are involved and the MAT may put measures into the process which could be changes to existing work practices such as amount of pay, job descriptions, hours of work and salary payment e.g. the day of the month when salary is paid. Different MATs will specify different measures. What are the measures that Tilian would expect as part of the TUPE process?  Some MATs have significant measures that are applied on transfer so it is important for Governors to check this at...

What happens to our financial reserves when we join a MAT? This is one of the most common questions asked by governing bodies and for obvious reasons. Once again MATs differ on their approach to school reserves. Some MATs will "pool" the money and hold this at the Trust centre so this money can be used as and when necessary as decided by the Trust Board. Tilian has a different view. We believe that the funds provided to a school should be used for the school and not pooled. This is because the income was generated from the pupils at that school and therefore should be used to provide the best for them. Therefore when a school joins Tilian, its reserves are protected and carried forward to the new budget. Whatever the position of the MAT on financial reserves, this information should be clear to all schools in published materials, eg a reserves policy, and should be in line with the MAT's vision and values ie the more autonomy their schools are given the more local leaders...

Are MATs all the same? MATs differ in many ways including size, structure and whether they are secondary specialists, primary specialists or cover all both. But perhaps the most important areas of difference is the Trust's values and focus. Some MATs have a strong belief that making the key decisions for the schools should be predominantly a responsibility of the Trust Board and Chief Officers of the central team. In these MATs budget setting and curriculum is likely to be decided by the MAT for its schools. Other MATs sit at the opposite end of the spectrum and believe that the schools should be in control of the local decisions. In these MATs the Head and Governing Bodies are key and retain similar control of their budgets, identity and ethos to those in local authority control. Therefore when looking at a MAT it is very important to understand what their values are; the delegation of powers they provide to their schools and compare this to what your school, staff and pupils need...

Do all MATs have local governing boards? No. The structure of the MAT and the level at which decisions are made should be consistent with the aims and values of the MAT. MATs that prioritise autonomy for their schools will retain governors for each school and this is known as a local governing body (LGB) or in Tilian we call them School Governance Committees (SGC). Other MATs may have a vision centred around the majority of decisions being taken by the Trust. They may have advisory panels or no representation at local level. There is no right or wrong - it is though important that Heads and Governors of schools understand what powers they will have after joining the MAT. The key document for this is the Scheme of Delegation - this is a document from the Trust Board which explains where the responsibility sits for key decisions. If the MAT supports LGBs it is also important for Heads and Governors to understand how the new governing body will be appointed, ie are the roles similar to cu...