I was fortunate enough attend the Inspiring Leadership conference in Birmingham in June, along with 1,800 participants - mostly headteachers in England.

Much of the discussion was about changes in school governance south of the border. The recent White Paper, Educational Excellence Everywhere, set a roadmap for extending multi-academy trusts (MATs) and removing local authorities’ responsibility for the delivery of education. Hearing views about these proposals made me reflect on the governance of Scottish education - and considering what might come out of the government’s governance review in September, particularly its consideration of increasing headteacher autonomy.

Nothing to learn

Some colleagues in Scotland have expressed a view that there is nothing to learn from England because the “academies culture” is based on unhealthy school competition and driven by a particular political ethos not shared north of the border. They may argue that, in contrast, the strength of the Scottish local-authority governance model is based on an egalitarian ideology that supports all young people, irrespective of their postcode, to achieve the very best.

Recently, though, the Scottish governance model has been the subject of media speculation. The possibility of increased headteacher autonomy and accountability for school improvement test the fabric of the prevailing ideology and raise the question of whether something akin to a MAT model of governance could serendipitously emerge in Scotland.

The English White Paper states in its rationale for MATs that it wants to put “more power in the hands of the best schools and system leaders and to extend their reach. A more autonomous school is even more dependent on outstanding school leaders. Good schools should be responsible for improving themselves and each other, and groups of schools (working together) should be able to span geographic boundaries with the best MATs expanding to run schools in our toughest areas in a way no high-performing school ever could”.

The importance of school-based, system-wide collaboration to generate improvement runs through the White Paper, and schools in the MAT model of governance are not judged by their individual success but by the success of the collective trust. A MAT can be any size - the report recommends around 15-20 schools, although pupil numbers are more important than the number of schools.

No geographic limitation

Indeed, there is no limit on the potential size of a MAT and no geographic limitation. Theoretically, a London MAT could be responsible for schools in Birmingham. This has interesting implications for school leadership at all levels in England. For example, the report notes that a middle leader could be responsible for a subject in more than 30 schools.

The role of local authorities will be to act as advocates for their electorate. They will ensure that enough school places exist for young people in their area and be responsible for buildings and transport. They will retain a responsibility to ensure that vulnerable children are supported, and challenge and commission quality assurance of the provision on offer. The view of the report is that local authorities will be able to challenge provision more effectively if they are not responsible for providing the service.

Leadership development and succession planning will be led by “teaching schools” - those institutions deemed outstanding at inspection. National leaders of education, a group of headteachers deemed outstanding, are to have responsibility for leadership across the country.

The role of headteachers in this system is key. The report states: “A school-led system is not an end in itself but is the best way to deliver better outcomes for children and young people…school leaders will be trusted to make their own decisions about who to employ and how much to pay them. Greater autonomy, per se, will not lead to excellence everywhere. It isn’t enough to set school leaders free if they can’t access the resources and expertise they need to make the most of their freedom.”

A quest for the holy grail

It is already apparent that educationalists and policymakers in Scotland have mixed views on a school-led governance model. Certainly, in terms of achieving the holy grail of consistent school and system improvement, all governance models have their challenges.

I am struck, for example, by the absence of reference in the White Paper to broader partnerships helping to generate a “place-based” approach to improvement - recognised in Scotland as an essential ingredient in helping to close the attainment gap. In Scotland, there is some consensus that schools alone - even if working with other schools - cannot fully achieve excellence and equity for all unless they work closely with, for example, health, social services, housing and the third sector.

When I asked headteachers in England about how they collectively supported the equivalent of a Girfec (Getting it Right for Every Child) agenda, the response was that it was “at best, ad-hoc”. And the “most successful” MAT in England, it transpires, has one of the highest exclusion rates in the country.

A middle leader could be responsible for a subject in 30 schools

It is true that attainment has risen in England across all socio-economic groups, particularly in London, and there are fewer schools that are performing badly. However, it is essential that what emerges in Scotland from a governance review is well thought-out, tested and clear in its holistic objectives. The capacity of a revised system to effectively include what Kerr and West in 2010 call “societal and neighbourhood issues” must be, in my view, central to the final design.

Also, the professional development of those leading the system must be carefully supported if we are to effectively improve educational outcomes; form should always follow function. Whatever form emerges must ensure that the three aspirations of excellence, equity and social justice retain an equal weighting. The debate over the next few months around how to best achieve these will be fascinating.

Andrew Sutherland is lead specialist at the Scottish College for Educational Leadership and a former education director. He is writing in a personal capacity