Ministers have launched a review today into new standards aimed at holding multi-academy trusts (MATs) to account.
The Department for Education has said its review will look at both the standards trusts are held to and the thresholds at which the government uses its powers to intervene in cases of underperformance.
It will also look at how the government allocates schools to existing trusts and supports the creation of new MATs, as part of the aim for all schools to be in a “family of schools” by 2030.
Today’s announcement comes after MAT leaders voiced concern about the scope of the government’s Schools Bill to create new powers over the running of academies through the standards it is creating.
The DfE said today that the review will finish by the end of 2022, and is “intended to give clarity on how the powers in the Schools Bill, currently going through Parliament, will be applied”.
The department said the review will:
- Look at how to retain and maximise academy trusts’ innovation, and reduce regulatory burdens through new standards.
- Produce thresholds for the use of new powers in the Schools Bill for intervention in academy trusts, and focus government action on preventing failure before it occurs.
- Consider how to commission new academy trusts and the expansion of existing trusts, ensuring there are no “cold spots” of the country where a school does not have an option to join a strong trust.
Earlier this month, Mr Zahawi told school leaders that new regulations for multi-academy trusts would not restrict their freedoms.
The education secretary admitted that there have been concerns about the scope of the government’s plans to hold multi-academy trusts to account through its new Schools Bill.
Mr Zahawi had told the Confederation of School Trusts’ annual conference that the government plans to create a baseline of required standards that MATs will be expected to meet to prevent the reputation of the sector being damaged by failing trusts.
This first part of the Schools Bill sets out standards which the education secretary may require MATs to meet as part of the new regulations.
It lists 20 examples of where standards might be set, including the nature and quality of education provided; the curriculum followed; the length of the school day; the remuneration of staff; and governance arrangements.
The Commissioning and Regulatory Review will be chaired by the schools minister Baroness Barran and will be supported by an expert advisory group including Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman, Confederation of School Trusts chief executive Leora Cruddas and London School of Economics professor of political science and public policy Martin Lodge, alongside representatives from the academy trust sector, who will be announced shortly.
Baroness Barran said: “The very many strong academy trusts across the country do a great job of improving their schools, working to the highest national and international educational standards while keeping their schools rooted in their local communities.
“Our proposals to allow local authorities to establish trusts will help draw the best of the maintained school sector into the new trust-led system.
“But not every school is currently in a strong trust or has the option of joining one. Our three-pronged approach between the Schools White Paper, Schools Bill and our new regulatory review will change that.”
Ms Cruddas said: “I look forward to working with ministers and the Department for Education through the period of the Commissioning and Regulatory Review.
“It is essential that the approach to strategic commissioning and risk-based regulation protects the independence of school trusts and promotes high-quality education as a public good, as we move forward to build a strong and sustainable education system in England.”
