Grammar schools are coming round to the idea of forming multi-academy trusts (MATs) with their non-selective counterparts, but are still in discussions with the government over reassurances on the preservation of their selective status.
Tes revealed last month that selective schools were mulling the formation of grammar-only MATs amid fears that joining with non-selective schools could risk them having to water down their admissions policies.
March’s Schools White Paper said it wanted all schools to be in or be moving towards joining a MAT by 2030 and, although it said that it would ensure that selective schools were “secure” in MATs, the Grammar School Heads Association (GSHA) said there were still concerns that MAT trust boards would have the power to change grammar school admissions policies.
But now, the association has said that last week’s Queen’s Speech and Schools Bill has provided the reassurance schools needed to pave the way for them to join non-selective MATs.
A measure in the Schools Bill said it will place a duty on the secretary of state to designate the academy grammar schools in England as grammar schools, “putting them onto the same legal footing” as maintained grammar schools.
Among other things, this means that selection can only be removed from these schools following a parental ballot in favour of removal.
Mark Fenton, chief executive of the GHSA, said grammar schools had not necessarily expected the government to include this in legislation.
He added: ”We certainly very much welcome the government’s plans to tidy up the law with regard to selection”.
His comments come as it emerged some grammar schools are already preparing talks to develop MATs with non-selective schools.
Sharon Pritchard, headteacher at Dartford Grammar School for Girls in Kent, said the school was interested in starting to “explore possible partnerships with like-minded schools that may be looking to join a collaborative and forward-looking trust”.
She added that the school was interested in working with primary and secondary schools, both selective and non-selective.
The news that grammar schools are open to joining with non-selective schools to form MATs will be welcomed by education secretary Nadhim Zahawi who praised their ethos at the launch of the White Paper, and said he wanted to spread their “DNA” throughout the education system.
There are around 160 grammar schools in England - 143 of which are academies - but most of these are in single-academy trusts, rather than MATs.
