The Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National Association wants to rename itself the 'Confederation of School Trusts', Tes can reveal.

The organisation has launched a consultation on redefining itself as a "sector body" for "legally autonomous independent school trusts".

Tes reported back in March that Fasna was seeking to re-position itself as the trade association lobbying on behalf of the academy sector.

Kicking off Fasna's summer conference, which takes place in London today, chief executive Leora Cruddas said: “At the moment, trusts are dispersed with no way of making or influencing policy and without the capacity to advocate for our education system when it comes under attack.

"We believe that a sector body is essential if we are to speak authoritatively to government and help to build an excellent education system in England.”

Styling itself as the Confederation of School Trusts, the rebranded association would emulate the language used by the health service, where the membership organisation for NHS bodies is called the NHS Confederation. 

Rob McDonough, chair of Fasna and CEO of the East Midlands Education Trust, said: “Business and industry have the CBI. NHS trusts have the NHS Confederation. The CST proposes to be the voice for trusts at a regional, national and, in the fullness of time, international level.

"Several voices are louder than one. We want to create a forum for school trusts to belong to something bigger than themselves in order to speak authoritatively to government.”

The consultation, which runs until 19 June, proposes two options for membership fees.

Under one option, fees would run from £125 per year for a stand-alone primary to £4,231 per year for a secondary level multi-academy trust with more than 41 schools.

The second option is based on taking a "very small proportion" of schools' general annual grant funding. 

As a base rate, it suggests 0.005% of GAG funding.