How do sponsored academies differ from converter academies?
Converter academies are usually high performing or outstanding schools that apply to the government to become academies. Sponsored and converter academies are both accountable to government and independent of local authority control, but they receive different levels of initial funding.
What do sponsors do?
Academy sponsors have a number of key responsibilities. Initially, they set up an academy trust, select a governing body, appoint a leadership team and recruit a headteacher. They are also responsible for the performance and finances of their academy.
They will work closely with the headteacher to manage the school, engage with parents and the wider community and report progress back to the Department for Education (DfE).
What is the sponsor’s leadership function?
In addition to their day-to-day functions, academy sponsors also have a broader role to play in challenging traditions, fostering innovation and boosting aspirations.
According to The National College of Teaching and Leadership, school leadership is second to classroom teaching on influencing pupil learning. Instilling a sense of direction and an ethos of success in struggling academies is seen as an important part of the academy sponsors’ job.
Under what conditions would a school become a sponsored academy?
Under the Academies Act (2010), maintained schools can be issued with an academisation order if they are judged ‘eligible for intervention’. A school becomes ‘eligible for intervention’ if it fails to comply with a local authority warning notice or if it has been judged by Ofsted to require significant improvement or special measures.
So far it is unclear what effect, if any, the policy of mandatory academisation has had here. Schools that underperform, but not to the level where they are judged ‘eligible for intervention’, may now be judged more harshly. While most probably won’t be forced to become sponsored academies, pressure from local authorities and regional commissioners could intensify.
Can schools become sponsored academies voluntarily?
With mandatory academisation looming, many schools that are not in a position to convert independently may choose to become a sponsored academy. Although the DfE can force schools to become sponsored academies, a majority do so voluntarily under advice from their local authority or an academy broker. Schools that aren’t underperforming may be better off joining a multi-academy trust (MAT) or forming a local partnership with other schools in close proximity; if they wish to become a sponsored academy then they should speak to their Regional School Commissioner (RSC).
What are academy trusts?
Academy rules prevent ‘for-profit’ companies from operating academies, so sponsors work with academies through academy trusts. An academy trust is a charitable company that runs an academy or group of academies.
Who can become a sponsor?
Individuals and organisations can apply to become academy sponsors if they meet certain requirements. Common types of sponsor include:
- Outstanding schools
- Further and higher education institutions
- Businesses and entrepreneurs
- Educational foundations
- Charities and philanthropists
- Faith-based organisations
Some councils and local authorities have expressed an interest in becoming sponsors for academies in their local area.
Can schools choose their sponsor?
Schools may express a preference for their sponsor; they may wish to approach a potential sponsor before one is appointed to them by the RSC.
The RSC is responsible for matchmaking between academies and appropriate sponsors. They will discuss sponsors with the local headteacher board (HTB) and the school before formally recommending a candidate. The school’s governing body will have ultimate say by passing a resolution to approve a sponsor.
What role do academy chains play?
Sponsorship by an academy chain is one of the most common types of academy sponsorship. Academy chains are groups of academies which enter into loose or structured partnerships. A multi-academy trust is one common type of academy chain.
Some research suggests that academy chains can bolster school leadership, lead to practical sharing of knowledge and resources and boost pupil outcomes.
Haven’t academy chains attracted some bad press?
Some poorly performing academy chains have received criticism in recent years. Several chains have seen a change of leadership, while others have been prevented from sponsoring additional schools. In March of this year, Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw singled out seven of the worst performing MATs and highlighted what he called significant weaknesses. Many other academy chains, however, are regarded highly. The Harris Federation, founded by businessman Lord Harris, is often held up as a model of success.
In a recent speech at the Academies show, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said that the government had been quick to respond to underperforming academies. She said that the DfE had issued 154 formal notices to underperforming academies and free schools, which led to a change in leadership in 129 cases. Looking at the data, the vast majority of academies that received a notice about poor performance were sponsor-led. This is less surprising because many of these schools would have been underperforming before gaining academy status.
Do all schools have to join an academy chain?
Much of the opposition to mandatory academisation centres on poorly performing academy chains and MATs. But the DfE stresses that good schools will not be forced to join together with other schools.
In her Academies show speech, Nicky Morgan said: “We know there are lots of models for operating academies but we think many will choose - as many of you have already - to work in local clusters, supporting each other to succeed. But let me be absolutely clear that there is a place for successful and sustainable stand-alone academies and we will never put pressure on them to subscribe to a different model.”
What will the academy landscape look like in 2022?
It is difficult to say what the landscape for academies will look like by the time the government’s mandatory academisation process is complete in 2022. There have been some clues from the government though. In a Commons select committee, Nicky Morgan was asked whether she could “envisage a case where there might be 5,000 or even 10,000 multi-academy trusts across the country.”
Morgan responded: “At the moment we’ve got 973, and they range in size. The vast majority have got less than 10 schools in them. I think we need to see how it develops, but I’m not going to say that small clusters of schools can’t work together and be extremely successful.”
The Education Secretary also said that trusts that couldn’t demonstrate a “strong track record” in improving schools will not be allowed to take on more.
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