TOOT HILL SCHOOL

ACADEMY PROPOSAL PARENTS’ MEETING 31 st JANUARY 2011

CHANGING WORLD OF EDUCATION

Since May 2011: • Greater school autonomy

‘School is the master, L.A. the servant’

• Stop spending now • White Paper November 2010 – Education Bill January 2011: – – – – Academies new OfSTED framework Training Schools – Greater authority for schools re: behaviour management English Baccalaureate

What does becoming an Academy mean?

• • • • Funding is directly from central government.

The school is free to buy services based upon its judgement of best value.

Governance is through a reshaped ‘Trust’ and governors have additional accountability.

Financial reporting is altered to make it consistent with any private company.

Becoming an Academy doesn’t mean:

• • • • • We will stop being close partners with the Local Authority and other schools.

We will stop buying LA services.

We will change our admissions criteria.

We will changing our staff terms and conditions of employment.

We will sell off school assets.

RISK ANALYSIS

RISK

Major building issues...fire, condition, etc.?

What if the school has a budget deficit?

What if a new Headteacher wants to use academy powers to move the school in a different direction?

Is the school capable of managing a change of status?

RESPONSE

• If this occurs there is a fund operated by central government that manages these issues...same as the LA • The accounts are scrutinized independently to ensure correct accounting procedures are in place and that financial risk is controlled.

• The governors have the ultimate power on appointments and strategic decision making.

• The school has managed the move to becoming a Foundation School with relative ease and the same is anticipated with becoming an Academy.

What are the anticipated benefits?

AWPU YPLA SEN Personalisation TC SSG SDG fsm rates insurance VAT grant underspend total April-2010 4,318,267 1,329,860 62,940 62,453 154,284 193,555 105,598 April-2011 4,388,473 1,356,908 60,000 62,000 151,000 190,000 100,000 6,226,957 6,308,381 Academy 4,833,849 1,356,908 151,000 190,000 100,000

+/-

80000 55,000 30000 6,716,757 +£408,376

Health Warning

• • • The additional financial benefit is not guaranteed into the future.

Additional costs have to be factored in...estimated £150,000 - £200 ,00 BUT... there will still be a significant gap between an LA funded school and an Academy.

Buildings

• Additional resources and the capacity to raise long term loans will hopefully enable the school to secure a new College facility and revamp existing facilities.

Staff Training

• • Higher level of investment in staff training Secure our status as a Teacher Training School