Consultation – Conversion to Academy and Bid to Sponsor Darwin Green One Background Break out session with governors and staff Re-convene for Q&A

Mayfield Catchment -2014

New University School Ch

Darwin Green development

Darwin Green One location

Features of Darwin Green One Academy or Free School Two form entry (420 pupils) 52 place pre-school Out of hours school club Sponsored

Who can sponsor a school? Other high performing schools – primary or secondary (inc. Academy Trusts) FE-Colleges or Sixth Forms Universities Businesses or entrepreneurs Educational foundations Charities and Philanthropists Faith communities

Sponsors are responsible for - Setting up an Academy Trust Selecting the Governing Body Recruiting the head teacher The performance of the school The finances of the school

Why would Mayfield want to sponsor Darwin Green? Share expertise, planning and best practice Access a wider range of resources and facilities Economies of scale Employ specialist staff such as English/maths specialists Staff development and opportunities for challenge - we want to be a strong and attractive work-place with plenty of training and career development opportunities in order to retain and recruit staff. Employ outside agencies such as a speech therapist or an educational psychologist.

Why would Mayfield want to sponsor Darwin Green? Joint activities eg sports, arts, science or music festivals Outward looking collaborative approach rather than an insular competitive one Enhance the community atmosphere All of these features, as well as increased analysis of our current practice, will assist in our drive to become an outstanding school

Why would Mayfield NOT want to sponsor Darwin Green? Happy with the status quo Distraction from becoming an ‘outstanding’ school Close monitoring to prevent this happening Building and site already designed and built and will just be handed over Long lead up time Slow build up of staff and pupils

If we don’t sponsor Darwin Green? The new schools will be competing for our staff (current and future recruits). Our pupil numbers are likely to fall, at least in the short term, as much more parental choice becomes available. Somebody will be sponsoring Darwin Green. In the future eg when our Head retires, we may be expected to join the Darwin Green cluster even if it has a different ethos to our own.

Process Register interest with DfE to become Multi Academy Trust Complete application form – we are allocated an advisor Begin admin – eg contact county re buildings, list contracts, identify solicitors etc Consultations – staff, parents, neighbouring schools etc Regional schools commissioner issues an ‘Academy order’ Survey parent and staff views Consider whether to proceed Allocated £25K to cover legal expenses etc Make final decisions and sign paperwork – July/August 2015 ie we can go through the process but don’t need to commit until August.

The original plan was to start the Academy process alongside the application to sponsor Darwin Green which was expected this spring, however the opening of Darwin Green has probably been delayed until 2018 with sponsorship bids being requested in spring We are giving serious consideration to conversion to an Academy this stage. Stand alone Academy?

If we continue now: Separate out the admin burden of Academy conversion from the sponsorship bid We will be an established Academy by the time we make the bid We will have policies and processes in place It demonstrates commitment There are now very few other differences between Academies and LA schools We will have full autonomy over our finances – money that the LA currently retains for general services we can chose to spend as we need.