1. All you need to know about MATs
Victoria Hatton
11 October 2016

2. Agenda Why are schools forming MATs?
What is different about being an academy?
Who’s who in a MAT?
What are the key issues to consider in deciding whether to create or grow a MAT?
Are there any additional considerations for MATs containing church schools?
How do you become a MAT?

3. Why are schools forming MATs?

4. A changing landscape

5. Models of collaboration
Informal partnership working
Formal partnership working
Shared governance
Common action
Collaboration company
Hard federation
Memorandum of understanding
Trust
Multi academy trust
Collaboration agreement
Cooperative trust
Cooperative multi academy trust
Umbrella trust (academies)

6. Rationale for forming MATs
Budgetary concerns
Economies of scale
Pressure from the DfE
Protecting ethos of the school by grouping with others
Educational imperative
Fear of forced academisation

7. What is different about being an academy?

8. Academies
An academy trust is a charitable company which is contracted by the Secretary of State to operate and manage one or more academy schools
Contractual arrangement set out in Funding Agreement
Governance rules set out in Articles of Association

9. Academies Local authority plays no formal role:
Education Funding Agency (EFA)
National & Regional Schools Commissioner
Academy trusts:
Employ their own staff
Are their own admissions authority
Own their own land (leasehold / freehold)

10. Maintained school – governance & leadership
Local Authority
Governing Body
Headteacher
Committees (e.g. finance,
Standards, personnel)
SLT

11. SAT– governance & leadership
Members
Board of Directors /
Governors / Trustees
Chief Executive Officer
(Principal)
Committees (e.g. finance,
Standards, personnel)
SLT

12. MAT – governance & leadership
Members
Board of Directors /
Governors / Trustees
Chief Executive Officer
Local Governing Bodies
/ Committees
Headteachers
SLT

13. Sponsored MAT – governance & leadership
appoints
majority
of members
and trustees
Members
Board of Directors /
Governors / Trustees
Chief Executive Officer
Local Governing Bodies
/ Committees
Headteachers
SLT

14. Who’s who in a MAT?

15. Role of the Members
Sign the Memorandum of Association forming the trust
Have limited but specific powers including:
appoint other Members
amend the Articles of Association
change the name of the academy trust
appoint and remove ‘Member Trustees’
wind up the academy trust
Not responsible for the day-to-day governance of the academy/academies - very ‘hands off’
Meet rarely - Annual General Meeting (if Articles require the trust to hold one)

16. Role of the Members
Should be at least some distinction between Members and Trustees (particularly in multi academy trusts)
Should ideally have at least five Members
Employees of the trust should not be appointed as Members

17. Governor = education law
Role of the Trustees
Director = company law
Trustee = charity law
Governor = education law

18. Role of the Local Governing Body
Committee of the Board to ensure good academy governance at a local level
Not a legal entity in own right and are not “Governors” in law
Board can delegate duties and decision making powers to LGB but not responsibility or accountability
Scheme of Delegation – written terms of reference for the LGB

19. Role of the CEO
Sometimes known as the Executive Principal and usually a Trustee
Accountable to the Board for the day-to-day operation of the academy/academies
‘Headteacher in law’ for all academy schools with Head of Schools
Usually plays a supporting/oversight role to other Principals within the trust

20. Effective multi academy trust governance
Clear vision and a shared set of core values
The right people in the right role
Clarity on respective roles and responsibilities
Commitment to work together and to support others to fulfil their roles effectively
Effective channels of communication between different tiers of governance
= TRUST

21. What are the key issues to consider in deciding whether to create or grow a MAT?

22. MAT Key considerations Communication Shared vision and ethos
Centralisation of administration
Governance and leadership
Due diligence

23. Are there any additional considerations for MATs containing church schools?

24. Issues for church schools
Liaison with Diocese
Governance requirements
Use of church land

25. How do you become a MAT?

26. Apply for £25K conversion grant
Converting to an academy
register
apply
academy order
funding agreement
open
Apply for £25K conversion grant

27. Conversion process Due diligence Consultation Legal process
Stakeholders
TUPE
Legal process
Set up company – Articles of Association
Funding Agreement
Commercial transfer agreement
Land transfer
Church supplemental agreement (VC schools only)

28. Tips for moving forward
Set an ambitious timescale
Set up a working group
Keep governing bodies informed
Deal with “elephants” head on

29. Questions?

30. Find out more Forming or joining a group of schools: [guidance note]
School collaboration - exploring school companies [video]
Establishing a successful Multi-Academy Trust [video]

31. Contact us
Please note
The information contained in these notes is based on the position at October It does, of course, only represent a summary of the subject matter covered and is not intended to be a substitute for detailed advice. If you would like to discuss any of the matters covered in further detail, our team would be happy to do so.
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