1. Influences and challenges
Tim Coulson
Regional Schools Commissioner
East England and NE London

2. Department for Education – regional work with academies
Headteacher Boards
Local authorities
Multi-academy trusts

3. Why RSCs?
The eight Regional Schools Commissioners (RSCs) came into post in September 2014 and report to the National Schools Commissioner (Sir David Carter). RSCs take decisions regarding academies on behalf of the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State remains responsible for the academy system and will hold RSCs to account for the performance of academies in their region.
- Develop school autonomy - Give system leaders greater influence over the direction of the academies system - Regional decisions, centrally supported – Supported by their Headteacher Boards, RSCs bring decision-making closer to schools by adding greater local/regional knowledge and context - Create an evolving system – allowing flexibility for the system to continue to evolve as the number of academies and free schools grow.

4. NB Christine Quinn replaces Pank Patel in the West Midlands from 3 October 2016

5. Headteacher Board
Provides advice and support to RSC decision making - approve academy conversion, new sponsors, new MATS, challenge the RSC that interventions are effective & appropriate
Consists of eight members – 4 elected and 4 Co-opted / appointed. Members are headteachers, CEOs of MAT’s and others with specific required skillsets.
Elected - Caroline Haynes (Tendring Technology College), Stephen Munday (CAM Trust), Debbie Rogan (HEARTS Academy Trust), Margaret Wilson (The King John School Academy Trust)
Appointed - Dame Rachel De Souza (Inspiration Trust), Sir Steve Lancashire (Reach2 Academy Trust)
Co-opted - Mark Jeffries (Mills and Reeve LLP)
Next elections for the HTB will take place in 2017 and planning is in place for this.

6. East of England and North East London
Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Thurrock, Southend, Peterborough, London boroughs of Barking & Dagenham, Hackney, Haringey, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets, Redbridge
2669 schools – of which 1848 are maintained schools, 753 are academies (459 ‘converter’ and 294 ‘sponsored’) and 68 are free schools
753 academies consist of 432 primary schools, 248 secondary schools, 23 special schools and 8 alternative provision
The 68 free schools consist of 21 primary schools, 20 secondary schools, 4 ‘all through’ schools, 10 special schools / alternative provision, schools, 2 studio schools and 7 UTCs

7. The attainment gap School readiness at 5 Attainment at 11

8. Our Collective Vision for a Changing Educational World
The 5 key drivers that inform our thinking
More good school places in the system for all children
Doing even better with a smaller resource
The role that education plays in the social mobility agenda
Recognition that a more diverse system means a new relationship with Maintained schools, Academies, FS, UTC, Studio Schools, Diocesan Schools, small rural schools, independent schools, Universities and selective schools
Shift from conversion to conversion + improvement

9. Objectives for East of England and North East London
Our ambition is to drive up standards across the region so that every child attends a school or academy whose results are above the national minimum floor standard and is rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted
Build strong sponsors
Facilitate collaboration
Open high quality new provision
Challenge underperformance

10. Multi-academy trusts guidance
DfE provided non-statutory guidance on MAT good practice and expectations for growth (2016)
Design principles for academy trusts
For those who are establishing new trusts or planning to grow
Based on emerging good practice
Explains what Regional School Commissioners will look for in assessing the capacity of MATs at each stage of their development

11. How many MAT Growth Options are there?
The four main ones (all with various sub options) are:
Join, expand, change and improve an existing MAT
Grow an all new MAT from three or more maintained schools
Merging two or more existing MATs
Merging two or more existing Single Academy Trusts ("standalone converters")
All these MAT growth options require the approval from the RSC Headteacher Board which meets fortnightly to consider proposals.

12. Growth options Join, expand, change and improve an existing MAT
Grow an all new MAT from three or more maintained schools
Merging two or more existing MATs
Merging two or more existing Single Academy Trusts ("standalone converters")

13. How can MAT growth drive School Improvement?
Improvement is not automatic
Getting the MAT Governance right
Agreeing and improving clear MAT management arrangements
Establishing clear communications from MAT governance and management to staff, students and parents to create a school improvement culture
MAT Finance

14. How can MAT growth drive School Improvement?
A school improvement plan agreed by the MAT Trustee Board
School improvement capacity sourced and directed to the plan
Staff Development is the key
Staff recruitment and retention
Ambition and leadership

15. Challenges Vision Relationships Money – who is commissioning
Accountability
Good and bad behaviour