1. Diversity, Choice and Access Trust Schools Jacky Griffin (Office of the Schools Commissioner, DCSF) 1

2. Schools Commissioner’s Objectives Promoting Choice and Diversity Championing Parental Choice Championing Fair Access Supporting Local Authorities in Commissioning School Places Promoting Trust partnerships Developing Academy proposals 2

3. Creating more places in good schools that parents and pupils want:Creating more places in good schools that parents and pupils want: –Expansion of successful and popular schools –Radical solutions for weak / undersubscribed schools –Sustainable success and improvement –Increased self-governance across schools Exploiting opportunities for step change, e.g. BSF, places planningExploiting opportunities for step change, e.g. BSF, places planning –Tackling surplus –Responding to demographic change and parental demand Office of the Schools Commissioner supports: 3

4. Establish Demand - what parents want and need Planning - Planning a system which responds to parental demand Implementation - Commissioning the services which parents want and need Support & Challenge – Acting on behalf of parents/pupils to ensure all schools provide the high standards Local Authority Commissioning 4

5. What should schools expect from a commissioning local authority? A more arms-length relationship Stronger and faster challenge More support for schools from schools Enabling and brokering partnerships with other schools 5

6. Self governance Maintained by the Local Authority Independent & Funded by DCSF

7. Academies Independent secondary or all-through schools Publicly funded Jointly commissioned by LA, DCSF and sponsor. Increasing evidence of their success New sponsorship arrangements will lead to more educational sponsors Increasingly part of the family of schools 7

8. Trust Schools Foundation school(s) backed by a trust School driven with Heads well placed to determine the needs of their pupils. They could: –Develop positive, mutually beneficial partnerships between good and poorly performing schools –Reinforce and sustain existing positive relationships between schools and external partners –Create a lasting legacy for schools in future –In Clusters – respond to strategic LA-wide issues e.g. 14-19 agenda, ECM, NEETs and progression. 8

9. Different Models –One School with a Trust –One poorly performing school with a Trust –A number of local Schools with a Trust –A number of National Schools with a Trust 9 Common purposeCommon purpose Sustainable engagementSustainable engagement Strong, relevant partnersStrong, relevant partners

10. Educational Advantage Help Deliver Every Child MattersEvery Child Matters 14-19 Agenda14-19 Agenda Extended SchoolsExtended Schools New DiplomasNew Diplomas Personalised Learning Schools supported by other services for children, young people and familiesSchools supported by other services for children, young people and families DistinctiveDistinctive Professional Development 10

11. Pathfinders The first 30 schools became Trust schools in September 2007The first 30 schools became Trust schools in September 2007 Expectation of at least 300 schools either as Trust schools or working towards Trust status by the end of the year.Expectation of at least 300 schools either as Trust schools or working towards Trust status by the end of the year. 11

12. Federations Federations could be used to support better collaborative working between schools as well providing a strategic response to LA-wide issues e.g.: –Falling pupil numbers –Headteacher recruitment –Benefits of economies of scale through shared facilities, resources and services. Trusts and federations not mutually exclusive 12

13. Comments and Questions? 13