tom clark - adapting to a changing landscape: what to do with a greater autonomy and freedom
TRANSCRIPT
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
The following presentation was delivered at The Academies Show Birmingham 2014 by Tom Clark, Chair, FASNA
For more information on similar content please visit our website at:
http://www.academiesshow.london/agenda/
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
Tom Clark
Chair, FASNA
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
FASNA is a ‘not for profit’ membership organisation with charitable status, which seeks to promote and secure autonomy for schools and evidence its success
Member schools include VA schools, Foundation schools, Trust schools, Type 1 ‘sponsored’ academies, ‘Converter’ academies, primary, secondary, and special schools
Members include Headteachers, Governors, Clerks to Governors and School Business Managers
FASNA is a-political
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
FASNA is about ‘Autonomy with Accountability’
not structures
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
Present landscape
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
Government has created a ‘market’ of ‘free’ schools, academies (‘sponsored’, ‘converters’ and ‘chains’), UTCs, ‘studio schools’, trust schools, foundation schools, community schools and independent schools
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
There are 4296 academies
1879 secondary schools 2260 primary schools 129 special schools 28 alternative provision 71% of all academies are ‘converters’ Academies are not all the same - ‘sponsored’ or
‘converter’; ‘stand-alone’ or in MATS; or in larger ‘chains’
(source DfE November 2014)
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
Standards have become more rigorous and narrower
‘Floor’ and ‘bar’ raised
‘Satisfactory’ is ‘not satisfactory’
Accountability frameworks different and tougher
This is true for ALL schools whether or not they are more autonomous than in May 2010
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
There is a crowded ‘middle tier’
RSCs, LAs, Trustees, Governors, NLEs, LLEs, Teaching Schools, NLGs, sponsored ‘chains’ of academies, school-led MATS, and ‘commercial’ offers – but much more of it school-led than ever before
It needs time to grow and mature
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
Governance is now in the Ofsted framework
The 30 year default -
‘Volunteers’, usually parents, with single school perspective
have become…
‘Non-executive directors of autonomous not-for-profit public companies’ – a multi-school framework and perspective
A movement away from the stakeholder model: a movement towards ‘skill-sets’ but also true for allschools
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
Effective Governance?
Does your Governing Body PASS the FASNA test?
Professional in practice and membership?
Accountable as evidenced through skills based appointments and structures?
Strategic in operation and outlook?
Skilled in understanding data, questioning, challenging and supporting?
Is there a professional process for appointing the Chair of Governors?
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
The continuing future and beyond
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
Joined-up future
‘Joined-up’ leadership -the school resource is not just the Headteacher
It’s Headteachers and Governors and School Business Managers
For School Business Managers, status and remuneration comes with co-professional responsibility for strategic direction and pupil progress, not more of the same
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
There will be: Some big external ‘sponsored chains’(some perhaps
commercial) Local ‘clusters’ of academies, led by schools 100s, if not 1,000s of small schools needing to
collaborate to remain viable Demand for real value for money under procurement
deals Risk of ‘perfect financial storm’ – NI, Pensions, Post 16
funding No National Fair Funding NO MORE MONEY
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
If Labour is elected:
No going back
Fewer (or no more) ‘converter’ academies and not ‘subsidised’?
Definitely no more grants up to £175K to convert
Some kind of ‘local management’, LAs or Regional arrangement
Some increased freedoms – curriculum, school day, services but not necessarily the full range of current academy freedoms
NO MORE MONEY
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
Going forwards we need:
The confidence and ability to act independently of LAs - whether you want to or not, whether a community school or not
The confidence and ability to collaborate and compare
The confidence to do something before it is done to you – take control
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
The BIGGEST Challenge
Accepting that the future may not be what you want it to be
Accepting that you need not be victims
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
And in fact
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
“The future is already here; it’s just not distributed very well”
(William Gibson)
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
"Our new inspection arrangements will focus more on governance and the effectiveness of governance.”Sir Michael Wilshaw, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools.
On sale at the FASNA stand – no. 448; FREE to FASNA MembersTo order copies, please email [email protected], or call 0115 917 0142
Cost £10 per copy (plus P&P for under 5 copies)
Reviews received:Outstanding!‘If you buy one book to help improve your governing body, make it this one’
Top guide for school improvement‘An excellent help to Governors on how to ensure the all the children in their school get the best possible education’
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
"I welcome this new publication as a practitioners’ guide with a wealth of up to date examples from successful schools around the country” Peter Lauener, Chief Executive of the Education Funding Agency (EFA)
"This publication is a must-read for aspiring and practising School Business Managers, Headteachersand governors!” Stephen Morales, Executive Director, National Association of School Business Management
On sale at the FASNA stand – no. 448; FREE to FASNA MembersTo order copies, please email [email protected], or call 0115 917 0142
Cost £13 per copy (plus P&P for under 5 copies)
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed.
Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle…..
When the sun comes up, you’d better start running…..
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
Want to know more about landscape, effective governance, effective school business management,
academy conversion?
Run to Stand 448 to see FASNA today!
Freedom and Autonomy for Schools – National
Associationwww.fasna.org.uk
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