Primary school - FAQs
Raising standards is our priority, what difference
could a Trust and Foundation school make?
As part of a shared trust with other schools you can raise
standards sharing responsibilities and support succession planning.
Be clear about the partners that can help and the target groups of
pupils that require their support, eg primary schools in the
Garforth Schools Partnership Trust are together targeting the
reduction of exclusions. Partnerships should be based on mutual
understanding, honesty and trust.
As a primary school headteacher I haven’t the capacity
to take on any more initiatives
Trust & Foundation status is not another initiative but a
mindset change that supports long term planning. Once you have
agreed your vision and focus, selection of the most appropriate
partners should help you effectively address and deliver other
initiatives eg Ashington Learning Partnership Trust is a group of
first and middle schools working together with a high school that
have taken on the ECM and Extended Services agenda across the whole
community.
We can’t find governors with the expertise we
need
Trust & Foundation status allows you to identify the skills
gap on the governing body and recruit as appropriate through
identified Trust partners or partnership governors.
Unlike the secondary schools we haven’t enough
resources to deliver Trust and Foundation schools
As a shared trust with effective planning you can share and
maximise the use of resources both human and physical eg appoint a
teacher to deliver the curriculum across schools; an opportunity to
consider joint appointments to support shortage curriculum
subjects. Ashington Learning Partnership Trust plan to improve
resources and staffing in the trust as a result of savings afforded
by economies of scale. The trust is also giving the opportunity to
improve support services eg grounds, maintenance, catering,
business and administration, or service level agreement terms -
purchasing power.
What could a business offer a primary
school?
Businesses are providing schools with:
- Expertise, skills and knowledge eg business management or new
governors with needed skills
- Facilities eg training facilities for staff, pupils and
community
- Innovative, new and improved ways of working
- Direct support for target groups of young people
- Support curriculum development eg Dyslexia Action working with
Widewell Primary School Trust to provide bespoke resources for the
pupils at the school to support the improvement of standards
What could a primary school offer a
business?
Forming a trust with a primary school will give businesses the
opportunity to:
- Work with formative years of education
- Trial and develop resources bespoke to primary age
children
- Work alongside trustees from other schools and businesses
- Gain public recognition for their work
- Access schools communities
- Shape and contribute to a new education policy area
What is the position for non-teachers in a Trust and
Foundation school?
Trust status allows governors greater flexibility to determine
the roles, responsibilities and salaries of non-teaching staff as
they are not bound by LA structures and pay scales.
As a Foundation school when does the school receive
their budget?
As a Foundation school it is possible to negotiate with the
local authority. The LA will clearly have its routines and wish to
keep to established protocols but the status does provide heads and
governors with flexibility to agree alternative arrangements