Shropshire Council planning its own schools academy

The move would effectively allow the council to maintain an influence over schools in the county.

It has sent a draft proposal to the headteachers of all council maintained schools as well as standalone academies that may be interested in joining.

The trust would be run by headteachers and governors, with support from the council. If the proposals are agreed then the trust is planned to start from September this year.

The development comes as a number of schools in Shropshire have been targeted to join academies from outside the county.

Council leaders fear schools are increasingly being run by organisations that have little knowledge of the county. There is also a fear that Shropshire's best schools are being 'cherry-picked' by academies.

Academies are allowed to run independently of local education authorities, with control of their own budgets.

A number of Shropshire schools have already converted to academy status by joining organisations independent of Shropshire Council's local education authority.

They include Bridgnorth Endowed School, The Marches School in Oswestry, The Priory School in Shrewsbury, William Brookes School, and Buildwas Primary School.

Shrewsbury Academies Trust has also been formed as a co-operative organisation. It includes Shrewsbury Academy, which was formerly The Grange and Sundorne secondary schools, as well as Longlands Primary School in Market Drayton, and The Grange Primary School.

The new trust would run as an 'arms-length' organisation, run separate from the council but supported by it.

Academies operate differently to state maintained schools and receive their funding directly from the government, not through the local council.

Staff are also employed by the academy trust rather than the council.

Academies do not have to follow the national curriculum and have the freedom to set their own term times, although they still have to follow the same rules on admissions, special educational needs and exclusions as other state schools. They also continue to be monitored by Ofsted.

The government had planned to introduce legislation which would have forced schools to become academies but the proposals were abandoned last year.

There has been controversy with some academies from outside of Shropshire looking to attract schools within the county.

Earlier this month a public meeting took place after it emerged Bishop's Castle Primary School was considering joining the Hereford-based Bishop Anthony Educational Trust.

That would place the school in a trust that takes in nine schools including Ludlow Infant and Nursery School, Bitterley CofE Primary School, Morville CofE School and Hereford Academy.

Karen Bradshaw, director for children services at Shropshire Council said a group made up of 25 schools had been drafting the proposal for the multi-academy trust.

She said: "Following a series of area meetings held in June and October 2016 that focused on the future shape of education in Shropshire, a substantial number of headteachers and governors of council-maintained schools indicated that they would like Shropshire Council to explore the development of a multi-academy trust.

"Headteachers and governors have been invited to join a consultative group to draft the proposal for the trust.

"The proposal has been sent to the headteachers of all maintained schools, and to the standalone academies who may be interested in joining the trust. It sets out the vision, aims and ethos of the proposed trust, together with details of governance and the financial model. It also confirms the structure, which will be either established at the outset or developed over time, depending on the number and size of schools that join the trust in the first phase.

"The proposal also reflects a shared commitment to collaboration, continual school improvement and ensuring that headteachers and school governors have the autonomy necessary to lead and manage their school for the maximum benefit of pupils."

Mrs Bradshaw said schools that join the trust in the first instance are likely to have more say in deciding members, trustees and senior officers. She said: "If the proposals are agreed at local and regional level it is hoped that it will commence in September 2017, or as soon as possible thereafter."

The issue is expected to be discussed by Shropshire Council's cabinet at a meeting next Wednesday.