Academies

Brighton trust to close after ‘GAG pooling’ controversy

MAT at centre of first 'GAG pooling' strikes will transfer schools to other trusts

MAT at centre of first 'GAG pooling' strikes will transfer schools to other trusts

20 Jan 2025, 16:00

More from this author

An under-pressure academy trust will close and transfer all its schools to alternative chains after fall-out from a “GAG pooling” controversy.

Staff at five University of Brighton Academies Trust (UoBAT) schools went on strike last year over the group’s financial model.

The issue landed in Parliament before Christmas as schools minister Catherine McKinnell confirmed UoBAT was “committed to ending” the policy.

Schools Week had revealed one of the trust’s academies had about 20 per cent of its cash retained centrally, while another had 17 per cent held back.

But today bosses announced they have “informed the Department for Education of their desire to seek to transfer the academies… to other academy trusts”.

“The trustees are committed to improving the outcomes for all young people at every stage of their education and view this significant step as the best way for this to be achieved,” they added.

In all, UoBAT runs 14 academies. The chain stressed it will work with DfE “over the months that come to seek the right trusts for academies to join, and to give stability and continuity to all our stakeholders through the time of change”.

Trusts have two methods to fund central services. Most top slice a percentage from their schools’ budgets.

Catherine McKinnell

But a growing number are instead pooling their general annual grant (GAG) first, before deciding how much should be allocated to academies based on their own formula, which is not made public.

A UoBAT spokesperson said in December that it would move to a top-slice model to “support greater transparency”, after “recognising this is a request from its schools”.

Hilary Goldsmith, a school business leader, previously argued the case should act as a warning to the sector.

“There should be real, genuine transparency [between staff and MATs] about what GAG pooling is for, why and how it leads to school improvement … [so] staff fully understand the value and agree with the numbers,” she explained.

Latest education roles from

Head of Programme 2D Studies – City Lit

Head of Programme 2D Studies – City Lit

FEA

Group Director of Governance & Company Secretary

Group Director of Governance & Company Secretary

New City College

Principal (Harrow College) – HRUC

Principal (Harrow College) – HRUC

FEA

Deputy Director of Apprenticeships

Deputy Director of Apprenticeships

Manchester Metropolitan University

Sponsored posts

Sponsored post

Helping every learner use AI responsibly

AI didn’t wait to be invited into the classroom. It burst in mid-lesson. Across UK schools, pupils are already...

SWAdvertorial
Sponsored post

Retire Early, Live Fully: What Teachers Need to Consider First

Specialist Financial Adviser, William Adams, from Wesleyan Financial Services discusses what teachers should be considering when it comes to...

SWAdvertorial
Sponsored post

AI Safety: From DfE Guidance to Classroom Confidence

Darren Coxon, edtech consultant and AI education specialist, working with The National College, explores the DfE’s expectations for AI...

SWAdvertorial
Sponsored post

How accurate spend information is helping schools identify savings

One the biggest issues schools face when it comes to saving money on everyday purchases is a lack of...

SWAdvertorial

More from this theme

Academies

Free schools update ‘later this year’, and 3 other things we learned from ministers

The education secretary and her team answered MPs' questions in Parliament today

Jack Dyson
Academies

More standalone schools on the brink as deficits grow

Seventy-five trusts – one with a deficit of almost £6 million – raised concerns about their ability to continue...

Jack Dyson
Academies

Specialist MAT given notice to improve after seeking bailout

12-school trust said it had to ask for 'emergency' government cash after 'significant delays' to SEND and free school...

Jack Dyson
Academies

Officials kept mum about academy probe as merger decided

Revelation reopens debate around the transparency of important academy decisions

Jack Dyson

Your thoughts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *