Opinion: Solutions

How trusts can operate at scale over distance

An increase in multi-academy trusts spanning multiple regions means we need to develop new ways to deliver school improvement, write Astrea’s regional directors

An increase in multi-academy trusts spanning multiple regions means we need to develop new ways to deliver school improvement, write Astrea’s regional directors

21 Mar 2023, 5:00

Since 2018, there has been a rise in the number of national multi-academy trusts operating in two or more regions. For these, distance – both physical and cultural – can be one of the biggest challenges, especially when many are focused on continuing to make transformational improvements.

Astrea Academy Trust is in this exact position. The trust has 26 schools in two regions, 21 in South Yorkshire and five in Cambridgeshire. The majority of our secondary students are in Cambridgeshire, and total one-third of all Astrea students.

Overcoming the operational challenges that geography presents is key to being able to implement an overarching and consistent improvement strategy across every school. At Astrea, the following has enabled us to work successfully as one strong team across two regions.  

Recruit to your vision and values

The vision and values of a trust should underline every decision, and this is especially true when schools and colleagues are located miles apart. Therefore, the very basis of a strong and aligned team which works across regions goes back to recruiting the right people to drive forward your strategic goals.

Leaders who support and complement your fundamental vision and will live out shared values every day are essential to delivering rapid improvements consistently across different areas.

Our team, no matter where we live, no matter which schools we work with, are on the same page on every decision, on every direction we take, because we work to our shared values.

But we acknowledge there are difficulties in aligning this while changing and improving. Where we don’t get it right, we reflect together and keep communicating, deepening our collaboration as we overcome challenges.

Be clear on what brilliant looks like

Aligning leaders towards the same ambition through promoting standards is key to achieving the academic outcomes that all young people deserve. Especially when we know that schools are more alike than different, no matter where they are.

For every strand of our improvement strategy, trust leaders work together to develop clear frameworks which exemplify to our school leaders what a brilliant education looks like, such as our ‘behaviour and culture framework’, introduced this academic year across all our secondary schools.

These are informed by the best academic and organisational thinking. Promoting standards in this way allows us to collectively live by the same models across both regions, across all aspects of school improvement, as one team. The frameworks are easily digested and give us the ability to advance the expertise of our senior leaders, freeing up their time, talent, and energy.

Focus time together strategically 

Time is our biggest resource, and we don’t waste it on travel unnecessarily. When coming together in person to learn and share best practice, it’s best to have a long-term strategy in place to focus that time on high-quality professional development, for example.

This academic year, we have come together to visit a range of high-performing schools outside Astrea as we seek out and learn from the best.

Share accountability

When working physically apart, it’s important for trust leaders to share accountability for the overall success of the schools they support. That’s how schools and the trust become one and the same, allowing them to use their collective might to make rapid and sustained improvements.  

Ensuring there are regular opportunities for collaboration on essential streams of work is an effective way to share accountability, while sharing best practice. Our leaders spanning both regions work together to research and create our frameworks, which form the basis of our standards for every school.

As regional directors we share that accountability for all our secondary schools. We offer hands-on, pragmatic and daily support, linking the two regions and ensuring the same messages and effective best practices are shared across every school. We are fully aligned, and in constant communication with our principals. This is key to ensuring a consistent approach to all schools no matter which area they serve.

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