academies | Schools Week

Vote Leave campaigner and Tory donor behind Parents and Teachers for Excellence campaign

One of the two directors behind the Parent and Teachers for Excellence (PTE) movement was a key figure in the official campaign for the UK to leave the EU, Schools Week can reveal. Jon Moynihan, a venture capitalist and chairman of the finance committee of Vote Leave, is listed alongside Dame Rachel de Souza, chief executive […]

Pro-academy campaign group launched by ‘superhead’ Rachel De Souza – but funders remain anonymous

A line-up of education reformers – including a former adviser to David Cameron – have joined forces to launch a new campaign aimed at mobilising parents to highlight the achievements of academies and free schools, but details of the group’s funders will not be released. Rachel De Souza, chief executive of Inspiration Trust, has founded the […]

Local council supports academy destroyed by fire

A local authority has taken responsibility for dealing with the aftermath of a fire, which destroyed part of an academy in its area, despite the school now being operated by an academy trust. Selsey academy in Sussex was victim to a major fire on Sunday which saw up to 100 firefighters tackle the blaze ahead […]

Struggling schools ordered to become academies still waiting for sponsors

Schools are still waiting to be appointed with a sponsor just weeks before they are due to convert into academies – sparking a warning over the lack of suitable sponsors with hundreds of coasting schools set to be revealed. Latest government figures, released last week, show that eight schools set to become sponsored academies in the next few […]

Can the council force an academy named on an EHCP to meet a pupil’s need?

Can a local authority enforce a school named on an Education, Health and Care Plan to meet a pupil’s need, if that school is within a multi-academy trust and schools in MATs have no legal status? Antony says: In answering this question, it is important to consider the key principles in respect of naming a placement, […]

Finances of collapsed academy chain Lilac Sky under scrutiny as founders eye new free school

The financial management of a collapsed academy chain is being scrutinised by the government after it stepped in to block the trust contracting a consultancy firm run by its founders – who are now eyeing setting up a new free school. Schools Week reported last week that nine schools belonging to Lilac Sky Schools Academy Trust […]

Academy trust expenses claims: The dos and don’ts

It was hard not to be shocked by the Dispatches/Observer investigation into academy trust expenses and perks. The Department for Education (DfE) states that academy trusts are independent charitable companies. They are also classified by the Office for National Statistics as central government public sector bodies. While academies are responsible for their own financial management, they […]

When setting up a multi academy trust, what appointments do you have to make?

If you are setting up a multi academy trust, what are the minimum number of executive appointments you need to make and what roles do they do? Jessica says: In answering this question, I have focused on the appointment of the board of trustees (also known as the directors) of the multi academy trust (MAT). […]

What are the big decisions Justine Greening must make as education secretary?

A new education secretary, Justine Greening, has been appointed. So, what now? Natalie Perera describes what awaits at the department for education. History suggests that a new Education Secretary will almost certainly want to make her mark on the Department, the sector, and the profession. Each has come with their own unique agenda for reform; […]