I hope everyone had a great half term holiday. It was lovely to see our Spring Brook children joining in at Hollinwood Academy. Can I thank the staff who worked the scheme and who gave our children such wonderful experiences.

I spent some time during half term with the Department for Education discussing the merits and challenges relating to multi academy trusts and academy status in general. Clearly our Group has benefitted massively from the extended opportunities that being an academy brings. It has allowed our staff to spend time with different children and young people, it has ensured a wider team of people can manage many of our ‘in house’ services, it has meant that our classroom staff are able to develop our curriculum frameworks. Most importantly, it has given like-minded schools the confidence to be innovative and explore exciting opportunities for our children and young people. It would appear that as school budgets become even tighter in the very near future, schools will need to co-operate practically to ensure financial viability and sustainability.

This week we embark on our trustee and local governor monitoring boards. Key colleagues from all our schools report to these boards so that the trustees and governors can be assured that each school is functioning well. The boards also ensure that where we have areas of challenge, a plan is put into place and evaluative timelines are agreed. Our boards presently cover standards, safeguarding, business and personnel.

This is a short blog this week, sorry – it’s been quite a busy few days. Next week I’ll give you an update on the numbers in all our schools as we will have a clearer view from the local authority as to the children who will be coming to our schools.

Have a good weekend,

Graham