Emerging governance models case study

North and Hinckley College Post 11 educational improvement through the formation of a Multi-Academy Trust

North Warwickshire & Hinckley College (the Catalyst / drivers for the emerging College) is a general further education college academy model incorporated in 1992 that straddles the West and East Midlands regions. The College offers National Challenge Trust School and an a wide curriculum (including higher education Academy and apprenticeships), with provision for 14-16 year olds, 16-19 year olds and adults. Following a request from the local authority, the College executive team approached the The College is a Department for Education Corporation with proposals to establish a (DfE) accredited sponsor of academies and National Challenge Trust school and to sponsor has established a multi-academy trust, The an academy with the aim of raising secondary Midland academies Trust (MAT), to oversee school student attainment rates. the running of three Academies which are based in the area. A studio school The Corporation considered the strategic value is currently being developed for opening in to the College as well as identifying potential September 2012, when it will become part of risks and determined to proceed with both MAT. A second stage application for a further projects. Benefits identified were: studio school has been submitted to the DfE and if approved, it will become part of MAT in • the embedding of College values in September 2014. secondary school provision, particularly in respect of raising local aspiration; A number of Corporation members and College senior post holders have director and / or • improving the attainment profile of governor roles in MAT’s governance structure students generally and particularly in (see overleaf). The Clerk to the Corporation relation to those entering the College; clerks across the Group.

Page 1 Emerging governance models case study April 2012 NWHC Accredited Sponsor

The Midland Academies MAT Members - the Corporation Trust 2011 (Company Limited by and 3 Corporation members Guarantee) (including the NWHC Principal) Directors - include 2 Corporation members and 3 Members NHWHC senior post-holders. The Chair is NWHC Principal Board of Director

Academy LGB Academy LGB Academy LGB Studio School Project LGB Management

Local Governing Bodies - LGB Chairs are Corporation members and College senior post-holders. Corporation members are also governors (total 5). LGBs are accountable to the Board which they advise.

Figure 1 - The Midland Academies Trust Model of Governance 2011

• strengthening College involvement in A multi-academy trust the delivery of secondary school provision; Resulting from an approach by the DfE to the College to invite • strengthening progression routes to the governing body to apply for academy status, College; the Corporation agreed to sponsor this further academy development, viewing it as a natural • potential cost savings through shared progression of the journey the College and services; School were taking together towards raising the attainment of students. • the sharing of good practice. Having made this decision, the Corporation Potential risks to the College related to devoted the majority of its Spring Conference reputational considerations, the capacity of to investigating the most appropriate model College staff to undertake the (considerable) for this development, taking into account development and implementation work and flexibility and long-term sustainability. Legal the hurdles in obtaining reimbursement from advice was sought as to the models which the DfE for the work undertaken. were available and which would fit with the College’s corporate strategy. Both projects were undertaken with the Corporation scrutinising activity, particularly Two key enablers arose from this discussion: in relation to the identified risks. Separate but similar governance models resulted from the • The establishment of a multi-academy establishment of the National Challenge Trust trust enabling the College to manage school and the academy. its responsibilities to both academies,

Page 2 Emerging governance models case study April 2012 NWHC Strong Educational Partner

The George Eliot School Members - the Corporation Trust 2009 GES Trust and 3 Corporation members (including the NWHC Principal) Governors - include 2 Company Limited by Guarantee Corporation members and 2 senior post-holders.

The Chair was the College Principal. Governing Body

Figure 2 - The George Eliot School Trust Model of Governance 2009-2011

NWHC Academy Sponsor

The Nuneaton Academy Members - the Corporation 2010 and 3 Corporation members (including the NWHC Principal) Governors - include 3 Company Limited by Guarantee Corporation members and senior post holder.

The Chair was the College Principal Governing Body

Figure 3 - The Nuneaton Academy Model of Governance 2010-2011

Page 3 Emerging governance models case study April 2012 significantly reducing the administrative the local and regional skills priorities identified burden of operating each academy through the College’s work with Local separately and facilitating progression Enterprise Partnerships and Local Strategic towards achieving benefits such as: Partnerships, as well as its analysis of labour market intelligence. • a governance model distinguishing clearly between Convertor Academy strategic direction and oversight and operational accountability; The College was then approached by a local school wishing to convert to an academy, but • the development of a shared which had been informed by the DfE that it services model, expert advice and would require a strong educational partner support functions; to do so. Following discussions between the Corporation and the school governing body, it • consistent and continuing was agreed that the College would be involved expert support for Principals and in the conversion as educational partner on their senior leadership teams; the condition that the school joined and became subject to, the multi-academy trust; • the development of capacity this condition was agreed and work overseen through joint practice by the College academy project manager development and the commenced. identification and exchange of best practice throughout the Development timeline group, on a governance, managerial and operational level; February 2008 Corporation agreement to explore the • the many and varied partnerships opportunities for founding academies in brokered by the College. Nuneaton with the College either as lead or partner-sponsor. • The development of project management capacity to enable the October 2008 College to use its own experience Proposal to the Corporation from the local in setting up the multi-academy trust authority to support a National Challenge and the new academy and for it to be Trust school and sponsor an academy. Proposal directly reimbursed by the DfE for this approved. resource. December 2008 Studio School Establishment of a Corporation Task and Finish Group overseeing governance issues arising The Corporation subsequently approved an from establishment of a Trust school. application to the DfE, as proposed by the Executive, to open a studio school. The key September 2009 drivers for this were the recognition of the Opening of The George Eliot School as a need to improve the employability of local National Challenge Trust school, with the young people and to engage employers in College as educational partner. new and revitalised ways. The specialism of the studio school was designed to respond to

Page 4 Emerging governance models case study April 2012 November 2009 September 2011 Establishment of a Task and Finish Group Establishment of The Midland Academies overseeing governance issues. Trust.

September 2010 Opening of The George Eliot School Academy Opening of The Nuneaton Academy sponsored sponsored by the College. by the College. Proposed date - April 2012 December 2010 Opening of Academy with the DfE approach to the College to invite The College as educational partner. George Eliot School Governing Body to apply for academy status with the College as Proposed date - September 2012 sponsor. Opening of The Midland Studio College sponsored by the College. February 2011 Agreement by Governing Body to convert Questions arising from the process the School to an academy. Approval by the and conclusions or decisions Corporation to sponsor the Academy. reached so far March 2011 Shortly after embarking on its involvement in Corporation Spring Conference with an post 11 provision, the Corporation questioned emphasis on academy model development. the ability of the College to manage future developments from existing resources and Establishment of a Task and Finish Group what the criteria should be for approving overseeing governance issues. further involvement in similar developments. As a response to these questions the Corporation, May 2011 supported by the Executive determined that Corporation approval of an application to the any further extension or development to its DfE to establish a studio college. partnership working should be governed by a number of strategic parameters, namely: Establishment of a Task and Finish Group to oversee governance issues. • the maintenance of the local College identity; Employment of a Project Manager to manage conversion and oversee future academy and • that projects must not impact studio school projects. negatively on key College objectives unless those impacts could be managed July 2011 with available resources; and Request from Hartshill School for support in academy conversion - approval from the • that the lead for any partnership Corporation. working project should come from the Corporation and College management. Establishment of a task and finish Group to oversee governance issues. Throughout the development of the academy model, these parameters have been applied to determine whether partnership opportunities should be pursued or not and as

Page 5 Emerging governance models case study April 2012 a consequence not all opportunities offered effectively in a number of roles have been taken up. and functions across the Corporation and multi-academy trust; With the passage of time and the stage of development of its ‘wider group’, the • challenges in transferring and Corporation, recognised a need to undertake embedding College values throughout a review as to the fitness of its governance the multi-academy trust. model and the ability of the Corporation to govern effectively and economically across the Conclusions consequently reached were that: group. • The existing governance model, This review was undertaken in the autumn of whilst effective in the establishment 2011, through a number of self evaluatory and of the multi-academy trust, did not review activities out of which the following respond appropriately to opportunities questions arose: provided by the wider group structure;

• How could the Corporation make an • Although there had been many impact across the wider group and opportunities to consult with should continue to be the ‘parent’ of stakeholders throughout the the wider group or become part of it? implementation processes (in line with DfE requirements) and this consultation • How should governance be modelled had been undertaken successfully, and discharged? there were concerns as to the Corporation’s legitimacy and its • what was the purpose/aim of accountability to the community in the governance within the wider group? further development of the academy model. • How could its impact be measured and evaluated? Next steps • How could College values permeate the As a result of this analysis the following actions wider group? were agreed: At the same time, the Corporation undertook • The development of an academy a further risk analysis in relation to its model of vision and strategy to ensure that the governance and identified: increasing number of academies could be accommodated and that the desired • the difficulties in managing risks to balance of accountabilities throughout the College’s reputation arising out of the Trust and by the Corporation could the increasing size of group; be maintained. The resulting vision and strategy clearly recognised the role • the potential for failing to achieve the of the College as sponsor in terms of the benefits of academy sponsorship, vision and values described and identified by the Corporation as a incorporated within the broad strategic precursor to becoming a sponsor; objectives, the benefits to the College and mitigating responses to College • capacity issues potentially affecting risks, as identified by the Corporation. the ability of members to perform

Page 6 Emerging governance models case study April 2012 • The commissioning of a full governance Impact experienced to date review by an external consultant to ensure that a governance model could The following impacts from the emerging be implemented supporting the academy model have been identified: Corporation’s compelling vision of: i improvement in academy success rates: • legitimate and visionary leadership; • The George Eliot School has demonstrated an increase of • clarity of governance and 43% to 93% in 5 GCSE A*-C in operational relationships; two years of sponsorship by the College, with a 17% increase • effective oversight; (from 23% to 40%) in 5 GCSE A*- C including Maths and • support structures for English. sustainability, responsive to current and future expansion • The Nuneaton Academy has into the community; demonstrated an increase of 34% to 77% in 5 GCSE A*-C in • the greatest possible economy. first year of sponsorship by the College with an 11% increase The review process would consist of two (from 30% to 41%) in GCSE A - C stages: including Maths and English.

• stage 1 to result in a report ii the work undertaken in setting up the setting out recommendations for studio school has resulted in a new future governance arrangements energy and dynamism in the College’s as regards the Corporation, engagement with local employers; multi-academy trust and sponsored academies and studio iii College partnership work which included schools; the academy model development has recently been recognised by Ofsted • stage 2 to consist of the as outstanding; implementation of the direction of travel established in Stage 1. iv the Corporation’s knowledge and understanding of post 11 educational • The immediate establishment of a risk provision has increased vastly. management framework by which corporation committees and task and Lessons learnt finish groups would actively manage and undertake mitigating actions for • The role of the Corporation supported identified risks. by the Executive, to provide strong leadership and strategic direction, • Consideration during the summer term was essential. The importance of the 2012 of the opportunities available role of governance was recognised with to amend the Instrument and Articles the active recruitment of new members of Government to deliver more effective with skills and experience specifically and economic governance. identified to ensure that the Corporation

Page 7 Emerging governance models case study April 2012 was able to respond appropriately • The role of the Clerk was pivotal from to new challenges. The Corporation and the from the beginning of the academy Executive also demonstrated a strong development process in terms of: belief in the College values and the need to embed them into the academy • supporting the Corporation model, particularly in relation to and Executive to understand, successful learner outcomes. identify and proactively respond to and solve governance issues • To undertake the role required of it in arising out of the development such a fast-changing and dynamic and set up of academies and the process over a considerable period of multi-academy trust; time, the Corporation’s model of governance had to be responsive, • working with the Corporation, flexible and proactive. The use of time the multi-academy trust board bound task and finish groups with of directors, local governing specific terms of reference, composed bodies and academy principals of members with specialist knowledge to build, shape and deliver and skills to scrutinise and monitor consistent, coherent and effective projects and identify and manage the governance for the governance issues arising from them, multi-academy trust and were viewed as essential to align to maintain linkages between it purpose and delivery and facilitate the and the Corporation as sponsor. ultimate smooth running and success of those projects.

For further information please contact:

Rachel Marshall Clerk to the Corporation

024 7624 3333 [email protected]

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