Amethyst Trust: Directors Meeting Date of Meeting: Thursday 4th July 2019 Venue: Aldersley High School 1. Present Apologies Others in attendance Jim Inglis (Chair) Helen Bourton Laura Armato Bob Stephenson (Vice chair) Christine Thomas Lauren Jones (Clerk) Nicola Davis Nicola Bayliss Robert Grant Sue Reid Mick Marks 2. Declarations of interest Directors were advised that if a person has any interest in a contract, proposed contract or matter under consideration, s/he should disclose this fact and take no part in the consideration, discussion or vote in respect of the contract or matter and withdraw from the meeting. Directors were also reminded that care should be taken to ensure that they were aware of the agenda items of a confidential nature. In addition, they were advised to ensure that minutes of their meeting did not include information of a confidential nature as, once approved, they become public documents. 3. Minutes of previous meeting and matters arising. RESOLVED: That the minutes of the previous meeting, held on 22nd March 2018 shall be approved and signed as a correct record. Ref Item Discussion 4 Finance Update – presented by Laura Armato. 4.1 The trust board welcome Robert grant to the meeting as a new amethyst director. In a change to the agenda Laura Armato presented the financial report to the trust board. Laura explained that she had made assumptions for 3 years. The budget forecast return has been prepared based on the latest information available to the Amethyst Academies Trust. Inflation and payroll has been assumed at 2% from September for teachers and from April for other staff. Cost inflation has been assumed at 2% with additional costs included for energy. 4.2 Laura discussed current funding for the teachers’ pay Grant. She noted that funding beyond March 2020 has not been confirmed and therefore has not been included in future predictions. Laura explained that the employer contribution rate of the teacher's pension scheme (TPS) will increase from 16.48 % to 23.68% from September 2019. This is a 7.2% increase which naturally would drive schools into deficit positions without support from the government. 4.3 Academies will receive £114.08 per pupil funding rate for the academic year 2019/20, the Grant has been factored into both school plans at £134288 for Moreton school and £170660 at Aldersley High School. 1 4.4 Laura expressed satisfaction, in that pupil numbers are rising rapidly in both schools, and the trust is therefore likely to attract growth fund as a result of this, payable by the local authority. 4.5 In the long-term those funds need to sit a trust level, so that centralised services including marketing ICT and network manager positions are all paid from the centralised pot. This is known as top-slicing. Laura explain that post-16 funding moving forward will now sit within the Aldersley budget, as the Sixth Form Centre will be based on the Aldersley High School site. 4.6 The trust board stated that the trust appears to be in a strong financial position and given the current political landscape with many schools falling into deficit positions Mr Stephenson asked what the trust will be doing differently in order to secure and continue with its strong financial position? 4.7 Laura explain that the trust has been quick to cost out over-staffed departments and take a strategic approach to combat growing staffing costs. Trusts who have not done so are likely to have fallen into deficit positions and once a deficit is reached the effect can be cumulative year on a year. 4.8 There is a strong model of financial accountability within the trust governance system. Laura explained that the finance and general purposes committee that sits on a monthly basis ensures that monthly accounts are heavily scrutinised, and associated spending is in line with budgetary constraints. The board commended the work of Laura and her team, in light of evidence of clear strength in the reserve position at 0.69% approximately. Mr Mark asked at what a benchmark percentage would be, as recommended by the ESFA? Laura replied that the ESFA would be happy to see reserves at around 1% of the trust’s gross income. 4.9 Laura explains that she wouldn't want to report on large in year surplus’s as this may attract questions as to why money wasn't being spent on teaching and curriculum resources. Lara went on to explain that a balancing exercise was needed to be in constant review in order to demonstrate a healthy reserved for unseen and unaccounted costs (should they occur) whilst also using public funded money for the purpose in which it was acquired as per our funding agreement. Directors thanked Laura for her contribution. Laura left the meeting at 5:30 p.m. 5 School Report- Preparations for OFSTED Nicola Davies notes that next on the agenda is the school report for Moreton school with preparations for Ofsted inspection. It was agreed that as Nicola Bayliss had sent her apologies for this meeting this item would be deferred until the next meeting in October 2019. 6 Amethyst Academies Trust – Free School Proposal – Presented by Nicola Davis. Nicola Davies presented to the board plans to open a new free school in the Wolverhampton area. She stated that following her presentation it would be a matter for the Trust Board to consider whether they then felt there was a need in Wolverhampton for a new free school and whether they then considered it was a viable option for the Amethyst Academies Trust to continue to explore the option of a free school application at this present time. 6.1 Nicola Davis proposed that the free school would be opened in the centre of Wolverhampton City and would be called the Amethyst Central Academy (ACA). Nicola explained that the proposal for the ACA would be a coeducational non-denominational 8 form entry with a pan of 210. 2 6.2 Nicola Davis explains that Wolverhampton City Council have conducted an exercise which shows demonstratable need for a new school in the area. Their research has concluded that pupil numbers from nursery years through to 2023 and beyond are growing by 23%. Furthermore, there are growth plans within the city of Wolverhampton to invest money in regeneration in order to increase economic stability within the city. This is resulting in a further 8 large housing developments being built across the City. Nicola presented surplus data to the board. 6.3 This surplus data was based on the assumption that they UTC would increase its pan to 150 students taking them from Year 7 onwards. At present the UTC only offers Key Stage 4 education. Nicola notes that it is the Department of Education’s recommendation that each cohort carry a 2% surplus for new arrivals and migration of students in and out of the city; the data clearly notes and deficit of places from 2022 onwards. 6.4 Nicola presents that as well as a demonstratable basic need for a new school within the city, there is also a need to rise the academic profile of the city based on existing schools within a short radius of the newly proposed school. Nicola explained to the board that the thread throughout the free school application is based on the progress that can be made to disadvantaged students. The board are presented with headline data that shows progress 8 scores against others in the city. Jim Inglis asks if the UTC cohort numbers have now been agreed? Nicola confirm they have not yet been agreed 6.5 Nicola presented to the board that the proposed new site for the Amethyst Central Academy would be St George's parade in the city centre. This is known as the Old Sainsbury's site. Nicola explain the benefits of a city centre site would be that, having observed a map of schools in the Wolverhampton area- most schools currently situated around the perimeter of the city. This has a detrimental effect to most students who have to take two buses to get to their chosen School. Research has shown that students have to take one bus into the city to then catch a second bus back out to the perimeter schools. A Centrally placed Academy would mean that travel was easier for students and with a working college and university very close to the proposed free school this would make the strong working relationships with establishments and shared facilities. 6.6 Nicola explains to the board that the application is for an 11 through to 16 provision at present; there are no funding routes available for post-16 funding. Robert Grant asked what associated risks would need to be considered in opening city centre School. Nicola Davies explained that city centre associated risk had been given due consideration (example higher crime rates) however she was confident that the regeneration plan put forward by Wolverhampton City Council would have taken into her account some of the risks that could be identified with the location of the proposed School. Nicola feels that at the risk is greatly outweighed by the facilities /relationships that can be utilised in having a city centre school. 6.7 Nicola explained that the trust had applied for support via the new school network with the Trust’s free school application. Support from NSN has been successful obtained and the trust is therefore in the process of writing the wave 14 application which is then submitted to NSN in parts for scrutiny by their Free School experts.