Wednesday 19 November 2014

Ex EFA man takes on monitoring role at Education Fellowship Trust

Education Fellowship Trust has employed Steve Artis: 'Mr Artis joins the trust with more than 25 years’ experience working within various disciplines of a public sector audit function. He spent the past three-and-a-half years working for the Education Funding Agency at the Department for Education where he undertook the lead role reviewing financial management and governance arrangements within academies...'

From the Northants Telegraph: http://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/news/top-stories/new-monitoring-officer-for-trust-behind-nine-county-schools-1-6404633

Friday 7 November 2014

Three Barrow primaries aim to form MAT to 'avoid topslice'

From North West Evening Mail: 'Greengate Infant, Nursery and Pre-school, Victoria Junior School and Yarlside Nursery and Primary School in Barrow have registered their interest with the Department for Education with a view to changing their status.'

Heads' pay debated

From the Times: 'School governors need to think very carefully before approving substantial salaries for head teachers, Nicky Morgan told MPs yesterday...“some very big numbers out there”.

PISA results undermine profit motive in schools

From TES: 'the government (of Sweden) intends to bring in legislation by 2016 that would force private companies to reinvest all profits back into their schools.

MAT approved to sponsor failing school hit with 'requires improvement'

Two months after taking on a failing primary school The Growth in Learning Trust - which runs Hareclive and no other schools and had received a ‘good’ rating in its previous inspection in 2010 -was given 'requires improvement' grading by Ofsted - from the Bristol Post.

Sunday 2 November 2014

Silver Birch MAT investigated over office expenses

The head of a MAT running two primary schools in East London spent £26k on office furniture prompting whistleblowers to call in the EFA which carried out an investigation according to the Daily Mail (19 Oct) - DfE investigation report from April 2014 said: 'The investigation has not identified fraudulent action by the Trust but has identified concerns in relation to poor procurement practice...'