£23k theft of iPads noted in Northern Education Trust accounts

Updated April 19 - According to this news story from June 2014 - £23,000 of iPads were stolen from one Northern Education Trust school (Grangefield Academy in Stockton).

Just noticed on Page 27 of the Norther Education Trust's accounts - £23k of its fixed assets losses on "Theft of iPads"... although I have no idea what the context is.

Redundancy and central services charges from MATs in the North

Two redundancy related stories for MATs in the north of England - and an increase in central service charges from a MAT in the North East.

Sam Freedman - forming MATs key to dealing with era of austerity

In a blog for Faculty of Education at Canterbury Christ Church University, Sam Freedman - former Michael Gove adviser and now Director of Research, Evaluation and Impact at Teach First - said the main tools for schools in an era of austerity will be staff cuts and consolidation (or federation) through forming multi-academy trusts (MATs).

Two outstanding York primaries form MAT

From the York Press: 'From today Manor CE Academy and Poppleton Ousebank Primary School will form a multi-academy trust... will be called the Hope Learning Trust... As part of the process, Poppleton Ousebank became an academy.'

Ipswich Academy MAT-to-MAT handover questioned

The Ipswich Star explores whether the East London-based MAT Paradigm Trust is a sensible choice for taking over Ipswich Academy when it is based 75 miles away and has not run secondary schools before. It will take over from Learning Schools Trust.

Aldridge Foundation criticises free school programme

A report by Public Finance says Rod Aldridge, founder of Capita and the Aldridge Foundation which runs 11 schools, believes the free school programme poses threats to the academy programme.