School structures: our position | National Governance Association

NGA is proud to have a diverse membership of multi academy trusts and local authority maintained schools, and we do not believe that any single school structure is a silver bullet for success. As such, we are clear that the governing boards of successful trusts and standalone schools should maintain the right to take the key strategic decisions about their school or group’s future. Boards best understand their organisation and community, so are best placed to make these crucial choices.

NGA does, however, recognise the inefficiencies of the current “mixed economy” system, which can lead to duplication and wasted resources. We therefore welcome pragmatic measures to deliver greater alignment in expectations between the trust and maintained model, such as recent steps on curriculum, pay and qualified teacher status, whilst ensuring the freedom to innovate remains.

NGA strongly encourages collaboration between schools. Working together can lead to range a benefits – from economies of scale to staff development – which are deepened and multiplied by further integration. We have documented this in both MAT and non-MAT models, and support steps to encourage schools to form groupings while ensuring they remain connected to the communities they serve.