FAQs

How a school is organised depends on the number of children admitted in each age group. Converting to academy status within the Hurst Education Trust will not be a reason for changing either class sizes or the mix of years. The leadership of the school retains the responsibility for allocating classes and structure the school in the best way it sees fit to do, as it does now.

One of the benefits we see in converting to academy status is the flexibility it offers in the way in which schools can deliver the curriculum. Whilst academies do not need to follow the national curriculum, most do. The Hurst Education Trust is committed to ensuring that every child achieves their potential, and we welcome the chance to tailor what we do to children’s needs, whilst ensuring that they continue to achieve well. Academies continue to be inspected by Ofsted and report outcomes in the same way as all other schools.

Conversion to academy status is currently permanent.

The Government has recently announced its vision for every school to be part of a family of schools in a strong multi academy trust. Governors are making this proposal because we think it is the right way forward for our school and that we will benefit from joining the Hurst Education Trust. Whilst it is not yet clear how other local schools will respond to the Government’s announcement, we want to be able to move forward in a way we have chosen, not to be constrained by choices others have made. We hope that parents will share this view – but we are committed to considering carefully all views that we receive as part of this consultation.

We think it is important to ensure that school term dates match those of local schools and will therefore continue with the same arrangements unless a school wishes to change. This avoids the situation where parents send their children to more than one local school with differing term-times.

All staff have the right to transfer to the Hurst Education Trust and to have their terms and conditions protected in that transfer. Conversion will not lead directly to any staff changes or changes to terms and conditions, pay and benefits.

Revenue funding for academies is calculated in exactly the same way as for maintained schools, based largely on pupil numbers. The Hurst Education Trust will make a charge (3% of core funding) to provide services for its schools, replacing services which schools currently purchase from the Local Authority and other providers. This saving is because the way in which Hurst Education Trust is structured allow the membership cost to be significantly lower than most Trusts (usually between 5% and 7% for primary academies).

All other funds remain in school and each school has autonomy in deciding how the budget allocated is spent, though the Trust will act as a critical friend, exploring options with the school. As a small Trust, the Hurst Education Trust are also able to bid for capital funding on behalf of its schools if needed.

We do not expect children to notice any practical differences whilst in school during the conversion process, or once the school has converted.

After conversion, there will be an increased use of the Hurstpierpoint College facilities and children will occasionally see Hurst colleagues in school working in partnership with leaders. There may be some shared activity – including, for example, sport and arts - with children from other schools within the Trust. Otherwise the changes are behind the scenes, with opportunities for staff to share and enhance good practice with other schools in the Trust and the College.

The Trust expects all schools to have a local governing body (LGB) and that this is made up of a mixture of people from different backgrounds. It will continue to have staff, parent and Church members (the latter where applicable).

The Trust have no plans to alter the composition of any governing body.

The Trust is committed to creating a model for schools local to the College, broadly within a 20-minute/mile radius. This will, naturally, limit the number of schools that will join the Trust. The proposed geographical area is not only for practical purposes (including the ability to transport pupils to the Hurst College campus) but is also intended to ensure that the Trust retains a family feel in its work with schools.

It is important that future schools joining the partnership share its vision and values that all children should achieve their full potential. This will continue to be achieved through high quality teaching and by delivering a broad and balanced curriculum. The shared vision is in line with the Church of England’s vision for education.

The Trust’s articles of association establish it as a charity with a focus on providing education. It is established in partnership with the Diocese of Chichester, and therefore shares their principles in the provision of education and support for the communities it serves. The Diocese of Chichester is the majority partner in the Education Trust and any substantial changes will require consent of the Diocese.

Its Trustees, who are experienced education professionals and business leaders, sustain those principles and provide robust challenge to the leaders. The Trust is also held to account by the Government, through the Department of Education and the Regional Schools Commissioner – focused on ensuring that it continues to make high quality provision for children.