The schools white paper, 'Opportunity for all: strong schools with great teachers for your child', sets a target for all schools to be in strong multi-academy trusts (MATs), or have plans to join or form one, by 2030
Other policies include
- the DfE will expect most trusts to work towards serving at least 10 schools or 7500 pupils
- the proportion of schools a trust can run in a particular area will be capped, though no cap will be imposed on trust size overall
- a review in May will consider new intervention powers over academy trusts if they fail to meet new statutory standards for being strong MATs
- clearer expectations for trusts over providing high-quality, inclusive education, school improvement, financial management, parental engagement and workforce deployment, training and retention
- trusts facing new statutory duties to work collaboratively with other trusts, councils and public bodies, and follow the admission code
- top-slicing faces new 'transparency measures'
- in exceptional circumstances, good schools may be able to request moving trust
- £86m over three years for trust capacity funding, with additional financial support for dioceses
- a new CEO development scheme open to executive heads and senior trust staff
- a consultation to move schools with two consecutive Ofsted judgements below good into strong trusts
- a consultation proposes new powers to force 'coasting' maintained schools and academies (those with two consecutive Ofsted ratings below good) to convert or change trusts
- regional schools commissioners to become regional directors
- the DfE will consider bids for high-quality standalone free schools, but avoid converting schools as standalone academies
- a £40m fund is promised for 24 priority areas among the 55 'education investment areas' to address particular needs, such as literacy, numeracy or absence. These areas will also be targeted for establishing new academically-focused 16-19 free schools
- legislation will protect faith schools' statutory freedoms and protections on conversion
- a pledge to ensure that selective schools are secure in MATs
- the government will discuss plans for all trusts to have local governance arrangements for their schools
