St Oscar Romero Catholic Academy Trust

A Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) is a group of academy schools overseen by a charitable trust, and governed by a board of Directors. Rather than being financed by the Local Authority, a MAT is directly funded by, and accountable to, the Department for Education. While the schools that make up the Trust are still firmly part of their community, the Trust is there to support the schools and help them work together for the benefit of all children.

Improved learning outcomes are behind everything we do. The MAT provides collaboration opportunities for pupils and staff and can provide challenge and support.

We have to be mindful of both national and local issues that affect the education of our pupils. We are a single school and recognise that strength can comes in numbers and being part of a strong MAT provides security for the future direction of the school.

Everything about our school will stay the same in this respect. We are just becoming part of a larger organisation. On a day-to-day basis there will be no noticeable change for our pupils.

No. Our staff will continue to work at this school. The staff’s current terms and conditions of employment will be honoured and mirrored in the new arrangement.

All teaching staff of the Trust are required to be qualified.

There will be cosmetic changes to signage and headed paper as our legal status needs to be reflected accordingly.

A contribution will be paid by the school to the MAT to provide the central services function. The rate is 3.5% in the first year followed by 5% per annum in subsequent years.

This comes directly to the school as normal.

No. A business makes profit for its shareholders. An academy is a charitable trust which cannot make profit.

No. The funding agreement states that the school must ensure that it remains at the heart of the local community.

Yes. We currently buy in services from the local authority. Assuming that these provide high quality provision for our pupils and offer value for money then we would continue to do so.

The same governors would continue in post and form the Local Governing Committee of the school. There is a document called the Scheme of Delegation which explains what responsibilities the Local Governing Committee and the Trust Board have. A copy of this document can be located on the Trust website OscarRomero.co.uk

It will be assigned to the Trust on a 125-year lease.

Yes. The Trust recognises the role of trade unions and sees positive engagement as critical to the transition process and ongoing success of the MAT. They will play an important role in the consultation process on TUPE for staff.

Yes.

Please visit their website OscarRomero.co.uk which has a wealth of information.

Please refer to the consultation letter for details of how to submit additional questions during the consultation period.