St. Mary’s Middle SchoolA Church of England Academy

Why Did We Convert?PragmatismCo-operative development across the three middle

schools in the Dorchester pyramidControl of our destinyReading ‘The Writing on the Wall’The glimpse of something great

Benefits of ConvertingA little more discretion over how to spend money

Yet 70% of schools converted for financial reasonsA little more freedom to run our schoolThe journey; in particular learning from the other

converting schoolsRelationship with LALinks with Salisbury DioceseSelf awareness (rather than the self confidence often

cited by converters)A vision of what might be

Did We Make the Right Decision?On balance ‘yes’No obvious changes to the school but

“governors expect all observed lessons to be good or outstanding”

More funds available for CPDSome capital work taken placeBetter self-awareness for governors and school

management teamBut…

What You need to KnowThe Little PictureThere is a lot of work involved in convertingYou need a good bureaucracy

you will need to comply with company law ability to define needs clearly to outsourced services control of the finances and cash flowetc.

You will need to support a struggling schoolThe DfE will not look favourably on schools of less than

300 students looking to convertThere are other short/medium term options

What You need to KnowThe Bigger PictureGovernment Policy

Local Government funding down 28% 2011-201510% reduction in 2015/16

DfE PolicyIncreasing the number of academies and free schools to

create a better and more diverse school systemA report last year found the academies programme to be

£1bn overspentAll political parties are committed to the academy

programme

Is There a Crisis for Our Schools?Can we learn from the Chinese?

我们的学校是有一个危机？

我们可以从中国学习？

Crisis危机

Danger Opportunity

我们所有的机会Opportunities for us all

Danger Opportunity

What Now for St. Mary’s?We want to

help students in our area get the best education possiblepreserve and enhance the very special role of

smaller/village schools facilitate the journey for rural schoolsmaintain very close links and share expertise with partner

schoolsensure that we all understand

what we have to do what we can choose to do what we are trying to achieve

Our OptionsMore flexible structures being considered by DfESingle School Multi Academy Trust (MAT)!Considering the implications

governance – MAT, existing schools, new academiesmanagementcapacitycapabilitylearning needs for governors and school managersif one school needs financial or other support the MAT is

responsible

I believe that when you strip away the politics , that most of us want one very simple thing

A better education for all our children

My final wish…

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to

change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference