The document discusses key considerations for schools forming or joining a multi-academy trust (MAT), including determining their purpose and goals for the MAT, potential issues around HR policies, land ownership, financial regulations, and the impact on daily operations during the conversion process. It prompts schools to reflect on what they want to achieve through the MAT, what they can offer other schools, and what autonomy they are willing to relinquish to be part of the MAT.

1. Cluster Bombs of Distraction
& Irrelevance

2. What’s Your Why?
• What do you want to achieve
if forming or joining a MAT?
• What can you offer to other
schools within the MAT?
• What would you be willing to
give up to be in the MAT?
• What pain will you take for
others?
• MATs are all different –
function (what do you intend
to achieve) then form

3. Issues to Ponder
• MAT as the Single Source Employer
– HR Policies, Pay, Terms & Conditions, LGPS Pensions
• Land Issues
– Unregistered Diocesan Land, LG to CG land transfer
• Finance Under Company Law
– Consolidated accounts, Finance Regulations
• Due Diligence – cuts both ways and doesn’t matter
– Standards, budgets, contracts
• Impact on the day job
– Time given to the conversion process
– New relationships and structures

4. Executive Director

5. The Shift
Swap Individual Autonomy
for Shared Autonomy &
Greater Professional Capital?