Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to introduce guidance to link the salaries of CEO's of multi-academy trusts to the performance of schools within that trust.
Answered by Edward Timpson
As our White Paper, Educational Excellence Everywhere, sets out, we will publish some ‘design principles’ outlining how successful multi-academy trusts (MATs) have been established and grown, as well as the basis on which Regional Schools Commissioners will approve new MATs. The White Paper also sets out our intention to launch new accountability measures for MATs and publish new performance tables to show how well MATs are leading their schools, in addition to individual school-level inspection results and performance data.
Academy trusts are free to run their organisations as they see fit to improve educational outcomes. Securing good leadership is central to this and it is for academy trusts to decide how to employ and reward staff. Academy trusts operate under a robust accountability system which holds them to account for the results they achieve and their use of resources. This includes a requirement to publish audited accounts each year with details of the salaries of school leaders, allowing the wider public the chance to hold academy trusts to account to help ensure that funds are spent on improving pupil outcomes.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what requirements are placed on the building of new academies to demonstrate (a) local need and (b) parental demand.
Answered by Edward Timpson
When applying to set up a new mainstream or 16-19 free school, applicants must demonstrate that there is a need for the school. They could do this by showing that there is either a projected shortage of school places in the relevant phase in the area where the school is proposed; a need for more high quality school places; or a need for greater local choice and diversity.
Applicants applying to set up special or alternative provision free schools must demonstrate that they have a commitment from commissioners that they will purchase places at the free school.
In relation to demand, all applicants must demonstrate that the proposed school will be popular and fill to capacity. To do this, applicants must provide evidence that they have effectively marketed the school to a cross-section of the local community and parents.
The department publishes guidance for applicants on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/opening-a-free-school
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her Department's policy is on where a school's deficit would be transferred at the point of its conversion to an academy.
Answered by Edward Timpson
Deficits for schools which convert to become sponsored academies remain with the local authority. These deficits remain with their local authority as these schools were the responsibility of the authority when they were found to be failing or underperforming and it is the authority’s responsibility for ensuring the school managed its expenditure satisfactorily. Deficits for voluntary converter academies will normally transfer with the school.
Further information can be found in the Department’s guidance: “Treatment of surplus and deficit balances when maintained schools become academies” which can be found on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/416430/School_balances_on_conversion_submission.pdf
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether virtual schools for children in care can apply for her Department's summer school funding.
Answered by David Laws
The pupil premium: summer schools programme is open to the following type of schools:
Virtual schools, which are a way of local authorities tracking the educational progress of the children they look after as if they attended a single school, are not eligible to apply for summer school funding.
Looked-after children can benefit from summer school funding through the school they will attend in Year 7. The exact make-up of the summer school is decided by individual headteachers. They can, for example, tailor aspects of their summer school programme to meet the specific needs of their looked-after children.
The purpose of the summer schools programme is to support disadvantaged pupils through the potentially difficult institutional transition to secondary school; this specific transitional issue does not arise in a virtual school. Support at this crucial stage is best provided by the school where the pupil is expected to attend in Year 7.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether virtual schools for children in care can apply for her Department's summer school funding.
Answered by David Laws
The pupil premium: summer schools programme is open to the following type of schools:
Virtual schools, which are a way of local authorities tracking the educational progress of the children they look after as if they attended a single school, are not eligible to apply for summer school funding.
Looked-after children can benefit from summer school funding through the school they will attend in Year 7. The exact make-up of the summer school is decided by individual headteachers. They can, for example, tailor aspects of their summer school programme to meet the specific needs of their looked-after children.
The purpose of the summer schools programme is to support disadvantaged pupils through the potentially difficult institutional transition to secondary school; this specific transitional issue does not arise in a virtual school. Support at this crucial stage is best provided by the school where the pupil is expected to attend in Year 7.