Kempston Education Trust

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Kempston Education Trust

• Mike Short
• Head of Robert Bruce
• Ken Deveson
• Chair of Governors Daubeney

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Kempston-C19th New Town
Population 20,000 (Bedford 80,000), (Bedford
Borough 155,000) High owner occupancy, low social
housing 30 fewer have graduate level education
than the regional average 25 are 15 years of age
and below 20 are non-WBRI Pupils - 30 do not
have English as home language Average child
deprivation for England and Wales but pockets of
severe deprivation overcrowding 6 x regional
average.
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Kempston Schools(Continually threatened with
reorganisation)
1 Upper School Y9 Y13 2 Middle Schools
Y5 Y8 5 Lower Schools Y1 Y4 3
Specialist Schools The Grange Moderate
learning Difficulties and Autism St Johns
Severe Learning Difficulties age 2 to
19 Ridgeway Physical Disabilities age 3 to
19. The Greys Education Centre A Pupil
Referral Unit which supports the education of
Bedfordshire pupils who are out of school.
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Why
Kempston schools have collaborated to make sure
that local pupils get the widest possible
educational opportunities. But school to school
arrangements have often broken down when key
members of staff or Local Authority policy
change. Historically, resources have been
siphoned off to support other LA projects.
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The Partners
Daubeney Middle School The Grange Specialist
School Hastingsbury Business and Enterprise
College Robert Bruce Middle School Bedford
College Bedfordshire Primary Care Trust
Bedfordshire University The Bedford Charity, The
Harpur Trust Bedfordshire Luton Fire and Rescue
Service
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Our Aim
To offer a first class integrated educational
experience for all children and young people
living in Kempston aged 0 19.
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Objectives

• Create programmes of study and standardised
  assessment points that are common to all schools.
  
• Guarantee admission for all pupils within the
  partnership aged 4 -19 years.
• Co-ordinate efforts to widen participation in
  learning, to increase attainment and to improve
  standards.
• Explore working arrangements that share staffing
  and resources.
• Capture the varied strengths of a range of local
  partners to co-ordinate action in pursuit of
  shared objectives.
• Increase access to governors with a range of
  skills and experience.
• Focus on improving extended services throughout
  Kempston and developing our schools to become
  community resources.

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Trust Board and School Governing Bodies
Individual School Governing Body The Trust Board
nominates a maximum of 45 of Governors to each
Schools Governing Body.
Trust Board 4 Chairs of Governors 4
Headteachers 5 Trust Partners
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Organisation
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Employees across the Trust
Costs shared by hours in individual schools
Schools Counsellor - support to selected
pupils Cost shared by pupil numbers Inclusion
Manager Clerk to KET Trust Co-ordinator and
Company Secretary Next KS 3 Co-ordinator Shared
specialist and shortage subject staff.
Levy In order to initially fund the Trust Clerk
and Co-ordinator a levy of 30k was agreed for FY
09 -10, divided between the 4 schools by their
pupil numbers.
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Efficiency without loss of Identity
Cost Effectiveness - Through harmonisation of
services - matrix of current service
contracts. Efficiency small schools not last in
the queue significant contract size across 4
schools.

• Fund Raising -
• Trust and Foundation Schools only funds
• local businesses (more likely to give support
  across Kempston)
• sale of assets.

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Dealing with Change
DCSF Building Schools for the Future Catalyst
for Change KET is providing planning for BSF
across Middle and Upper Schools. LA will not
allow Middle Schools to engage on BSF planning.
Bedfordshire / Bedford Borough constantly
reviewing 3 Tier If change to 2 Tier is
forced established cooperation between the
schools will be the best chance that pupils
attainment can be protected recruitment of staff
into the Trust will maintain stability during the
change Trust has limited powers over disposal of
school sites transfer of pupils will already be
an established KET practice.
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Problems
We formed in a hurry (January to July) - only
having 4 schools and 4 partners made it
possible. Local Authority was not supportive
until pushed. Someone did not recommend us as a
viable trust to DCSF - delayed start-up
funding. Concentration on meeting the procedural
deadlines left little time for future
planning. Changing service contracts takes 6
months planning. Small trust with limited
resources need to add capacity to the schools,
particularly for fund raising finance and
service changes need to be driven. MIND SET
Local Authority - no longer the employer or the
owner of the land. School administration the
Governors and the Board have the authority and
responsibility, no longer the LA.
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GAINS

• Confidence and freedom to act in the best
  interests of our current and future pupils.
• Skills from the partners Harpur Trust has 3
  centuries of experience in running and
  administering several schools.
• University of Bedford students train across all
  phases.
• Primary Care Trust School obesity programme.
• Sharing programmes and facilities between Schools
  openly offered and now on a stable basis.
• Gifted and Talented programme across phases and
  schools.
• Music.
• Sport.
• Support from SSAT and in particular Mary Neate of
  the Trust and Foundation Schools Partnership.