Half of schools in MATs saw better 'overall effectiveness'

Research by education technology provider, The Access Group has found that more than half of institutions moving into multi-academy trusts saw an improvement in their overall effectiveness. The analysis was of Ofsted rated performance of almost 1,700 schools and academies.

Schools improving their overall effectiveness following MAT integration also see the greatest rise in ‘effectiveness of leadership and management’ with an average improvement of 16%. More than half (55.5%) also saw an increase in “Outcomes for Pupils”.

But the shift can be risky, with a poorly managed takeover resulting in an average drop of 12.9% in ‘overall effectiveness’.

The survey also found that many education leaders believe the ideal size of a MAT is between 12 and 20 academies and education experts at The Access Group expect further academisation as trusts move towards this number.

The research marks the release of a new report which reveals a range of benefits for schools and academies operating as part of a multi-academy trust (MAT).

‘The Resource: A guide to expanding Multi-Academy Trusts for HR and Finance professionals’ has shown that being part of a growing MAT could put single academies and maintained schools on a stronger financial footing that supports pupil attainment.

Discussing the research, Jane Gibson, an education sector expert at The Access Group, said:

“MAT membership isn’t right for every institution. We have seen a drop in effectiveness scores for many following integration so it’s a decision that must be weighed up by each individual school or academy.

“Our research leads me to believe that MAT growth will continue in the coming years. Being part of a trust can enable schools and academies to access shared resources and economies of scale and given the stretched budgets many schools are facing, this can provide a significant commercial advantage.

“Department for Education figures show that academies have incurred a deficit of more than £6 billion and the pressure for them to continue to make financial savings will intensify further. A central support team, connected by a shared platform allows MATs to reduce the number of duplicated tasks and time-consuming admin, as well as providing the high-quality data school leaders need to drive decision-making.

To download The Resource, go to: www.theaccessgroup.com/theresource. For more information about The Access Group, click here