Background information
The government is encouraging diversity in schools by supporting
them to work in partnership with other organisations for the
benefit of your children. These 'partners' can play an exciting
role in the success of a school.
Partners can include:
- Businesses
- Universities
- Community groups
- Educational charities
- Higher education institutions
- Further education colleges
To support this idea schools are being asked to consider a
change to their status to become a trust school or a foundation
school. By becoming a trust school they can formalise the
partnerships they are involved in. This means they set up a
charitable foundation (or trust) to support the school.
A 'trust' school is a foundation school with a charitable
foundation.
A 'trust' must have 'educational aims'.
To acquire trust status:
- Existing foundation schools can set up a charitable trust
- Community schools can take on foundation status and set up a
trust within a single process
Schools can set up a trust in a collaborative group in which a
number of schools acquire foundation status and adopt the same
trust. The aim of trust schools is to use the experience, energy
and expertise from other schools, partners and professions as a
lever to raise standards for your children.
All schools must consult with parents of children in the school
about a change of status.
Trust or foundation schools remain a local authority maintained
school.