Agenda item

To receive an update on the Academies Programme and an overview of the employment implications of a school converting to academy status.

The Committee received a report providing an overview of the employment implications of a school converting to academy status.

The report included an overview of the development of academies, an outline of the freedoms available to academy schools and an overview of the process that schools had to go through if they wished to become academies.

To date, only one school in Bracknell Forest, Ranelagh School, had made the decision to become an academy. Although the number of staff who had become involved in consultations about the transfer had been limited a number of discussions about the proposed changes had taken place at internal staff meetings.  Throughout the consultation process there had been positive interaction and dialogue with the trade unions

The Committee was informed that staff would not be given new contracts however they would be sent TUPE letters transferring their current terms and conditions to their new employers.   It was stressed that TUPE was only valid for the moment of transfer and the School could change staff terms and conditions the next day if it wished however, any changes could only be implemented if there were clear and substantive reasons for doing so and after a set process had been followed.  Post transfer the School would still be bound by the Teachers Pay and Conditions document when dealing with current staff and staff would continue to be members of the Teachers Pension Scheme

One of the more complex elements of the consultation had related to the flexible benefits package that staff had been offered through Bracknell Forest Council.  Following the transfer staff would no longer be eligible to buy into the scheme however the School had taken the decision to buy into the same scheme used by the Council to enable staff to make continued use of some benefits for example childcare vouchers and the Bike to Work Scheme.     

Ranelagh’s Head Teacher had made it clear that she wanted the close working relationship that currently existed between the School and the local authority to continue.  The School had also indicated that they intended, in the short-term, to continue to sustain purchase levels of local authority services as at 2010/11.

The full financial impact on the Council was not yet know however Ranelagh’s transfer was not expected to have a significant financial impact on the Council at the current time. 

Discussions were taking place at a number of the borough’s schools over the possibility of becoming academies however no decisions had yet been taken

The Committee expressed the view that rather than being reactive to events it would be more productive for the Council to take a strategic approach to academies and the services that the local authority might offer those schools that adopted Academy Status.  It was acknowledged that there was not currently a strategy setting out the Council’s approach to Academies in place however the Children, Young People and Learning Departmental Management Team were currently discussing the approaches that might be adopted.

The Committee noted the report.