Leigh Academies Trust to take over (merge) the Brook Learning Trust

In 2018 Leigh Academies Trust merged with (took over) the failed Williamson Trust in Medway, all traces of which now appear to have vanished. At that point, it comprised the prestigious Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School, the struggling all through Hundred of Hoo Academy and three primary schools, having had the failed Elaine Primary taken from it. I anticipate a similar fate will await the Brook Trust which will itself soon be forgotten, assuming this takeover happens.  

 Notes: Most schools named also have 'Academy' or 'Primary Academy',  with some occasional 'School' as the finish to their title apart from Leigh UTC and Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School, colloquially known as 'the Math'. 

*1 Transferred from Academies Enterprise Trust

* 2 Joined from being a Single Academy Trust  

* 3 Transferred from The Williamson Trust

* 4 Transferring from Brook Learning Trust if approved

Abbreviations: K=Kent; M=Medway; B = Bexley; G=Greenwich; Con = conversion from maintained school; Tr =Transfer or Re-Broker form another Trust 

A number of links to articles on the website are included in the table, but many others will follow from an entry in my search engine (above). 

 In my previous article I wrote about the financial difficulties of the Trust, honestly reported in its Annual Report, brought about by falling rolls in all three schools. The 2019-20 Report notes: As a Trust operating three non-selective schools in a highly selective system, pupil numbers can be volatile and subject to risk, particularly when neighbouring schools exercise their freedom to increase their intake in response to parental demand. All three Academies face challenges in this area, but most acutely at the  High  Weald Academy which has experienced falling rolls in recent years, posing a challenge in terms of setting a balanced budget. The Trust has worked closely with the ESFA and the Kent School Funding Forum, securing additional funds to balance the budget in 2020/21. The Trust continues to work closely with the DfE and the ESFA  to ensure the long term viability of its academies.

To be precise, the problem is the complete failure of all three schools to attract pupils, as evidenced not only by the high vacancy rates, but by the high number of LAAs in each school, showing that they are all having to take in high numbers of pupils who simply don’t want to be there. This is not a function of the selective system as claimed. High Weald Academy is now dependent on additional subsidies from government and Kent County Council (at the expense of county maintained schools) to survive, although academies are supposed to be self-sufficient across the Trusts.

In spite of its poor performance of its three schools, the 2019-20 accounts record that three employees of the Trust were paid an annual salary of £100,000 to £120,000 during the year.

An observation: Whilst Hayesbrook is a boys' school with a somewhat macho reputation, the other two academies are mixed. It is therefore surprising that in the five picture strips heading the sections of the Trust website, 33 boys are to be seen, as against just six girls. On another page, the strip still features the notorious previous Principal of Ebbsfleet Academy, who left nearly two years ago. 

Senior staff turnover continues at a rate, the Executive Principal appointed two years ago has moved on, Assistant Principals come and go, five heads in seven years - the latest taking up a new post elsewhere in September, the Trust Head of Education two years ago, then became Interim CEO and is now Interim Executive Head of High Weald.

Whilst not directly relevant, the 2019-20 accounts confirm that the PFI loan taken out to build Ebbsfleet Academy, is fully funded by KCC.