Academies
Being part of something bigger The debate around academies tends to focus on the potential shortcomings without always considering some of the benefits. Liz Anderson, chief executive officer of the Djanogly Learning Trust, shares her experience of the advantages to being part of a multi academy trust
Culture We believe that every child has a right to an education that gives them the best opportunity to succeed. We have a shared ethos to be innovative in order to improve, to develop resilience in order to face challenges, and to strive for excellence in everything we do. We strive to foster a culture where all staff feel valued and believe in what we are doing and why. At our Trust, which sponsors seven schools in the East Midlands,
it really does matters that all of our staff at each of our academies possess a sense of pride and belonging and that they see themselves as a part of the whole. This also creates genuine and committed collaboration between academies and fosters a shared sense of accountability – Djanogly children are Djanogly children whichever academy they attend. Yet within that, each academy has a responsibility to be at the heart of the community they serve and to adapt what they do to overcome contextual barriers and engage their individual communities. It is not a top down and one size fits all approach. We are proud that our schools can and do keep their individual identities within our multi academy trust.
Academies can look at what others are doing, take it away and personalise it to their needs. There are also opportunities for staff at all levels in all roles to visit other academies in the Trust. We also collaborate with other trusts and schools to share ideas and practice that works.
Professional development To be a successful teacher you have to start by making sure the children feel safe in your care. If they feel safe, they will be happy. If they are happy, they will learn. As a leader, you have to make your staff feel safe and secure so that they open themselves up to develop as a professional and feel safe to be innovative and take risks to meet children’s needs. As a Trust Sharing good practice you have a wider network to ensure that All our academies have a shared sense all staff feel safe and secure, and that they of purpose and are open minded to the have opportunities to move forwards in sharing of good practice. At our monthly their professional practice and careers. heads meeting, for example, all the heads Shared resources means that we can share a success that they are proud invest more time and money into of and a current challenge. professional development Other heads always offer for staff in all roles at all We support and most of the levels. Our professional are pro time the solution is in networks across the u d that ou the room – taking a Trust give everyone a can and r schools model that works rather shared commitment d o than re-inventing the and a real reason k eep their in wheel from scratch. to collaborate. E div
id identiti es with ual in multi a cademyour trust
Written by Liz Anderson, chief executive officer, Djanogly Learning Trust
Academisation and the growth of multi academy trusts are contentious issues in the education sector. Critics argue that the process is driven by the political agenda instead of what is best for pupils, staff, parents and carers and local communities. Whilst there are some legitimate concerns, the public debate tends to focus on the potential shortcomings without always considering some of the benefits. In my experience, there are plenty of advantages to being part of a multi academy trust, which include a positive impact on culture, good practice, professional development, recruitment and retention and finance from working together as a family of academies, each of which I will explore in turn.
Centre: Liz Anderson, chief executive officer, Djanogly Learning Trust
Issue 24.3 | EDUCATION BUSINESS MAGAZINE
17
