The academies minister wants more converter schools to join turnaround trusts – but admitted a “real challenge” in changing the perception joining a MAT is “a punishment rather than an opportunity”.
Baroness Barran said today the Department for Education should be “encouraging” such converter schools – those rated ‘good’ or above that choose to academise – into trusts with “unbelievably challenging schools”.
Speaking at the Confederation of School Trust’s finance and operation conference this morning, she added many of those opting to convert are instead moving “from one relatively warm and cosy place to another”.
“I think that one of the challenges that we all share is getting the messaging out about why it’s a good thing to be in a strong multi-academy trust,” she said.
