26 September 2023
Dear Parents and Carers,
Many of you will be aware of the direction of travel in recent years for schools to join together as Multi Academy Trusts. This was reinforced with the Schools White Paper published by the government on 22nd March 2022, which stated its intention that by 2030, “all children will benefit from being taught in a school in, or in the process of joining, a strong Multi Academy Trust (MAT)”.
As you know, Honeybourne Primary Academy is already a Single Academy Trust (SAT) and our Trustees have considered several options during the last two years and these include:
- Remain a SAT
- Join an existing Multi Academy Trust
- Form a new Multi Academy Trust with like-minded schools
After a long period of research, deliberation and due diligence, the Trustees believe that Option 2 represents the best approach for Honeybourne Primary Academy, by joining an established and successful MAT that shares our vision, values and ethos for the best possible education of our children.
In a rapidly-changing educational climate, this will ensure that we are not inward-looking, that we have the capacity to provide a high quality of education for our local community and to be financially sound to continue to deliver the best possible outcomes for our children.
The Trustees are therefore proposing that we join Black Pear Trust (BPT) from either 1st December 2023 or 1st January 2024. This will be confirmed once we have further information from the Department for Education.
As you are aware, we have been working alongside our colleagues at BPT for the past two years and we have a well-established partnership which will be strengthened further through becoming a member of the MAT.
The mission of BPT is ‘growing excellent learning communities together.’ From our due diligence it is clear that BPT schools retain their own unique identity and vision, ensuring that teaching, learning and curriculum design remains driven by school leaders and meets the needs of all learners in each school.
Each school retains its Headteacher and Local Governing Body, who have day-to-day responsibility for their school so that its unique role within its community is maintained.
The Trustees judge that HPA and our community will benefit in the following ways by:
- Sharing a Trust vision that underpins everything that we do, preserving the educational ethos of each
school to achieve the best possible outcomes for the wellbeing, progress and personal development of
children and young people across the Trust - Supporting each other, to protect excellent schools in a rapidly changing educational, social, political
and financial climate - Recruiting, training, growing and retaining the best teachers and support staff within the Trust
- Enabling teachers to collaborate and share best practice for the benefit of all the pupils within the
Trust - Protecting the delivery of wellbeing services for pupils across the Trust
- Controlling our own destiny by protecting, growing and preserving what we cherish
- Benefiting from access to capital funding from central government to improve the facilities for our
school.
On a day-to-day basis a child at Honeybourne Primary Academy will continue to enjoy school in the same way as they do currently, whilst benefiting from the enhancements that being part of a MAT provides. We will be maintaining our own day-to-day management, this has been very important to the Trustees. The key priority is to continue to provide an excellent education for our community whilst utilising the advantages of a larger organisation.
The Trustees of Honeybourne Primary Academy are now conducting a consultation on this proposal. The
consultation period will begin on Monday 25th September and end on Monday 23rd October at 9am.
During this time the Trustees would welcome any comments or questions that you may have about this process. To aid this, a dedicated email account has been set up. Please direct questions or comments to consultation@honeybourne.worcs.sch.uk for Trustee’s consideration.
Emma Pritchard, the CEO of Black Pear Trust will be at Honeybourne Primary Academy on Friday 29th September from 9am to 12pm, on Monday 2nd October between 12pm and 2pm and on Tuesday 10th October between 2pm and 5pm. If you would like to make an appointment to see Emma and find out more about Black Pear Trust, please contact the school office to arrange this.
Yours sincerely,
Mr Dominic Davis
Executive Headteacher
