Information about Being an Academy or Multi Academy Trust
Academies are independent, state-funded schools, which receive their funding directly from central government, rather than through a local authority. The day-to-day running any academy or school within the Multi Academy Trust lies the Executive Principal or Headteacher of that individual school.
All schools within the Bushey St James Trust are overseen by the Trust Board and receive advice, support, expertise and a strategic overview as required.
The government maintains that academies drive up standards by empowering senior leaders to meet local demand and need; academies have been shown to improve twice as fast as other state schools. All schools – primary as well as secondary – have been invited to convert to academy status, with priority being given to the best performers.
Academies, like all schools, are inspected by Ofsted and both schools within the Bushey St James Trust have recently been inspected. The latest inspection reports can be read via the links below:
Bushey Meads School: http://www.busheymeads.org.uk/about-us/ofsted/
Little Reddings Primary School: http://littlereddings.org.uk/about-us/ofsted/
Hartsbourne Primary School: https://hartsbourne.org.uk/about-us/ofsted/
In addition Regional School Commissioners (a role were introduced in 2014) approve academy conversions and monitor standards at academies in their areas. There are eight regional commissioners, who each work with a small board of Headteachers.