SCHOOLS in the Dursley area are set to form a multi-academy trust (MAT) in a bid to improve learning and to make better use of declining financial resources.

The new MAT, which has yet to be named, will initially be made up of Rednock School and Slimbridge Primary School and is currently being consulted on before a formal application is submitted.

As part of the consultation process meetings were held at both schools last Thursday to enable parents and members of the public to learn more about the shift.

Both schools have received approaches by existing MATs, including some based in London, in recent months but felt that local collaborations would be more effective.

Discussions had been ongoing for about a year before the schools agreed to pursue the process of forming the trust.

Rednock School headteacher Dave Alexander said that both schools felt that the move would improve the process for children.

“The most important thing for us when considering whether to form a MAT was what would be best for children but also for the community,” he said.

“We’ve both had approaches from MATs over the last few months but we felt that a more local one would be the best solution.

“It will enable us to smooth the transition from primary to secondary education but also to share resources and expertise between schools – whilst the primary schools may be able to make use of our resources we will also be able to tap-in to some of the fantastic teaching at other schools in the trust.”

At the meeting last Thursday the headteachers of both schools allayed concerns about the potential for any job losses or the moving of staff to other members of the MAT.

Alison Cooke, headteacher at Slimbridge Primary School, said: “It was very important for us that this didn’t happen.

“As a small primary school we’ve spent a long time building what is a fantastic teaching team and that won’t change.

“Whilst we will be able to share some of our strengths with other schools and vice versa there we don’t want to dismantle what we currently have.”

The MAT will be headed by a CEO and each school will appoint a representative to the decision-making board to ensure an equal say for each member.

Funding will continue to be provided by the government per pupil with five per cent set aside for spending on cross-member services.

Mr Alexander said that this would be an improvement on the current local authority-controlled system which sees just under ten per cent of the total funds taken.

The existing admissions system would also remain if the move to form a MAT materialises and pupils at primary schools in the group would not be forced to move onto Rednock in Year 7.