Our Associate Membership Scheme
Choosing to join a Multi-Academy trust is a significant decision for any school. The opportunity to be part of a network of like-minded schools with a clear focus on school improvement is an exciting prospect, but the significance of the decision can’t be underestimated.
Even though the publishing of the White Paper in April 2022 made it clear that the government’s target is for every school to be part of a Multi-Academy trust by 2030, it would be irresponsible for schools to rush to make a legally binding decision which will have a significant impact on the future development and direction of their school.
Therefore, in recognition of this, we offer schools the opportunity to work with us closely on a temporary basis through our Associate Membership scheme, to check that there is synergy and compatibility before any formal decisions to join are made.
Associate Membership is offered to maintained schools, single academies or small MATs that have an interest in exploring what life would be like as part of Primitas Learning Partnership. We aim to run the scheme for a period of no longer than 12 months and to structure it as follows:
Phase 1: Exploratory Meetings
Once a school applies for Associate Membership, a series of meetings will be organised by the CEO, to discuss and explore the following issues with the school’s headteacher and Chair of Governors:
- Current status and context of the school.
- Their reasons for wanting to join Primitas.
- How Associate Membership will work.
Following these meetings, the CEO will report to the Trust Board, either recommending or declining Associate Membership, together with the reasons for this decision.
If the decision is to grant Associate Membership, then:
- The Trust Board will notify the Headteacher and Chair of Governors of the decision.
- The school will be added to the Trust’s website as an Associate School and it will progress to Phase 2.
- The Associate School will receive an appropriate categorisation, based on the exploratory meetings, for the purposes of the school improvement work it will participate in.
Phase 2: School Improvement Work (Maximum Duration: Two School Terms.)
For a period of two terms, an Associate School will play a full and active role in school improvement work, in accordance with the Primitas School Improvement Offer and the school’s assigned categorisation status. The headteacher of an Associate School will be treated in the same way as a headteacher of a Primitas Academy with the same categorisation and will receive full access to the relevant tier of school improvement support.
Indeed, as a Multi- Academy Trust, we are first and foremost an educational venture and so the prime focus of our Associate Membership is school improvement. Furthermore, it is important to note that synergy and compatibility with the Primitas Approach to school improvement is regarded as the most important factor in deciding whether a school is ‘a good match.’
Phase 3: The Wider Primitas Offer (Maximum Duration: One School Term.)
Once Phase 2 is completed, the CEO will work with the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) to co-ordinate a series of meetings and events to explore and clarify the other benefits and services that Primitas Academies receive (apart from school improvement support) as part of the wider Primitas Offer. Phase 3 will last for no longer than one term and will enable an Associate School to develop a full and clear picture of the full range of key benefits associated with joining Primitas.
Phase 4: Determination of Next Steps
During the final phase of Associate Membership, the CEO and CFO will meet with the Headteacher and Chair of Governors of the Associate School in order to:
- Review the Associate Membership experience.
- Answer any final questions about joining Primitas.
- Decide upon next steps.
Next steps will usually involve one of two courses of action:
1. Associate Membership will cease as the Associate School no longer wants to join Primitas.
2. A formal due diligence process will begin with an intentional focus on the Associate School applying to join Primitas within a 3 month period. Following agreement from the Trust Board to enter due diligence, Associate Membership resumes, with the Associate School continuing its participation in school improvement work.