Contact: John Clarke, Deputy Director of Children's Services, telephone 01962 846464, email [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

1. That the Lead Member for Children's Services (Education) delegates authority to the Director of Children's Services to support schools' applications for Trust status where he considers it appropriate and provided that the following questions can be answered positively by the school:

· Will affiliation to this particular Trust raise standards rather than just maintain them?

· Will affiliation improve the well being of all children and young people in the community served by the school?

· Will affiliation improve community cohesion and collaboration without any loss of existing quality?

· Will affiliation improve the school's potential to meet the objectives of the Children and Young People's Plan

and, in the case of secondary schools:

· Will affiliation improve the school's potential to meet the objectives of the 14-19 Strategy?

2 Reason

2.1 The 2006 Education and Inspections Act encourages schools to seek Trust Status. Under the legislation the County Council is required to promote choice and diversity and therefore to support applications for Trust Status. However, it needs a policy to guide its work in determining whether or not to support individual schools' applications, because it also has a wider responsibility to promote high standards of education and the wellbeing of all children and young people.

2.2 This decision supports the following Hampshire County Council priority:

"Maximising well-being" - by ensuring that Hampshire secondary schools capitalise on all opportunities to develop learners' understanding and appreciation of their role in society and their capacity to contribute.

2.3 The decision supports the following Aims of the Children Act:

"Enjoying and achieving" by allowing students to fulfil their own potential through good academic progress and personal development.

3 Other options considered and rejected:

3.1 To do nothing is not an option because this is a response to legislative change. No other options were considered because the proposals match precisely the provisions of the Education and Inspections Act, 2006.

4 Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision maker or other Executive Member consulted

4.1 None.

5 Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee -

5.1 None.

Approved by: Date:

........................................

Councillor David Kirk

Lead Member for Children's Services