What safeguards are there around adopting Trust status?
The Education and Inspections Bill puts in place safeguards around the acquisition of Trusts. The governing body will be required to consult the local authority, parents and other stakeholders and to take their views into account before publishing proposals. If they fail to consult adequately or do not take due account of any consultation responses or indeed if there are concerns about the impact of the Trust on standards local authorities will be able to refer proposals for Trusts to the Schools Adjudicator for decision. The local authority may refer proposals either as a result of its own concerns or as a result of local stakeholders raising their concerns with the authority. We will be consulting on draft guidance on the acquisition of Trusts once the Education and Inspections Bill has completed its passage through Parliament. The guidance will set out a range of factors that the decision maker (either the governing body or the Schools Adjudicator) will be required to have regard to
