Wellspring What is a MAT?

A Multi-Academy Trust, or MAT, essentially is a charity that has responsibility for running a number of academies.

Academies are schools that are state-funded but independent from local authority control. Funding is received directly from the Department for Education (rather than via local councils) and as they are charities, MATs cannot be run for profit and must reinvest any surplus cash in the trust.

By being part of a MAT, schools get the benefit of being part of a larger community of expertise and access to professionals who can support and assist with the running of the school. From building management to finance and HR, being part of a MAT can enable a school to focus on the main job – providing exceptional education for its children and young people.

Schools within a MAT can share staff, pool resources, share best practice and knowledge and work together to deliver the best outcomes. It’s effectively all about being part of a supportive community working towards the same goals, with the necessary structures and accountability in place to ensure standards are met and maintained.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of being part of a MAT?

Being part of a community of schools enables access to a huge amount of expertise and knowledge, both in terms of education specialists and experts in support services such as finance, HR, estates management and purchasing. It promotes sharing of best practice and can offer services and resources that simply wouldn’t be financially viable in a single school. Being part of a MAT also creates economies of scale, keeping everyday running costs down and providing more funding for spending on what matters – children’s education.
Do the schools all become uniform and the same as each other once they join a MAT?

Not at Wellspring! We firmly believe in schools having the autonomy to run their schools as they see fit. After all, the staff based in our schools are best placed to know exactly what their community needs and how to meet those needs effectively. We are supportive, rather than top-down, and all our academies are uniquely brilliant but united in one aim – to make a difference.
How are schools in MATs assessed?

Academies, whether part of a MAT or operating independently, still have to meet the standards set by the Department of Education and are subject to the same Ofsted inspections and national testing that maintained schools are. At Wellspring, we also rigorously monitor and assess our schools internally on a termly basis. This enables us to ensure that standards are maintained in between Ofsted inspections, which may only occur every four years.
Are MATs profit-driven?

Absolutely not! MATs are registered charities and as such, cannot be run for profit. Any surplus funds have to be reinvested in the Trust and there are no shareholders receiving dividends. At Wellspring we prioritise excellence in financial management and this is to ensure the long term viability of our schools and ensure all funds are spent intelligently on the education of the young people in our care.
Can schools in MATs set their own curriculums?

Yes, as academies, schools within a MAT do not have to follow the national curriculum. They have greater autonomy to offer teaching and learning that best suits their individual community’s needs. Being part of a MAT means that those setting the curriculum in their school have extensive support and expertise in doing that most effectively. Of course, pupils still have the follow the criteria laid out by exam boards and the Department of Education to meet the levels when it comes to exams and national testing so, in practice, a lot of the work done in academies is the same as that in maintained schools.
What type of schools can join a MAT?

Primary, secondary, 16-19, alternative provision and special schools can all become academies and join a MAT. At Wellspring, we have mainstream primaries, a mainstream secondary, alternative provision and special schools. This mix is hugely beneficial and allows our colleagues to learn from experts in other settings, which can be transformational in terms of practice.
How does a school join a MAT?
There are a number of ways a school can join a MAT:
- Converters – This is often formerly council-run schools that chose to become academies. It could also be a single academy who wants to join a MAT, or an academy trust who wants to merge with another to achieve greater collaboration and economies of scale.
- Sponsored– This is where a school or existing academy is identified as being in need of support, and/or judged ‘Inadequate’ by Ofsted, who are directed to become an academy with a chosen MAT by the Department for Education.
- Free schools– This is when brand new schools are established to meet a need for school places in a particular area.
At Wellspring, we have schools that have joined us in all three ways, and are particularly proud that the majority are converters, choosing to join Wellspring because of our values, ethos and expertise.