What does a sustainable future look like for an academy trust; and who gets to decide? This keynote debate will bring together leaders with contrasting experiences to explore the pressures shaping decisions about growth and consolidation. Rather than treating expansion as the measure of success, the conversation will examine how leaders judge what is right for their organisation and communities, how they protect trust identity through significant change, and what happens when the system ultimately determines a trust's future for them.
What evidence demonstrates that a trust is ready to grow and what warning signs suggest it should consolidate instead?
How should leaders decide whether to grow, merge, collaborate, remain small or consider dissolution?
Who should determine the future destination of schools, and how much weight should be given to local relationships and community identity?
What responsibilities do receiving trusts have towards the staff, pupils and communities affected by mergers, transfers or dissolution?