In addition to the Frequently Asked Questions we previously shared with all parents, the questions and comments we received are detailed below in their entirety.

The questions were:

1. If you have any questions not already answered on the FAQ sheet that accompanied this letter, please write them below.
2. If you have any further comments to give regarding the proposed merger, please use the box below.

Parent A
‘As a PhD in Education- specifically teacher wellbeing - I have evidence which suggests jointing a larger trust is damaging to staff wellbeing as there is less authentic leader-member exchanges. As a former secondary teacher in a standalone academy who moved to a very large organisation, I can also give anecdotal evidence to the fact that people (staff) just get lost in these large organisations- even if that is only a perception. Equally, I understand, politically, there are probably other pressures that are working on the trust that parents do not need to be made aware of.’

RCT response: Thank you for your comment and sharing your professional experience of joining a MAT with us.

Parent B
‘Please can you let me know if this proposed merger will impact the sixth form arrangement with St Georges. Thanks.’

RCT response: This is covered in the FAQs, but to confirm the Sixth Form arrangement with St George’s Academy will continue without change.

Parent C
‘Who makes the decision to merge? Leadership team? Governors? Parents?’

RCT response: The Robert Carre Trust Board makes a resolution to merge, and the CIT Board must do the same. A case is then presented to the DfE, and they make the final decision.

Parent D
‘What are the downsides of joining this trust? What are the costs of entering into the MAT? What changes will be made to the senior leadership of the school? Will the school no longer have control of its own budget and finances?’

RCT response: There will be a reduction in the autonomy over the budget and finances, but the current Executive Headteacher of RCT will join the Executive Leadership Team of CIT and will have a part to play in how the schools are financed. The current EHT will remain as substantive Headteacher of Carre’s and have oversight for KSHS, where the Headteacher remains in place.

Increases in the budget by being part of a larger trust, will bring with it some efficiency savings.

There are no costs associated with the transfer as the RCT is already a MAT.

Parent E
‘What exact expertise do CiT bring to a selective school RCT trust? Specifically regarding teaching and learning. CiT expertise is in primary and special provision. What other trusts have the Governors considered? This letter gives no indication of due diligence and only proposes CiT? Furthermore why isn’t academisation or merging with other selective schools being considered, which - considering teaching and learning would make more sense. In the letter you mention safeguarding as being an area of streamlined working; this makes little sense when Carres have just secured their safeguarding arrangements are a period of Ofsted highlighted deficit? Why change again.

This arrangement brings far more benefit to CiT than RCT. It allows Cit to develop expertise in selective education, and broaden their reach further across the county. A large, growing quickly MaT is an obvious choice, are the RCT governing body confident this arrangement offers the best? What other MaT options have been considered? Parents should be made aware of this? I don’t see what CiT can offer apart from the ‘back office’ arrangements - which frankly, any MaT can also offer. Selective schools are something reasonably unique. This proposed merger will significantly ‘water down’ the offer for Lincolnshire parents and children. Have other grammar schools been asked about this? Is there any appetite for consultation about a grammar Mat? This overall is disappointing for RCT parents.’

RCT response: The trust has done an extensive review of the educational landscape in Lincolnshire and the East Midlands and determined what would be the non-negotiable and key criteria when looking at potential trusts. These include the ethos and values, our selective status, the Sleaford Joint Sixth Form, autonomy over the curriculum and geographical location of the other trust schools. This started with a high-level desktop exercise and consultation with the DfE and Local Authority, followed by meetings with the key personnel of four chosen trusts. Merging with this trust will provide more opportunities for students and parents, and being the first secondary schools can shape the trust.

The schools’ selective status will be maintained. When a grammar school joins an academy trust, it can benefit from statutory protections. This means that the school's ability to select students based on academic ability is legally protected. If there is ever a proposal to remove the selective status of a grammar school within a trust, it typically requires a parental ballot. This ensures that parents have a say in whether the school should continue to select students based on academic ability. Grammar schools within academy trusts can be designated by the government as grammar schools, putting them on the same legal footing as maintained grammar schools. This designation helps ensure that the selective status of these schools is preserved. Joining a trust can bring consistency to the regulations governing maintained grammar schools and academy grammar schools. This helps ensure that the selective status of grammar schools is protected uniformly across different types of schools.

The previous and current government do not allow for a selective MAT and apply the Commissioning High-Quality Trusts and Annex A - Trust Quality Descriptions. A selective MAT would not meet these criteria, and this has been confirmed by the DfE. However, the two schools will remain in the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools, Grammar School Heads’ Association and will continue to work with its family of schools in Spalding and Boston.

Parent F
‘Is it a necessity to join a MAT?’

RCT response: It is not a necessity to join a MAT, but it would be beneficial to do so for the reasons outlined in the FAQs.

Parent G
‘My experiences of MATs to date has never been positive, I have found that the interests of the children is never front and centre of the merger. I really like the community feel of Carre’s

and that the school works well to provide the best outcomes for the boys and the encouragement and support given and worry the schools ethos will be lost in a MAT.’.

RCT response: We anticipate that this MAT merger will mean the RCT schools have the capacity to continue to do what we do well.

Parent H
‘Think this is an excellent idea. Inevitably a ‘bigger’ trust was going to come in but this one is perfect. We will retain the control of ours schools as the only secondary schools in the trust while still getting the financial security and might that comes with a trust of this size. Good job!!’

Downloads