It is increasingly clear that multi-academy trusts and local authorities cannot operate independently of one another. If we want the best for our students, then working together is key to ensure that we are meeting their needs, whatever they may be.
This is why in Wolverhampton, two of our academies - Ormiston SWB Academy and Ormiston NEW Academy - have been pioneering a model of LA-MAT collaboration, developing tailored provisions that address the unique needs of their communities.
Collaboration between MATs and councils
Here is an explanation of what they have done, and why it could point to new models of LA-MAT collaboration across the sector.
High-quality alternative provision
In recent years Ormiston SWB Academy identified a critical challenge: the high cost and inconsistent quality of external alternative provision (AP) for students at risk of exclusion.
Keen to solve this problem, the academy reached out to partner with Wolverhampton Council to develop an in-house pupil support unit open to all schools in the area.
Working together, the trust and the LA were able to agree on the scope, referral pathways and long-term vision for the unit - and to agree a blended funding model between the school and LA that included the LA securing five commissioned places per year at a fixed cost.
This enabled the LA and academy to collaborate regarding pupil placements and the suitability of the provision, and ultimately look at reintegrating pupils back into mainstream education, whether this be at Ormiston SWB (where many have already been successfully taken on roll) or another school within the council.
Importantly, the model was designed to serve not only students from SWB but also those referred from local authority schools, creating a cross-institutional provision that remains rooted in a school setting.
At present, the LA refers pupils to the principal, who then liaises with key stakeholders to arrange the admission. As the only approved school alternative provision in the LA, schools can also refer into the academy if places are available.
The initial cohort targeted students who had experienced one-off incidents leading to permanent exclusion, many of whom had underlying and previously unidentified special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The school embedded multi-agency support, including input from LA specialists, and built the curriculum around therapeutic and relational approaches.
Following the success of the first year, SWB secured agreement with the LA to expand the provision across two floors, significantly increasing capacity. This expanded unit now acts as a city-wide offer, serving students from a range of backgrounds, and is closely aligned with wider city objectives to reduce exclusion and increase inclusive practice.
A specialist resource base for SEND students
At Ormiston NEW Academy, a parallel partnership has emerged in response to growing demand for provision for students with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).
Recognising a clear gap in local provision, the academy worked to support Wolverhampton Council by designing a dedicated specialist resource base called Arcadia that would serve as a commissioned specialist setting within a mainstream school environment.
This would ensure that students receive intensive support while remaining part of a wider school community.
This project was rooted in collaboration, with LA input on capital funding and utilising SEND expertise within the trust to shape the design-and-delivery model. The school team also drew on trust-wide innovation through the estates team to create a beautiful space with multi-purpose teaching and sensory spaces.
Places are allocated by the local authority, and the academy is responsible for the education of each child, receiving requisite funding accordingly.
Admissions to the base are managed through a coordinated pathway between the LA and the school, with referrals coming via the council’s SEND team.
Arcadia opened on last month to a cohort of Year 7 children and will take further groups of Year 7 children in September and January intakes.
As with SWB’s AP unit, the development of the resource base has been a collaborative process from the outset, driven by a shared commitment to address unmet need in a strategic, sustainable way.
A model for the future
Together, these two projects in Wolverhampton illustrate the power of true LA-trust partnership - not just in delivery but in vision and planning.
These models are now being shared across the trust and city, informing new collaborations and inspiring others to rethink how trusts, schools and LAs can work together.
By prioritising co-production, pooling resources and investing in long-term outcomes, we can ensure that all students - especially those with additional needs - receive the support, choice and opportunity they deserve.
Wasim Butt is national director of AP and special academies at Ormiston Academies Trust; Dan Mason is principal of Ormiston SWB Academy; and Craig Cooling is principal at Ormiston NEW Academy
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