Defining the direction: Strategic discourse in Multi Academy Trusts in England

Multi Academy trusts are now a common feature of the English educational landscape, In November 2016 there were 21,525 state-funded schools in England of which1,618 were stand-alone academies and 4,140 schools were in MATs ’... [ view full abstract ]

Multi Academy trusts are now a common feature of the English educational landscape, In November 2016 there were 21,525 state-funded schools in England of which1,618 were stand-alone academies and 4,140 schools were in MATs ’ (HCEC, 2017:4). They present substantial challenges in terms of leadership and governance. One area that most exercises school leaders and boards is the setting of strategic direction for the MAT. This includes elements such as its expansion, responding to differing challenges from school settings and ensuring that schools remain responsive to the communities in which they are located (Baxter and C 2017)This paper adopts a case study approach drawing on 25 interviews with school leaders and trustees and documentary evidence from 2 MATs to examine their strategic discourse (Barry and Elmes 1997). In so doing it looks to respond to the research questions: a) what are the principal drivers for strategic expansion in MATS? b) How do strategic discourses of school leaders and trustees consider the needs of the school communities within the MAT? The paper begins by contextualising the research in light of national and international drivers of education and the leadership structures and backgrounds of the two MATs in the sample. It then moves to consider the theory on strategy as narrative and its analysis before moving on to the findings and discussion. The paper concludes that within this sample there are three principal drivers for MAT expansion a) School improvement b) Perpetuation of a particular ethos c) The idea that the greater the size of the MAT the less vulnerable it will be to take over. It also concludes that there are a number of ways in which school communities figure in the strategic discourse of school leaders and board chairs and that MAT CEOs are heavily reliant upon local school leaders and trustees to furnish them with information on these communities. It also concludes that the information sharing mechanisms within the two MATs are still developing and that this is significant in terms of how trustee boards at the apex of the organisation are presented with information on individual school communities.

This paper contributes to knowledge on the long term sustainability of MATs and the ways in which they serve the communities in which their schools are located.

References

Barry, David, and Michael Elmes. 1997. "Strategy retold: Toward a narrative view of strategic discourse." Academy of management review 22 (2):429-452.