South West Region Steiner Academies – sponsorship and Avanti Schools Trust
Earlier this month (June 2019) The Department for Education approved Avanti Schools Trust (AST) as the sponsor in principle for the Steiner Academies in Bristol, Frome and Exeter.
AST is now undertaking a due diligence process with a view to the schools formally transferring into the trust during the autumn term of 2019.
The RSC for the South West Region has specifically asked AST to review the all-through operating model and consider whether this is educationally and financially sustainable in the longer term.
In addition, AST has also been asked to undertake a listening period for stakeholders before the end of the current academic year. This is to allow parents and staff to discuss the trust’s vision for a new culture of high educational standards and child development within the three schools, as well as changes to aspects of teaching and the schools’ curriculum. We are visiting each of the three academies in the next few weeks where representatives from AST will be available to meet with small groups of parents between 15.00 and 18.00 as follows:
- Exeter Steiner Academy: June 24 2019
- Frome Steiner Academy: June 25 2019
- Bristol Steiner Academy: July 1 2019
Please read the information below that provides details of how AST currently operates, its track record and some answers to some frequently asked questions (FAQs) that you may find helpful.
If, having read the information below you want to make any comments or observations please click here to be taken to an online form that will allow you to provide feedback to us directly. Please note that because of the volume of anticipated responses we will not be able to respond to individual questions. Our intention is, the light of feedback received, to update the list of FAQs and to provide an overall feedback report to our MAT Board which we will share via our website.
Avanti Schools Trust (AST)
Avanti Schools Trust is a successful and growing multi-academy trust (MAT) with a track record of delivering strong outcomes for children in both the primary and secondary phases of education. AST has established seven successful schools with one in the pre-opening. This includes five primary schools and two secondary schools currently educating over 3000 learners aged 2 to 18. At their last Ofsted inspection, all schools were judged ‘good’ overall and demonstrated significant strengths in aspects of their work, with behaviour, SMSC and well-being of pupils judged as outstanding.
Avanti Schools Trust (current primary academies)
Academy | Location | Current Ofsted rating |
Avanti Court | Redbridge | Good |
Avanti House | Harrow | Good |
Krishna Avanti, Harrow | Harrow | Good |
Krishna Avanti, Leicester | Leicester | Good |
Krishna Avanti, Croydon | Croydon | Good |
Avanti Schools Trust (current secondary/all-through academies)
Academy | Location | Current Ofsted rating |
Avanti House Secondary School | Harrow | Good |
Avanti Fields all-through School | Leicester | No Ofsted yet |
Vision and ethos
The Avanti purpose and ethos document is available here: https://avanti.org.uk/about/ethos/. The document outlines our core principles and approach to education.
Ofsted reports
Our MAT has not been formally inspected by Ofsted. As previously stated all of our open academies are rated ‘good’ by Ofsted and the majority are significantly over-subscribed. It is possible to access all of the inspection reports for our schools via the link below.
Curriculum offer
All AST schools work to a comprehensive operating model for leading learning. This model includes a set of principles and non-negotiable expectations that must underpin the curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment of pupil achievement and standards in our schools. This ensures consistency in the quality standards applied to school accountability and the evaluation of Avanti Schools’ effectiveness.
Examination and test results
Results for our primary and secondary schools are significantly above national averages – click on the following link:
Governance
Our MAT Board of Trustees are listed via the following link:
https://avanti.org.uk/about/trustees/
The Board has three main committees: Remuneration, Audit & Finance and Standards.
School Stakeholder Committees
The MAT Board appoints School Stakeholder Committees (SSCs) for each Avanti school. AST understands the critical importance of good governance throughout the organisation, including its schools, and has established a strong governance structure, with clear and transparent lines of accountability.
AST’s Accountabilities Framework – https://avanti.org.uk/about/company-info – reflects best practice governance and defines the lines of accountability and areas of responsibility across the Trust. This is in conjunction with a biennial external review of governance across the organisation.