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SWISS trust - What are the benefits?

We'd like to know what you think about the SWISS Partnership forming a new educational trust. We want to make sure that you know about the benefits of trust status for our Partnership of schools and what the proposed changes will mean for your own school and community. We also need you to give us your feedback, so that the outcome reflects your wishes and we can be sure to address any concerns...

The Trust will formalise and extend the existing relationships in the Partnership. The current partnership is held together through personal commitment. To ensure sustained commitment there needs to be a legal framework that binds the institutions together, beyond individual personalities. Download the Consultation Document.

The opportunity will be there to draw on external expertise. Schools in membership of the Trust will benefit from Trust Governors and thus strengthen the range of expertise open to the individual governing body as well as the Trust as a whole.

We will have a diverse range of expertise that will be able to challenge old approaches. It will boost strategic management and innovative thinking. There are wider opportunities open to a Trust, and it will challenge us to approach issues in new ways, supported by organisations experienced in alternative ways of working and with expertise to share.

We will gain commitment and engagement from local employers/institutions. The organisations we have approached are attracted to the idea of a ‘one-stop-shop' to work with schools. This is a way of sharing contacts for the benefit of all children, whilst retaining and enhancing school based relationships.

The Trust will formalise collaborative working. Such collaborations for students and staff will be built into a sustainable and enduring framework that is underpinned by the charitable objectives of the Trust.

The Trust will present the ability to bid for additional funding in a more coherent and coordinated way. Some of these additional funds are only available to schools in partnership with other organisations

The commissioning power of a large group of schools and partners could open up possibilities for the purchase of services tailored to the needs of the Trust. In addition, as greater flexibility is demanded of us in providing new routes for learning, the Trust will provide opportunities to meet that flexibility.

The Trust as currently planned is attractive for business because of the high profile it is likely to be able to maintain. This will also be relevant in terms of recruitment of both staff and students, bidding for projects, developing new ideas, engaging short term partners for other projects. Community engagement and identification could be exploited for the benefit of all.

The Trust will give relatively small institutions the opportunity to influence the future direction and development of the Trust as an equal partner, ensuring its voice is heard at local, regional and national level.

Working together and holding a greater sense of corporate responsibility will provide us with routes for solving problems together.

The majority of Governors at Suffolk One being appointed by the Trust will provide the SWISS community with an ongoing role in developing the strategic direction of One, ensuring that the vision and ethos set by the SWISS partnership is maintained and developed into the future.

Overall, the Trust through the delivery of its charitable objectives will create an environment where all pupils will have access to a diverse range of learning and development opportunities. It will help to raise standards and make a direct contribution to raising aspirations, participation and achievement.

To find out more about trust schools visit www.trustandfoundationschools.org.uk