The government’s recent white paper on education includes a provision to update the rules for the Co-op Academies, run by the Co-op Group.
Central to the white paper is a reform of Send (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) education, alongside plans to create “a path to halving the gap between outcomes for poorer children and their peers”.
There are also targets on school attendance, measures to improve head teacher retention, a boost to maternity pay for school staff and plans to improve engagement between schools and parents.
And the white paper pledges: “We will work with the sector to update co-operative academy school trust model articles of association, so this model can effectively support purposeful, large-scale collaboration.”
Russell Gill, head of member and co-operative engagement at the Co-op Group and chair of Co-op Academies Trust, said: “We welcome the recognition in the Schools White Paper of the importance of collaboration between schools and the role that values-led partnership can play in supporting young people and communities, including the commitment to update the co-operative academy trust model articles of association.
“Co-operative approaches have long been built around collaboration, local connection and shared responsibility, and we have seen through Co-op Academies Trust how this can help schools work together while staying rooted in the communities they serve, backing Britain’s youth to achieve and thrive.
“We look forward to engaging further with partners across the sector on how co-operative models can help strengthen collaboration across the education system and support young people to thrive.”
