Four Dudley schools' future unclear amid funding freeze

The regional commissioner said the schools, including Sledmere Primary, would be better served by a different trust

The future of four academy schools is unclear after the government pledged to strip its funding deal from them.

The move means Learning Link Multi Academy Trust (LLMAT) faces losing control of all four Dudley sites, raising questions over who would run them instead.

Education chiefs have lost confidence in LLMAT and say the schools will be better served under new control.

The BBC has attempted to contact LLMAT for a response.

Its portfolio comprises Dudley Wood Primary School, Netherbrook Primary School, Kates Hill Primary School and Sledmere Primary School.

The Department for Education (DfE) cited a "serious breakdown" in "management and governance of the academies".

Formal notice of the government decision to terminate funding agreements follows several warnings to the trust that improvements were needed.

In the latest letter to the trust, the regional schools commissioner for the West Midlands, Andrew Warren, said he was not satisfied enough progress had been made.

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Mr Warren said conditions of a Financial Notice to Improve had only been partially met, and there remained "significant concerns" about the financial management of the trust, including a 2018-19 financial statement that reported an overall deficit of £204k, and a budget forecast return that did not align with the financial plan.

"So the financial position of the trust is unclear," he wrote, although "it is clear the trust is financially vulnerable".

'No confidence'

He said "such a failure" amounted to a breach of funding agreements, and it was taken into account when deciding to terminate them.

Mr Warren concluded he had "no confidence" the trust was able to "adequately address the significant challenges it faces both financially and in terms of its internal governance".

He added: "I am of the view that the four schools would be better served in an alternative trust."

The letter stated that one school's board had unanimously voted no confidence in the trust, while two had sought Mr Warren's support to leave it.

He said this and other issues showed "a breakdown in trust between those who are leading the academies within the trust and the trust board", and meant the schools were effectively operating as individuals rather than as part of a collective.

The trust will be contacted to "agree next steps", including "a suitable date of termination on or before 1 January 2021".