Sudbury Primary School Case Study flowchart on
Academy Crisis Resolution
Sudbury Primary School:
A Case Study on an Academy Crisis Resolution
The Challenge
A 4-form entry Primary SAT was struck by multiple issues following the collapse of governance and an agreed absence for its long-term Head.
Ofsted had judged it as ‘Requires Improvement’, morale was low, with unions campaigning for the Head’s dismissal while parents petitioned for her immediate return. And local media were all over it.
The complex situation demanded crisis management, and a strategy for long-term, sustainable stability.
The Start Point
Identify and prioritise all pressing issues and risks
Determine what needed to be done, by when and by whom
Immersion in skills gaps across Board and SLT
Strategy is Key
New Chair to resolve all governance and leadership issues while SLT focus on education
Triple strategic goal: Exit RI as soon as possible; Avoid being driven into a MAT not of school’s own choosing; Embed sustainable stability
Identify and brief legal and HR advisers
Re-engineer Board of Trustees
Support inexperienced school leaders
Reach out to all stakeholders
Sharp Creativity
Dual co-Interim Exec Heads appointed to support Acting Head
Solicitors appointed to negotiate Head’s exit
Immediate appointment of finance trustee to support and challenge school financial management
Monthly trustee meetings to report on progress and secure buy-in
Constructive relationship with unions, parents and local media
Long-term strategy to identify a MAT to join
Direction and Control
Operated as de facto Executive Chair to steer trust through crisis
Eased out under-performing trustees while demonstrating outstanding governance to remaining trustees and new recruits
Carefully choreographed Head’s exit, while lining up a replacement
Drove strategy to join a MAT and conducted beauty parade of potential partners
Led process to co-create a new MAT with an Outstanding SAT
Managed succession to a new permanent Chair
Outcomes
Head departed and replaced within two terms
Exited ‘RI’ within five terms
Agreed to form new, co-created MAT within two terms
Transparent, objective process devised to include staff and unions in process to select MAT
Legacy safeguarding and compliance issues resolved within one term
School leadership supported and motivated to excel
Staff morale boosted within one term
Parent body’s support for changes embedded
Local media ‘on-sided’