Government operating “almost feudal”, dysfunctional system of oversight and influence over academy trusts, says ex-trust CEO

The government is operating an “almost feudal” system whereby some academy trusts are favoured with behind-the-scenes deals enabling them to take on new schools, while others are not.

And the government’s Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), which finances and investigates academy trusts and on occasion seems quietly to be  steering their operations, is suffering from a “lack of strategic direction” and poor morale, amid constant changes of personnel.

These are the views of a former academy leader, whose education management career – embracing years of headship – appears to have been ended in a saga which is told in detail in our news story here.

Geoff Pettengell, former executive principal/chief executive at the Shrewsbury Academies Trust (SAT), resigned after years of discussions with the ESFA about how to finance a merger of its two secondary schools culminated in the government replacing its board.

The management regime presided over by Pettengell was also criticised in 2017-18 financial accounts, signed off by the board which effectively replaced him, and in a 2018 ESFA report, though Pettengell says he had been made to be the “fall guy” for the saga.