Trust centralisation can’t be judged on numbers alone
More from this theme Recent articles Spending more on central teams does not inherently mean that trusts are diverting money away from teaching and learning. The recent Schools Week article, Academy trust central teams gobble up £200m, raises an important question: does centralisation in academy trusts drive up costs, or does it actually save money? The reality is far more nuanced. The key issue is not where the money sits (central or local) but whether the overall end-to-end cost is lower, and whether the trust is providing better services as a result. In other words, are trusts delivering more for less? Consider a trust with a minimal top slice, just enough to cover the statutory roles of the chief executive and financial officers. This looks cost-effective on paper. Schools retain control over their own budgets and purchase what they need individually. Now, let’s compare this to a trust with a higher top slice, which may be perceived as less efficient because it appears to be taking more money away from teaching and learning. What if …