Joining BET

Please download our FAQs which we hope you will find helpful. Download our FAQs here.

A key aim of the Trust is for our schools to be truly inclusive and great places for everyone to work and learn in. We accept that each school will be at a different starting point in their journey and we will work collaboratively to achieve our aim.

Our approach to our work is for schools to support one another. To achieve this we aim to attract further schools into our Trust that are like-minded, outward looking and share our values. We expect schools interested in joining us to believe in the power of collaboration - wanting to play a part in the work of the Trust, regardless of the circumstances in which they join.

The infrastructure of the Trust will take away the burden on schools of managing support services and allow them to focus on effective teaching and learning. For each different category of schools, we will offer the following incentives:

• Interaction with like-minded colleagues and mutual support
• A flexible scheme of delegation for their governing body to continue to lead and manage the school
• Continuing professional development for all staff
• A chance to generate income and lead on school improvement by offering school-to-school support (both within our family of academies and beyond)
• An opportunity for the headteacher join the Executive Group and shape the working of the Trust
• Stability in a fast-changing educational landscape
• Access to shared services and economies of scale

Associate Status

Schools can now join a trust as an ‘associate member’ for a period of around 2 years before they must make a final legally binding decision. Associate membership allows a school to join a trust in a more flexible arrangement, accessing shared resources and leadership, without legally transferring into the trust it is working with.

The benefits and areas for consideration of becoming a BET associate school are as follows:

• Allows for comprehensive due diligence and mutual understanding
• Reassures governing bodies that their school will not change and continue to serve its community
• Provides educational opportunities of sharing ideas and best practice
• Potentially increases leadership capacity
• Supports planned capacity growth within the Trust’s executive team
• Allows for immediate partnerships rather than those subject to the lengthy conversion process
• Either side can walk away at the end of the agreement

The details of services available to associate members can be found below:

View the associate services directory here

Full academy status

Once you have fully academised within BET you can expect the following central services to support your work in your school:

View the central services directory here

Contact us

If you are interested in finding out more about joining BET then please contact Alex Russell, CEO – russella@bourne.education.