Russell Education Trust/Russell Group Universities

[strictlyfan2013]

Can anyone confirm if the Free School sponsor "Russell Education Trust" is linked to the Russell Group Universities please? Also, what does "State funded independent school" mean? In relation to Free Schools... Thanks!

[bruffin]

Why do you think it is linked, they make no mention of RG on their website at all.

[MLP]

No connection between the two Russells as far as I can tell.

[Talkinpeace]

The Russell group of universities are named after the hotel where they had their first meeting in 1994
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_Group

The Russell Education Trust is a company from Leatherhead and its directors are
www.duedil.com/company/07452885/russell-education-trust/people
and appear to be former Ofsted subcontract inspectors

[Marmitelover55]

Although I think the Russell education trust may have chosen that name for a reason...I believed they are involved in thx bristol Free School.

I think a state funded independent school is a free school or academy.

[furfuraceousfustilugs]

I hope this doesn't count as a hijack - bumping for you! - does anyone know why Bath isn't a Russell Group uni please? (Just on the off chance someone knows!)

[Talkinpeace]

furfuraceous
If you read the link about the Russell Group it becomes clear.
The meeting that they were meant to be at was of research universities and it was at a time of Research Council changes.
They got together and spoke out about stuff.

By chance those ones were also ones that were harder to get into
therefore the very lazy press and politicians started to use Russell Group as short hand for good
At the time Bath did not have much of a research presence in the funding councils so was not there.
The fact that it has an international reputation in certain subjects should not be forgotten.

[furfuraceousfustilugs]

Oh, thanks Talkin - I will read the link! I though t my Q was too specific fort hat!

[NoComet]

Bath university is, I believe very good at what it specialises in, but not necessarily research in all subjects.

Always felt tiny compared to Birmingham.

[strictlyfan2013]

Thanks. All cleared up now. I was confused as went to an RET school open event and they talked as if they were linked (well to me at least, I must have got the wrong end of the stick !)

[strictlyfan2013]

Interesting. Only verbal implication though at present.

[creamteas]

furfuraceous just to add to what Talkin said.

The original Russell group was only large research universities only. They had the most money to lose at that time.

Smaller, research intensive universities were not invited to the discussions, although some of them went on to form the 1994 Group which, as part of its mission, was to stop the Russell Group getting all the cash!

[Ingrid1964]

not a great research track record

[Mary1972]

Russell Group need their lawyers on this one. As TP said passing off immediately comes to mind and perhaps get trading standards on to it - independent state school is in my view misleading and might breach advertising law.

[wrigglingAndGiggling]

I'm a parent working on an RET free school, so I know them well. They're not connected to Russell Group and don't claim to be.

The Russell Education Trust was set up by Education London (EL), who are a very well respected school improvement consultancy. EL was one of the main education providers for the London Challenge, which has been celebrated for improving educational outcomes in London schools. They are very well qualified to set up new schools. (Certainly more qualified than the Russell Group of Universites, which are very experienced at running Research-intensive Universities, not schools).

[wrigglingAndGiggling]

Daphnedill, no, not pr. Happy to answer you but I'm actually in the park with the kids right now so will have to get back to you in a little while.

[daphnedill]

I'll look forward to it! How fortuitous that a topic just happened to crop up about which you could make your first post on MN, especially as you're in the park.

[daphnedill]

Yes, I do want you to go through the misinformation - as you've offered! You can supplement that by giving me links, if you like. I've already read what's been written on Stephen Mayo's site and on Local Schools Network, so you don't need to repeat anything written there.

I wasn't involved in the campaign, but I've been knocking around education in Essex for an awful long time and I already know some of the facts behind the headlines - so enlighten me! But firstly, maybe you could state how you - an "ordinary parent" - know so much!

[Mary1972]

I would also want to know how they came to choose the word Russell. Was it by accident? Were the founders called Russell? Is it an educational trust which has been called Russell for the last 60 years? Or something more sinister?

[Mary1972]

I have no interest one way or the other in this but I just found the use of the word Russell potentially passing off as confusion could be caused. Anyway if it is mostly known as RET and they end up changing all branding to that then there would not be the same issue.

Anyone wanting to see state contracts over £10,000 can look on the Govenrment Contract Finder website now (and as for all state contracts do an FOIA request). Contract Finder has contracts since about 2 years ago and you can search by the parties' names I think.

I am in favour of a wide variety of schools within the state sector although would only every consider private schools for my own children.