Academy chain will not answer due diligence questions!

[Backinthe1960s]

I am a community governor at my local school and I serve on the Academy sub-committee. We are hoping to join a multi-academy chain but at the moment the senior staff at the MAT are refusing to answer our due diligence questions. This worries me and I cannot think of any obvious reason why they are acting like this. Any ideas about what we should do next?

Don't join them?

(Sorry, no sensible ideas)

What reason are they giving you for not answering?

They either ignore the questions or suggest fairly bluntly that if we keep asking them they will not allow us to join their MAT.

Seek a different MAT?

Definitely go for a different MAT. If they won't answer your due diligence questions it suggests they've got something to hide. At the very least it suggests that being part of this MAT is unlikely to be a positive experience.

I am, of course, assuming your due diligence questions are reasonable and that you aren't asking to see information they aren't allowed to share with you.

Run away!

Can't believe you're even asking this.

They've clearly got something to hide.

What she said, if you join this MAT you can't complain when they crap all over your school. There are good MAT's out there, join one of them.

The fact that you are asking shows a school with some common sense. The fact that the MAT is not answering shows not only a complete lack of respect but also serious cause for concern. Do you seriously think they will treat your school better once they are within the MAT.
If you are in a position to consider alternatives, that is you are a converter academy, then she should do so. If however they are the sponsor MAT and you as a school have no alternative but to become part of a MAT, you only have one possibility. That is to talk to your regional school commissioner and try and persuade them that you want to consider an alternative MAT.