United Learning multi academy trust

[LakeFlyPie]

DS (y9) new headteacher (into his second yr) has announced school will be taken over by United Learning next year. He came from the flagship United Learning school in Manchester. It isn't a failing school, quite the opposite - previous HT was fantastic and raised the reputation of the school to the point it has been oversubscribed for last couple of years with best GCSE results ever. Pastoral care is excellent and I felt that teachers genuinely 'knew' my DC (DS1 left after GCSEs last year).
I've done a bit of reading about MATs and am struggling to appreciate the benefits. I note the NEU have an active campaign against the 'academidisation' of schools.
Can anyone share experience?

They've announced it without parent consultation? I wouldn't be happy at all. If enough of you feel the same, I'd get a petition going. My DS had a horrific time at a UL academy. I could never recommend it. Too rigid, joyless and not child centred.

I dont know anything about United Learning.

The benefits of MATs are variable. But basically schools used to recieve a lot of support from the local authorities for school improvement, but also back office things like fire safety inspection, payroll etc. LAs have reduced those services and charged more for them.

Schools in a MAT can group together to do payroll, fire inspections, order supplies, negotiate catering contracts, cleaning contracts etc, often for less and better than the LA was offering.

In terms of school improvement, schools outside MATs find it increasingly hard to find partners to moderate with, or have supervision for pastoral roles, or peer review.

But some MATs are crap and there isn't accountability.

It's an interesting trust as it has such a varied range of schools including one of the top schools in the country. That can't be a bad thing can it, in terms of shared experience and best practices??