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Federations are an increasingly popular choice for Governing Bodies when their schools are facing challenges of size / sustainability. Whilst initially offering no monetary savings to the LA the immediate benefits are for the pupils, staff and community. Medium to longer term these sorts of arrangements are likely to generate opportunities for positive developments, often initiated by the schools themselves.

Federations fall into four major groups:

Hard Governance Federations:
Have a single governing body shared by all schools and often a single headteacher.

Soft Governance Federations:
Each school has its own governing body but the federation has joint governance / strategic committee with delegated power.

Soft Federation:
Each school has its own governing body the federation, however, has joint governance / strategic committee without delegated powers.

Informal Loose Collaboration:
Each school has its own governing body and the group of schools meet informally on an ad-hoc basis.

School governing bodies have the power to federate under one of the options listed above. The LA cannot oblige schools to federate but it can suggest this as an option to secure the sustainability of several schools and it is also possible to set a framework of expectations and norms where all schools are actively engaged in partnership activities with other schools. Federation allows up to five schools (or six or more with the agreement of the Secretary of State).

Regardless of the form of federation adopted all schools:

• retain their separate identity;
• continue to receive individual school budgets;
• have separate OFSTED inspections and
• report on performance individually.

There are currently two examples of Hard Governance Federations in the primary sector and one in the secondary sector in Cheshire. In all three cases they are two school federations and each operates with a single headteacher.

Many LA's are finding that supporting the introduction of Federations is a way to ensure that schools in isolated areas can continue to offer the full curriculum by sharing staff expertise. It also ensures that pupils are able to meet a peer group which is not always possible in some schools where numbers and gender may not fall in equal proportions.

Further information on federations and collaborations can be obtained from the TLC Team or the Department for Children, Schools & Families (DCSF) webpage on federations.

Frequently Asked Questions on Federations