news that three secondary schools in Teignbridge could be pathfinders for School Trust status has received mix feedback. The county council welcomed the fact that the government has accepted bids by South Dartmoor at Ashburton and Coombeshead and Knowles Hill in Newton Abbot, plus three schools in Kingsbridge, Ivybridge and Tavistock. Although the bids have been acknowledged, it does not mean that they automatically become trust schools. That will be a decision for their full governing bodies after they have explored the benefits. Trust schools are foundation schools supported by a charitable foundation or 'trust'. They will be able to employ their own staff, set their own admission arrangements and manage their own land and assets. Trust schools will build long-term relationships with partners and/or other schools. Devon's director of children and young people's services, Anne Whiteley, said: 'This will be an exciting, learning journey on all sides. 'I am sure the involvement of Devon schools will help us to define the evolving roles of secondary schools and the local authority in together raising standards for all children and young people.' Ray Tarleton, principal of South Dartmoor, said: 'The six schools have been working closely together on this and with Anne Whiteley and the local authority. 'This is new territory for all of us and there are still many questions to be answered.' But he said there were common principles already in place. The schools would continue to offer non-selective education, no school would act in a way which disadvantaged another, individual schools would achieve more and improve faster if they shared expertise and worked together to address local challenges, follow county protocols on admissions, and share responsibility for hard-to-place and challenging pupils. However, the Devon National Union of Teachers opposes trust schools. 'This development poses a serious risk to the future of comprehensive community schools in Devon,' said Dave Clinch, Devon NUT secretary. 'If these bids are successful the schools will have self-governing bodies with private companies and faith groups, for example, exerting their influence. They will not be democratically accountable. Public assets will be irreversibly transferred into the hands of these organisations. 'Trust schools will have their own legal status as employer and provider of education outside local authority control in the style of the controversial City Academies.'
