This page is a record of which Cheshire West and Chester Academies have signed Recognition Agreements with the Trade Unions and whether or not they pay in to the facilities pot. There is an explanation of what these are at the bottom of the page.
If you’re applying for jobs in Cheshire West and Chester and it’s important to you that your school has a good relationship with the Trade Unions then you should have no problem with the schools rated ‘Good‘ below, you might think twice about the schools rated ‘Mixed‘. Each of the schools rated ‘Poor‘ have both refused to sign recognition agreements and don’t pay in the Local Authority’s pot to pay for release time for local officers to do casework there. It doesn’t mean they’re bad schools but it tells you something about their attitude to your rights.
| Academy/MAT | Attitude to Trade Unions | Has signed a TURA? | Pays into Facilities Time? |
| Aspire (Victoria Rd Primary) | Good | Yes | Yes |
| Bishop Bluecoat | Poor | Refused | No |
| Cheshire Academies Trust | Good | Yes | Yes |
| Chester Catholic Academies Partnership (Catholic High) | Poor | Refused | No |
| Chester Diocesan Academies Trust | Good | Yes | Yes |
| Concordia Multi-Academy Trust | Good | Yes | Yes |
| Create Learning Trust | Good | Yes | Yes |
| Fallibroome | Poor | Refused | No |
| Focus Trust | Good | Yes | Yes |
| Frank Field Trust | Good | Yes | Yes |
| Holy Family Catholic MAT | Good | Yes | Yes |
| Kaleidoscope Learning Trust | Good | Yes | Yes |
| Learning Trust | Poor | Refused | No |
| Neston High School | Mixed | No | Yes |
| North West Academies Trust Ltd | Poor | Refused | No |
| Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Academy Trust | Good | Yes | Yes |
| People’s Learning Trust | Good | Yes | Pending |
| Rowan Trust | Good | Yes | Yes |
| The Samara Trust | Poor | Refused | No |
| Sandstone Academy Trust | Good | Yes | Yes |
| Shaw Academy Trust | Good | Yes | Yes |
| Sir John Brunner Foundation | Poor | Refused | No |
| Warrington Primary Academy Trust | ? | Pending | Pending |
| Weaver Trust | Good | Yes | Yes |
Which Schools are in which Trusts?
Aspire Educational Trust: 8 Primary schools, mostly in Cheshire East but including Victoria Road Primary, Cheshire West. Director: Jo Ashcroft
Cheshire Academies Trust: Kelsall Primary, Boughton Heath Primary, Mill View Primary, Overhall Community Primary, Woodfall Primary and Nursery. Director – Dr Harry Ziman.
The Chester Catholic Academies Partnership: The Catholic High School (Chester)
Chester Diocesan Academies Trust: St Paul’s CE Primary School, Dodlston Primary, Huxley, Norley CE Primary, St Oswalds.
Concordia Multi-Academy Trust: Childer Thornton Primary School, Lache Primary, Parklands Community Primary School, William Stockton, Wimboldsley Primary, Wolverham Primary and Nursery School.
Create Learning Trust: Sandiway Primary School, Little Leigh Primary School, Hartford Primary, Cuddington Primary
Fallibroome Trust: Based in Cheshire East, the Trust has 8 schools – only the Winsford Academy is in Cheshire West. CEO – Peter Rubery.
Focus Trust: Has 15 schools across the North West, the only school in Cheshire West is Rudheath Primary.
Frank Field Education Trust: The Frank Field Trust has two schools, The Ellesmere Port C of E College, formerly UCEA (UCAT), formerly Cheshire Oaks/EPSSPA and one school in Cheshire East.
Holy Family Catholic MAT: St Bernard’s RC Primary School
Kaleidoscope Learning Trust: Cloughwood Academy
North West Academies Trust: Delamere CE Primary, St Martin’s Academy ‘(Chester), Oak View (formerly Greenfields), Weaverham Primary Academy (formerly UPAW, formerly Wallerscote), Rudheath Senior Academy (formerly UCAN secondary, formerly Rudheath High), Grosvenor Park CofE Academy, Ellesmere Primary (Shropshire). CEO – Steve Docking.
Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Academy Trust: Ellesmere Port Catholic High, St Joseph’s Primary (Winsford)
People’s Learning Trust: Meadow Primary
Rowan Trust: Whittley Village School, The Acorns Primary & Nursery
Sandstone Trust: Tarporley High, Tarvin Primary, Eaton Primary, Weaverham High.
The Samara Trust: Clutton CofE Primary, Little Sutton CofE Primary, Upton Heath CofE Primary. Chair of Trustee Board – Dr Harry Ziman.
Shaw Education Trust: The Russett School.
Weaver Trust: Barnton Community Nursery and Primary, Comberbach Primary, Grange Community Nursery and Primary, Westminster Community Primary, Leftwich Community Primary. Chair: Michael Jackson, Executive Head: Annette Williams.
Key
Schools with a Trade Union Attitude rating of ‘Good‘ are fully compliant with TU Recognition and the fact they’re paying funds back in to the Facilities Pot means a local officer will be able to help you/attend meetings with you during the school day.
Schools with a ‘Mixed‘ rating are partially compliant.
For schools with a Trade Union Attitude rating of ‘Poor‘, unless you are in serious trouble, in which case you will be supported by a full-time paid official from the Regional office, you will only be able to access union support outside of the school’s working day.
Refused: The school has said they will not recognise the unions and/or will not pay back in to the Facilities Pot.
Trade Union Recognition: ACAS Definition
If a trade union wants to negotiate with an employer on pay and working conditions on behalf of a group of workers, it needs to be recognised by that employer. Usually – and most simply – an employer recognises the union voluntarily, without recourse to any legal procedures.
Facilities
Employers are obliged to provide reasonable time off for union officers to perform union duties (negotiating, supporting and representing members etc.). When the Local Authority was the sole employer this was simple – the LA paid for elected officers to be released from their schools to be trained and support members. Now Academies and Free Schools receive the money that was used to pay for this directly from the government. The best way Academies and Free schools can meet their obligation to provide release time for elected officers is to pay that money (it’s not much) back to the LA. If they decide not to, local officers cannot go in to their schools or support members during the normal working day.
NEU | Cheshire West and Chester 