Schools Bill Amendments & CEO Exit

Welcome to The Daily School Leaders Briefing for Wednesday, May 21st, 2025. Today's essential update for UK school leaders covers significant proposed amendments to the government's Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill currently in the House of Lords, and news of a sudden leadership change at a major Multi-Academy Trust.

Key Briefings Inside:

1. Peers Seek to Water Down Schools Bill Powers with 500+ Amendments: We delve into the committee stage of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill in the House of Lords, where around 500 amendments have been tabled. Explore key proposals from peers including Shadow Education Minister Baroness Barran's attempts to limit the Education Secretary's broad new "direction" powers over trusts, extend academy pay freedoms to maintained schools, and restart paused free school projects. Understand former academies minister Lord Agnew's push to exempt 'good' academies from the national curriculum and align maintained school financial accountability with academies. Other significant amendments cover extending profit caps to independent special schools, free school meal expansion, school phone bans, faith school admission caps, collective worship, and branded uniform limits. Note the large number of amendments concerning home education tabled by Lord Wei. Analyse the potential impact of these proposed changes on school governance, operations, and central oversight.

   Keywords: Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, House of Lords amendments, Baroness Barran, Lord Agnew, Education Secretary direction powers, academy freedoms, free schools, independent special schools profit cap, maintained school accountability, faith school admissions, collective worship, school uniform policy, home education Lord Wei.

2. CEO of Large MAT GLF Schools Departs Suddenly After 18 Months: We report on the unexpected departure of Julian Drinkall as Chief Executive Officer of GLF Schools, one of England's largest MATs with 43 academies. Learn that he stepped down "effective immediately" by "mutual agreement" after less than 18 months in the role, with Chief Finance Officer James Nicholson appointed as interim CEO. Understand the context of Mr. Drinkall's tenure, during which GLF Schools undertook restructuring leading to £242,000 in redundancy payments in 2023-24 and a 4% reduction in staff numbers, alongside trialling a controversial mobile phone "blackout" app. Analyse the implications of this leadership change within a prominent MAT.

   Keywords: GLF Schools CEO departure, Julian Drinkall, James Nicholson interim CEO, Multi-Academy Trust leadership, MAT executive changes, academy trust restructuring, redundancy payments MATs, school mobile phone policy, Academies Enterprise Trust.