"Shared Services" provisions for MAT academies

Response to this request is long overdue. By law, under all circumstances, North Warwickshire and Hinckley College should have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

Dear Midland Academies Trust (c/o NWHC),

I wish to request information about the "Shared Services" provisions for MAT academies detailed on the MAT website.

Specifically, please provide the following:

- Confirmation of whether or not specialist technical advice has been sought for the replacement of IT provisions at member academies.
- A summary technical specification of the planned IT services, including platforms, software solutions, and service providers to be engaged.
- A project plan, or summary of, outlining the timescales for transitioning to the new IT services arrangement.
- A summary of any objections or concerns raised during the drafting of the Shared Services agreements, including responses.

Further to this, please provide:

- A copy of the Service Level Agreements relating to IT provisions; or
- A summary of the contents of the Service Level Agreements.

I believe it to be in the public interest that this information is disclosed, because:

- Larger scale IT deployments, if improperly managed, have a greater scope for failure.
- Failure of IT in schools will have a detrimental impact upon students' learning.
- Therefore the quality of education may decrease if a centralised IT service is implemented and improperly managed.

- MAT schools are partially or wholly funded using public money.
- Therefore, the proposals may constitute a misuse of public funds if the service is improperly managed.

Yours faithfully,

Paul Callender