The University of Brighton Academies Trust (UBAT) has decided it will no longer be running the 14 schools it was responsible for.
The trust has asked the Department of Education to re-assign them to other academy trusts.
UBAT operated schools in Shoreham, Crawley, Burgess Hill, Hastings, St Leonards and Lindfield but none in Brighton and Hove.
Hastings Academy (Image: Google Maps) Parents, teachers and politicians have been campaigning against the trust after it was found that it kept around 20 per cent of government funding for itself.
This was revealed when Sally-Anne Hart, the former Conservative MP for Hastings, made a freedom of information request, followed by another from the National Education Union (NEU) , that revealed that UBAT was reserving a higher than average percentage of funding money meant for individual schools for its ‘central services’.
Staff who are members of the NEU protested last summer against UBAT reportedly withholding funds.
Burgess Hill Academy staff reported that between 2021 and 2023, £2,829,000 had been withheld from the school.
Staff striking outside Hastings Academy over a UBAT funding backlash in 2024 (Image: NEU) Helena Dollimore Labour MP for Hastings, who has been campaigning against UBAT since she won her seat in the General Election, called the announcement ‘vindication’ for her constituents.
The MP brought forward her concerns over the funding model in December in Parliament.
She said: “Parents, teachers and students in my constituency were horrified to find out that the University of Brighton Academies Trust has been taking a whopping 20 per cent of the Government grant meant for our local schools and education.”
Dollimore then asked the Minister for school standards, Catherine McKinnell, what her plan was to resolve these issues and ‘make sure that every child in Hastings and Rye gets the best quality education.’
The minister agreed that outcomes in some schools in Hastings were ‘just not good enough’.
She said: “Department officials continue to work with the University of Brighton Academies Trust on that.
“The trust is now committed to ending its current financial model and to collaborating with school leaders on future budget setting to ensure we can drive high and rising standards in every school, including in Hastings.”
Helena Dollimore Labour MP for Hastings and Rye (Image: Laurie Noble) Following this exchange in December, UBAT announced on January 20 that it informed the Department of Education that it is seeking ‘to transfer the academies in the trust to other academy trusts’.
This included West St Leonards Primary Academy, Dudley Infant Academy, The Baird Primary Academy, Churchwood Primary Academy, Robsack Wood Primary Academy and Silverdale Primary Academy, as well as Hastings Academy and St Leonards Academy.
Reacting to the news, MP Dollimore, said: “This is a victory for the young people of Hastings and Rye, and a vindication of what pupils, parents and teachers have been campaigning for.
“There will now be a process to determine who runs our local schools. I will be asking all those involved how they plan to work with, not against, the local community to drive up standards.
“Our local schools have been left behind for too long. It is not good enough that over half our young people leave without the basic qualifications in English and Maths.
“I am determined to work with local parents, school staff and young people to make sure that every child here can get the best possible start in life.”
School staff who are NEU members protesting against UBAT at St Leonards Academy (Image: NEU) The NEU said at the time that it was ‘not surprised’ that the trust has decided to cease operating the schools, stating that ‘financial mismanagement’, ‘lack of transparency’ and ‘insufficient funding of frontline services’ have damaged the schools.
The union also made it clear that it wants all schools to ‘return to local authority control’ and for the government to ‘properly fund local councils’ to provide a good education.
The Department of Education also said at the time that it is working to select the ‘strongest alternative’ for each school and that Hastings is at the ‘heart’ of it’s mission.
A spokeswoman said: “We are working closely with the Trust, schools and local authorities involved to select the strongest alternative providers for each of the schools and to ensure a smooth transition.
“High and rising standards in every school, including in Hastings, is at the heart of this government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity.”
The University of Brighton Academies Trust has been approached for comment.
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