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School structures

Federations: a guide for governing boards

How federations work, why schools federate and how the process works.

Guidance
23/12/2024
training three people at a tablet discussing notes

A federation is a formal structure between two or more local authority maintained schools, with one governing body that is accountable for all schools in the federation.

There are many potential benefits of schools federating. Among them are opportunities to collaborate; share expertise and resources; develop staff; strengthen leadership, governance and long term financial sustainability.

The guide covers:

  • what a federation is and how it operates
  • potential reasons for federating
  • the process of federating
  • further governance considerations for federations

A template federation proposal document is also provided to support the consultation process.

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