The council has approved the transfer of two Dudley schools to academy trusts ahead of the new term, signalling a change in governance that will see staff and school budgets move from local authority control to academy sponsors.
Which schools are affected
Old Park School, a special school in Brierley Hill that caters for pupils up to 19 with severe learning difficulties including autism and complex medical needs, will join Dudley Academies Trust on 1 September. The school is rated Outstanding by Ofsted.
Milking Bank Primary School in Dudley will transfer to the Invictus Education Trust, also on 1 September. Its most recent Ofsted inspection judged the school to be Good.
Staff, finances and legal arrangements
Under TUPE arrangements the employees at both schools will move to their respective trusts. Key figures for each institution are:
- Old Park School: 152 employees, including 22 teaching staff.
- Milking Bank Primary: 69 employees, including 22 teaching staff.
| School | Projected 2025/26 position | What transfers |
|---|---|---|
| Old Park School | Deficit £158,000 | Deficit and staff transfer to Dudley Academies Trust |
| Milking Bank Primary | Surplus £74,000 | Surplus and staff transfer to Invictus Education Trust |
Standards and inspection comments
The local authority’s cabinet member for children and young people authorised the moves. Ofsted reports cited in the council papers highlight the strengths of both schools.
"The Old Park School is a nurturing place where pupils feel safe and happy. Pupils learn about a wide range of topics and subjects and enjoy coming to school."
On Milking Bank, inspectors noted positive pupil behaviour, strong governance and good staff morale in the 2023 inspection that resulted in an overall judgment of "Good".
What this means locally
The transfers will shift day-to-day governance from the council to the academy trusts, which will take responsibility for curriculum decisions, staffing and the schools’ budgets. For families and staff, the immediate changes are likely to be administrative; both schools will remain open and continue to provide the services described in their recent inspections.
For the council, the move also means a reallocation of financial risk: Old Park’s forecast deficit will transfer to the Dudley Academies Trust, while Milking Bank’s forecast surplus will pass to Invictus. The numbers involved are modest in the context of the wider education budget but will be material to the trusts and to future planning at each school.
Parents or staff with questions about the transfers should contact their school leadership in the first instance or the relevant academy trust. The council’s children’s services team will continue to maintain oversight of educational outcomes in the borough.
This change takes effect from the start of the autumn term on 1 September.
