The University of Brighton Academies Trust (Ubat) is set to transfer its schools after facing strikes from teachers over financial mismanagement. Teachers initiated protests against the trust's decision to allocate unusually high sums of money from school budgets for backroom costs. Ubat, which manages 11 primary and three secondary schools in Sussex, will collaborate with the Department of Education (DoE) to ensure stability and continuity during this transition.
The financial controversy has led to criticism from the National Education Union (NEU), which called for all Ubat schools to return to local authority control. The NEU emphasized the need for staff to have adequate resources to support educational activities daily. A spokesperson for the union highlighted the concerns, stating:
"Financial mismanagement, lack of transparency and insufficient funding of frontline services have damaged Ubat schools and made our members' jobs harder." – National Education Union spokesperson
Ubat has acknowledged facing "times of challenge and change" and remains committed to ensuring that each academy provides the best possible education for all its young people. Despite the protests and criticism, the trust plans to work with the DoE over the coming months. However, no decisions have yet been made about which school might join which trust, leaving the future of these schools uncertain.
"no decisions have yet been made about which school might join which trust"
As the trust prepares to hand over its schools, it continues to face scrutiny over its financial management practices. The NEU has consistently criticized Ubat for its approach, arguing that the trust's financial decisions have undermined educational services and complicated the roles of educators.
