This post may annoy some of the people I know and admire. If so, my apologies. However, the advert below raises some interesting questions in my mind.

Fundraising Officer – About this role

This is a hands-on role where you will have the opportunity to build your fundraising experience and make a real contribution to the MAT’s ability to increase funding for key educational priorities and initiatives. You will also be helping to build the culture of philanthropy across the MAT’s community, managing resources, administration, and communications across the network.

You will be pivotal in researching and applying for funding from grant-making bodies, and also supporting the freelance fundraising consultant to build meaningful relationships with potential donors, local businesses, and other stakeholder groups.

You will also be responsible for managing the day-to-day running and support of the Trust-wide CRM fundraising database, ensuring best practice, alongside developing, and supporting the user base across the school network.

Working  with our freelance fundraising consultant, and reporting into the Trust’s CFO, the medium- to long- term goal is to ensure that the Trust continues to build a strong and dynamic fundraising community, alongside increasing the amount of philanthropic income used to support important areas of educational need.

Firstly, what would happen if a local authority advertised such a role to support maintained schools? Might some other political parties, question the use of public money to help raise cash for  education projects? However, at least it would be used locally.

Secondly, how far should the remit of Multi Academy Trusts run? Should they be funding projects that aim to improve the lives of the children that either attend or will attend their schools rather than focus on the actual schooling? What of MATs with schools spread across a wide area. Should funds raised in one area by available to use anywhere, as with  other charities?

Thirdly, what happens if a number of the MATs in the same area all decide to employ such a person? The unregulated landscape of MATs, where ‘many flowers already bloom’ raises questions about overheads and the cost-effective nature of the funds already being used to support so many different small-scale education enterprises, all with limited local democratic oversight.

Of course, I am an unreconstructed supporter  of local government taking the lead in education for a locality. There are already many posts on this blog reflecting my views about democracy and education at the local level.

However, in terms of this post I do have to declare an interest. More than 30 years ago, in the 1990s, when Local Management of Schools meant devolved budgets, and the control of assets passed to schools, I created a Module in the post-graduate programme for teachers studying at Oxford Polytechnic, as it still was then, called ‘Marketing & Public Relations in Education’.  At least one deputy head that took the module then created a new role at the school where he worked just to increase income by marketing the school facilities during the holidays and at weekends. At the same time a school near Heathrow developed a clubhouse for users of its sports facilities when not being used by the school.  Income from the use of school facilities has become an accepted route to increase school funds. This new role takes the concept further into ‘funding for key educational priorities and initiatives’ more widely, and not just for one school’s benefit.

As MATs are exempt charities, presumably funds raised can benefit from charity law regarding contributions. I am sure that local authorities would look at establishing a charity for similar projects, if they don’t already have such a charity, if this source of fund-raising by MATs were to spread beyond one innovative MAT.

The DfE is going to be hard-pressed to secure funding for schools in the next spending review. It would be a real tragedy if HM Treasury decided that this type of fund raising by MATs should not only support new initiatives but also core projects such as SEND, where funding is desperately needed.

Let me know what you think in the comments.