1. Academy Conversion Process
Katherine Cowell and Jane Spence
Academies Regional Delivery Group 1

2. Secretary of State, Justine Greening’s view on a school-led education system: Education Select Committee, 1 September 2016
“I do want to see all schools over time become academies, but I think our focus has to be on the schools that are struggling and not doing well enough for children at the moment. Our hope and expectation is that schools will want to steadily take advantage of the benefits that academies can bring, but our focus will be on those schools where we feel that standards need to be raised and they need to do a better job of delivering attainment and progress for children.”

3. Regional School Commissioners
Monitor academy performance and prescribe necessary intervention
Take decisions on creation of new academies and MATs
Manage regional sponsors and approval process
Free school applications
Take decisions on significant changes to open academies
New powers arising from the Education & Adoption Bill

4. Regional decision making
The RSCs are responsible for making decisions that are appropriate for the local area which they oversee – ensuring the education landscape in their area functions well within the regional context. To make these decisions the RSC is supported by a headteacher board.
Advise the RSC in decision making
Bring local knowledge and professional expertise
Provide challenge to the RSC’s thinking
Tackling academy underperformance
New academy provision
Sponsor approvals
Changes to open academies
HTB members are not included in decisions where they could be conflicted.
Headteacher Board (HTB) responsibilities
Decisions HTB offer input on

5. The North Headteacher Board
Zoe Carr CEO - WISE Academies
Chris Clarke Exec Head - Queen Elizabeth School
Nick Hurn Exec Head – Cardinal Hume Catholic School
Lesley Powell CEO – North East Learning Trust
Andy Bayston CEO – Northern Star Academies Trust
Elizabeth Horne CEO – Horizons Specialist Academies Trust
Sir Michael Wilkins Retired CEO of Outwood Grange Academies

6. Growth of academy programme in the North

7. North region academy profile
350 open academies
256 converter academies 78
sponsored academies
10 free schools
2 studio schools
1 CTC and 3 UTCs

8. Routes to becoming an academy
CONVERTER ACADEMIES
Can convert to an academy, normally forming or joining a MAT
Schools that are ‘performing well’
Can convert in a multi-academy MAT with a strong school
Schools not ‘performing well’ but above floor
SPONSORED ACADEMIES
Schools below ‘floor’
Convert to join a strong MAT with a sponsor
Schools below floor or judged as ‘inadequate’
Become sponsored
academies with a sponsor-led
MAT 8

9. Conversion process (4 to 5 months usually)
Before you apply
Applying
Setting up / joining a trust
Transferring responsibilities
to AT
Prepare to Open
Open
Consultation may be carried out at any point but must be completed before the Funding Agreement is signed.

10. Planning to convert Before you apply
Register interest via .GOV website
You will be assigned a Project Lead to support you through the process.
Become familiar with the Academies Financial Handbook
Consider the different types of academy
Get consent - resolution of governing body to convert, consent from trust or foundation, consent from religious body (for faith and church schools)
Consider your school’s financial position and discuss this with your project lead
Informal discussions with staff (including the TUPE process), parents and pupils

11. Making an application Applying
Most converters apply on line (paper application for special schools & PFI).
We need to understand the proposed governance (i.e. members & trustees).
Notify LA of intention to convert (especially if PFI, deficit recovery plan or building works).
Consider what legal support you will use and who will be the lead contact in the school.
RSCs take decisions on applications for academy orders at HTB meetings
Once submitted, we take 2-6 wks to assess applications, and put to Headteacher Board (HTB) for decision
If approved, an academy order is issued.
£25k grant approved in parallel - paid into your school account within 14 working days

12. Setting up or joining a trust Transfer responsibility to AT
Next steps to opening
Setting up your trust
Complete model funding documents
Appoint trustees
Register at Companies House
Transfer responsibilities
Complete funding agreement and land transfer
Transfer staff through TUPE
Register teaching staff with Teachers' Pensions
Prepare to open
Sign the funding agreement
Open trust bank account
Complete DBS checks
Open
Receive first payment
Publish funding agreement on website
Welcome pack from EFA
Setting up or joining a trust
Transfer responsibility to AT
Prepare to Open
Open

13. Multi Academy Trusts Crucial importance of strength and quality
Converting into a MAT strengthens a school
Decreases professional and institutional isolation
Performance can be driven up across the trust’s academies
Effective governance structures a key factor in success
Economies of scale
Collaboration

14. Benefits of the Multi Academy Trust Excellent leadership being spread across ALL partner schools
Leadership development then happens across all schools
Sharing of resources without any barriers
Reduced costs when contracts go across a group of school – can save up to 10% of individual school budgets
Ultimately all the schools become campuses of the whole ‘school’, which is the Trust
Each site and all staff have greater ‘clout’ across the whole community