1. Joanne Davison and Diane Houghton Thursday 23 June 2016
Becoming an Academy
Joanne Davison and Diane Houghton
Thursday 23 June 2016

2. Agenda Where are we now? Process
Role of Board and role of Local Governing Body (LGB)
Questions and comments

3. School landscape
15% of primaries and 60% of secondaries are academies – Sept 2015
Education and Adoption Act 2016 gives SoS the power to intervene in “coasting schools”. GBs now have to facilitate conversion following an academy order
New DfE white paper proposes all maintained schools will be academies or in the process of becoming academies by end of 2020
Meanwhile LA services are receding

4. Structures Before .... Hard federation Soft federation
Single academy trust
Umbrella Trust
Now.....
Multi academy trust (MAT)

5. Process GB to resolve to convert (or consider) Consultation
Project plan and identify team
Application to DfE (and funding)
Appoint professional advisers
Order received

6. Process Establish MAT Memorandum and articles of association
Who are the members?
Who will sit on the board?
NAME and registered office?

7. MAT
“Academy trust” established with a view to running two or more academies
Company limited by guarantee and charity
Members
Board of directors
CEO / executive head is normally a director
at least two parent directors?
Committees / local governing bodies

8. Role of Board
Ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
Holding the head teacher to account for the educational performance of the School and its pupils and the performance management of staff
Overseeing the financial performance of the School and making sure its money is well spent
(Governors’ Handbook)

9. Role of Local Governing Body
Scheme of delegation
Committee of main Board
Localised issues
Reporting to Board

10. MAT
Company structure

11. MAT
Company structure

12. MAT
Directors will decide how much responsibility to delegate committees / local governing bodies e.g. significant decision-making power versus advisory only
MAT will receive funding from EFA
Directors may retain (‘top slice’) a percentage of schools’ funding for central services

13. Process TUPE Transfer Agreement Pensions Insurance New systems?
due diligence
contracts
Pensions
Insurance
New systems?

14. Process Funding Agreements Land Questionnaire Lease
Registrations / Notifications
Internal organisation
admissions
policies and procedures
buy in arrangements

15. Leadership
Senior leadership structure will vary depending on number and size of the schools, the skills, experience and ambition of the school leaders
Heads must remain accountable for performance and able to take action
Executive head can also be substantive head at one or more of the schools

16. Questions?