Academies: Introduction
Schools can become academies through two routes: they can choose to convert to academy status or they may be required to become a sponsored academy by the Secretary of State (the second route is sometimes referred to as ‘forced academisation’) Whichever route is followed, your Diocesan Board of Education (DBE) will be closely involved to protect the school’s Christian ethos and the interests of any trustees of the school’s site.
Church schools can only become academies with the consent of the DBE. For this reason it is vital that, if your school is considering academy status, you contact the Education Team as early as possible. We can then guide and support you through the process.
Before it can approve any school’s conversion to academy status your DBE will need to be satisfied that:
Schools can become academies either individually or in groups as multi academy trusts. There are also approved structures for individual academies to work together in formal collaborations. It is possible for both these collaborations and multi academy trusts to consist of any combination of VA, VC and community schools. Any multi academy trust that includes a mix of different types of school must be established on the VA model but with safeguards to protect the character of any VC or community schools in the trust.
For further information about the models or to discuss becoming an academy, please contact: liane.atkin@drmnewcanglican.org
Schools can become academies through two routes: they can choose to convert to academy status or they may be required to become a sponsored academy by the Secretary of State (the second route is sometimes referred to as ‘forced academisation’) Whichever route is followed, your Diocesan Board of Education (DBE) will be closely involved to protect the school’s Christian ethos and the interests of any trustees of the school’s site.
Church schools can only become academies with the consent of the DBE. For this reason it is vital that, if your school is considering academy status, you contact the Education Team as early as possible. We can then guide and support you through the process.
Before it can approve any school’s conversion to academy status your DBE will need to be satisfied that:
- becoming an academy is in the best interests of the children and the school;
- quality of provision in the school will be maintained and improved;
- there is a robust business case for becoming an academy;
- the governance structures are consistent with nationally approved models and will therefore protect the school’s ethos.
Schools can become academies either individually or in groups as multi academy trusts. There are also approved structures for individual academies to work together in formal collaborations. It is possible for both these collaborations and multi academy trusts to consist of any combination of VA, VC and community schools. Any multi academy trust that includes a mix of different types of school must be established on the VA model but with safeguards to protect the character of any VC or community schools in the trust.
For further information about the models or to discuss becoming an academy, please contact: liane.atkin@drmnewcanglican.org
