Apply to become an academy: what you will need

You will be expected to have certain information and evidence when you begin your application.

Information about the trust

You must know whether the school is going to:

• join an existing multi-academy trust
• form a new multi-academy trust with other schools

If you are forming a new trust you will also need:

• a proposed name for the new trust - this can be changed later
• a reason or reasons for forming a trust
• plans for growing the trust
• plans for improving teaching
• details of any trustees
• details of the chair of the trust
• details of any other schools in the trust

Finance information

You will be asked to provide details of

• the school's capital and revenue for last year, this year and next year
• any loans
• any leases
• a bank account - either of the school or trust - that the school's support grant can be paid into

Pupil numbers

You will be asked to provide projected pupil numbers for the next 3 years.

Land and building information

You will need to provide information about the school's buildings and the land they are built on.

This includes details of:

• shared use buildings
• grants
• PFI schemes
• who owns the land
• any building work

Evidence of permission to convert

You will be asked to provide evidence that stakeholders are happy for the school to convert to an academy.

This will include:

• a resolution passed by the school's governing body
• a letter from the new trust the school is joining, or minutes of their board meeting
• a letter of consent from the diocese if it's a faith school
• a letter of consent from the foundation trust if it's a foundation school
• information about the consultation the school has carried out-or will carry out, if this has not yet happened