Search Mobile

collapse

already registered?

Please sign in with your existing account details.

Email address

Password

need to register?

Register to access exclusive content, sign up to receive our updates and personalise your experience on brownejacobson.com.

Privacy statement - Terms and conditions

Forgotten your password?

collapseSign

Browne Jacobson home

Education home

Services

Academy sponsorships and MATs

academy sponsorships and MATs

corporate-ipad-meeting-with-pen

Our team has extensive national experience supporting academy group projects. Indeed, over half of the conversion projects we have worked on have involved the creation of, or adding academies to, academy groups. Projects have included multi-academy trusts (MATs), umbrella trusts (UTs) and collaborative partnerships covering single phase groups, multi-phase groups, mixed MATs (church and non-church academies), Roman Catholic groups and Church of England groups.

We have created numerous innovative group structures using the MAT and UT formats together to overcome local difficulties. The academy projects we have advised on have emanated from 111 different maintaining local authorities, giving us exceptional experience of dealing with different local authority and Diocesan approaches.

You may currently be a multi-academy trust or sponsor who is an experienced education organisation with a strong track record in academy conversions. You might, equally, currently be a maintained school or single academy looking to set up a multi-academy trust or start your expansion programme.

Whatever your size, we know you need your legal partner to be commercial and efficient in providing academy sponsorship and conversion support, to strict timeframes and without unnecessary complications.

what we do...

Strategic support and project planning – we create a tailored plan for your project, highlighting key dates, activities, FAQs and deadlines for every stage of the conversion process.
Governance and commercial support – including agreeing the Articles and the provision of a simple form to help incorporate your academy trust, negotiation and agreement of the Funding Agreement with the DfE and negotiation and agreement of the Commercial Transfer Agreement with the local authority.

School land, estate and buildings – we provide a detailed ‘report on title’ relating to your school estate as well as dealing with registration matters at the Land Registry.
TUPE/employee transfer - support and practical guidance in relation to pension schemes.
Post conversion academy support - with access to our legal helpline – Quickcall – for help on any legal matter during and for three months after conversion.

related resources

Understanding re-brokerage for academies webinar

In this webinar, Hayley and Katie will explore re-brokerage arrangements including the Regional School Commissioners’ legal powers and the circumstances in which an academy may be at risk of being re-brokered, as well as the potential consequences of refusing to consent to such an arrangement.

View

Upcoming webinars

Re-brokering academies webinar

View upcoming webinars

Guides

FAQs - Ofsted focused inspections

These FAQs are designed for multi-academy trusts ('MATs') who want to understand more about Ofsted’s focused inspections and the subsequently published letters.

View

Guides

FAQs – academy re-brokerage

Theses FAQs are designed for academy trusts who want to understand more about the Department for Education’s (DfE) approach to ‘re-brokering’ existing academies.

View

View all

what our clients say....

Exceptional client service Browne Jacobson

When our Principals evaluate the services we offer as a multi-academy trust, our partnership with Browne Jacobson has consistently been rated the most valued. We have worked with Browne Jacobson since our inception in 2012 and trust them to proactively alert us to changes that we need to be aware of and to help us plan to deal with the ever-changing education landscape. The firm have supported us through significant growth periods and many varied challenges. When a problem occurs it is incredibly reassuring to know that we have Browne Jacobson in our corner. We know that there will always be someone in the Browne Jacobson team who has the relevant education expertise relating to the matter we are facing.

Claire Pritchard, COO, Academy Transformation Trust

Browne Jacobson's skilled and experienced staff put us at ease, and guided us through each stage with clear direction and understanding. They supported us as a school and as an umbrella trust; enabling our staff to work together and manage the complex change with confidence.

Head Teacher, St. John's Primary School

Browne Jacobson have proactively managed the formation of our MAT. When required, they have responded positively to our requests and have been agile to changing circumstances.

Keith Perry, Bursar, Wessex Learning Trust - The Kings of Wessex Academy

what the directories say...

A client adds: 'The firm is a very efficient and effective organisation, and I often hear other colleagues around the country reflecting on the high quality of their work, guidance and support.'

Chamber 2018

The ‘highly professional and responsive’ team at Browne Jacobson LLP assists educational providers, including multi-academy trusts, with restructuring and academisation as well as providing regulatory advice and representing institutional clients in discrimination claims.

Legal 500 2017

Browne Jacobson LLP’s ‘response times are either immediate or at the very minimum less than 24 hours. Its knowledge of the education sector is second to none, in particular for academies’.

Legal 500 2017

A very impressive team with a breadth of expertise in the education sector and, more specifically, special education needs. They are very up to the minute on the latest issues arising within the education sector.

Chambers 2017

A highly ambitious organisation with a superb corporate image, excellent client support and good commercial awareness.

Chambers 2017

Very good knowledge of 'academisation', and good advice on where local authority's approach is typical or reasonable, and where it should be challenged.

Chambers 2016

Leading national education practice, with significant experience advising on academic issues

Chambers 2016

recent experience

Supporting an existing multi-academy trust selected by the DfE to step in and support a number of failing academies. Our advice and support was required at short notice which often meant attending Board meetings to provide timely advice in order to effectively support the MAT to deliver the project in difficult circumstances and a tight time-frame.
Trusted legal advisors for a big multi-academy trust on over 20 of its academy projects, including fast track and fully sponsored, PFI conversions, a special free school, a mainstream free school and the establishment of a brand new academy led by a local authority.
Supporting a secondary academy wanting to become an approved sponsor and adopt multi-academy status. Working with the academy we helped them understand the DfE’s requirements in order to write a successful business case. We worked with the leadership team and governing body to explore their future aspirations to design a suitable governance structure and help them implement a MAT that was suitable for their future strategic vision.
Supporting four secondary schools wishing to adopt academy status within a multi-academy trust. We worked with the leadership teams and governors to help them understand the process, DfE requirements and design a MAT that met their local circumstances.