Taking the next step – forming or joining a multi academy trust
Browne Jacobson has been delighted to again work in partnership with our colleagues and friends at the National Governance Association (NGA) and the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) on the development of this important guidance paper, ‘Taking the next step – a guide to forming or joining a multi academy trust’, published today.
It was back in 2015 that Browne Jacobson first collaborated with the NGA and ASCL on a project to prepare guidance to support senior leaders, trustees and governors of maintained schools and single academy trusts as they considered the future of their school in a system that looked likely to consist largely of academies in multi-academy trusts (MATs).
Since that time our joint guidance has been periodically updated to reflect ongoing policy and other developments in the schools sector. We are confident that with the recent publication by the DfE of a White Paper and a Schools Bill, the latter of which is one of the most significant pieces of education legislation in recent years, the schools sector will welcome the fact that the NGA, ASCL and Browne Jacobson have decided to come together again to substantially rewrite and update the existing version of the guidance document in order to ensure that it continues to play the role it has delivered so well over the last seven years in supporting school leaders, trustees and governors to better understand the current policy landscape, to consider their options and to make the best long-term decision for their school.
Related expertise
You may be interested in...
EdCon2026: Academy mergers that work
The schools white paper is out – how #EdCon2026 will help you
Why MATs are choosing to grow – and top tips to make it work
MAT mergers: A guide for academy trust leaders and trustees
How the Academies Programme could transform higher education
How the Academies Programme evolved: A blueprint for higher education reform?
What universities can learn from the Academies Programme
The Academies Programme and higher education: Key takeaways for university leaders
Be prepared for the 2025-26 school year
Browne Jacobson’s School Leaders Survey illustrates concerns over financial resilience ahead of spending review
The rise in schools-based nurseries and the practicalities for growing trusts
EdCon 2025: Top five takeaways
Handling parent complaints against staff: Panel discussion
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill: Comments from education lawyers
Funding withdrawn for trusts and academy conversions
New guidance for intervention in schools
Browne Jacobson and the National Association of Head Teachers publish new guidance for faith schools faced with joining or becoming an academy trust
School leaders survey Summer 2023 – the results are in
FAQs – academy re-brokerage
New guidance: understanding academy trusts
#EdCon2023 virtual event hailed a success
FAQs - converting to academy status
FAQs - becoming a sponsored academy
FAQs - becoming an academy sponsor
FAQs – single academy joining a MAT
Virtual AGMs
Setting up a trading subsidiary – a guide for academy trusts
We’re pleased to collaborate with Lloyds Bank, who recently asked us and audit and risk specialists Crowe UK to offer guidance that academy trusts would find helpful when considering setting up a trading subsidiary.
Law firm picks up record breaking sixth Education Investor Award
Browne Jacobson’s education team has been named as winner of the ‘Legal Advisors to Education Institutions’ category at the Education Investor Awards 2022 for a record sixth time.
Thousands take part in virtual careers event to help increase diversity in the legal profession
Over 3000 young people from across the UK and Ireland took part in a virtual legal careers insight event, aimed at making the legal profession more diverse.
Leading education lawyers play major role as DfE announces 10,000th academy conversion
The Department for Education (DfE) have announced that the conversion of Donisthorpe Primary School in Leicestershire on 1st September marked the 10,000th academy conversion.
Schools Bill and intervention powers - an update
We provide an update on the Schools Bill proposed legislation & it's impact on academy trusts.
It's time for education to embrace flexible working
If NHS staff can request a flexible approach to working patterns then the sector needs to get serious about what it can offer staff, too, if it is to avoid further strain on recruitment and retention.
Taking the next step – forming or joining a multi academy trust
Local authority academy conversion powers
A question we often get asked by schools is “can I be forced to become an academy?” The answer to that question to date has centred around whether a school is eligible for intervention and, primarily, its Ofsted’s grade.
Implementing school system reform – next steps
Following its publication of the White Paper at the end of March, the Department for Education (DfE) has shared an implementation framework focusing on its plans for “a stronger and fairer school system”.
Academy Intervention Powers
Part 1 of the Schools Bill introduces statutory rights designed to ensure that the Secretary of State has efficient oversight and is equipped to address “instances of failure” in academy trusts.
A Guide to the Schools Bill 2022
Browne Jacobson’s C-suite exec level coaching team appoints two new education specialists
National law firm Browne Jacobson has grown its team behind its dedicated Space + Time executive coaching programme with the addition of two more qualified coaches who will work with clients in the education sector.
Families of Schools – Where are we with the DfE Messaging?
In the intervening years we have seen the actual number of schools converting to academy status over the past few years has gone up and down in a succession of waves.
