Jump to content

Academy research

Executive summary

  • The executive summary provides a background of the study, key findings and summarises the implications for leadership development.

Converting to an academy

More detailed information about the motivations behind converting to an academy and what converting is like in practice can be found in chapter five of the full report.

Motivations

The challenges in moving to academy status were linked to the motivations for becoming an academy.

For sponsored academies, with the new freedoms and additional resources, came enormous pressure to achieve rapid improvement. Therefore, the subsequent challenges for leaders in these academies were of a strategic and operational nature, and included, for example, revisiting the vision and ethos of the school and re-aligning leadership structures. Each of these was directly linked to improving pupil outcomes.

In comparison, the challenges for leaders in converting academies, were largely administrative and procedural, and were not linked to pupil outcomes. The administrative nature of the process for converting academies suggests that academy status for these schools was being viewed as an opportunity to gain or, in the case of former grant-maintained schools, regain autonomy from their local authority rather than an opportunity to do things radically different.

Challenges

This is a summary of some of the main challenges noted by interviewees.

Sponsored academies Converting academies
Challenging staff to recognise previous underperformance to meet expected standards Managing stakeholders (the local authority, teacher unions), some of whom were believed to be opposed to their conversion - in the case of local authorities, some schools noted a challenge in getting them to agree the transfer/leases of land.
Revisiting and refining the ethos, vision and values of the academy Volume of administration involved in the process.
(Re)aligning leadership structures to achieve better outcomes for pupils Burden placed on senior and middle leaders (but particularly the bursar or business manager) to complete the conversion process in a relatively short space of time.
Engaging with parents and carers and  the wider community  
TUPE of staff from predecessor school to academy  

Enablers

Senior and middle leaders in converting academies identified some key enablers that had contributed to a smooth transition to academy status.

Summary of enablers that contributed to a smooth conversion.

Enablers Supporting evidence
Previous experience of a change in status

A number of the schools had a previous change in status (GM, foundation, trust) and were already familiar with the processes involved in changing school status, being their own admissions body, employing their own staff and owning school grounds. This assisted greatly in simplifying the conversion process.

Inclusive process

Many interviewees felt that they had been fully included in the process and at the most appropriate points. The process usually involved the headteacher or principal, the governing body, staff, parents, unions and the local authority. Most of the schools engaged in a consultation process, particularly with staff and parents. This gave those most directly affected by the changes an opportunity to raise any issues or concerns they had (eg, in relation to staff pay and conditions).

Technical and legal expertise Almost all the case study schools pointed to the importance of having appropriate technical and legal expertise to enable the process to run smoothly.

Process of converting to academy status

The Department for Education provides a guidance document outlining the steps schools have to take when converting to an academy. It also offers a summarised flowchart that you can download and some video clips of headteachers talking about their own experiences of the different aspects of conversion.

Example of conversion journey

The process of converting for a primary school

Background

The academy is a primary school and serves pupils from a mixed socio-economic area. The proportion of pupils entitled to Free School Meals is approximately 8 per cent, which is below the national average. The school has a total enrolment of c. 300 pupils and has 40 staff, 12 of whom are class-based teachers.

Factors which motivated the school to become an academy

  • Freedom from LA control;
  • Freedom to control their own finances and prioritise spending as they consider appropriate; and
  • Freedom to expand collaboration and become trailblazers for innovation in their area.

What was the conversion process like?

The headteacher and deputy headteacher commenced the process on the day that extension of academy freedoms were announced by government. They both worked full-time through the summer holiday in order to progress conversion. The school employed a project management company which had done other academy start-ups and they took on a solicitor. The total cost of conversion was c. £15,000.

They discussed the advantages and disadvantages of the status with the governing body. Governors then delegated responsibility to the headteacher to continue the process. Consultation was then extended to teaching staff. Finally, parents were sent a question and answer document. Three parent forums were held, but attendance was low (only 10 families attended). However, a number of parents indicated to the school that they trusted the school to do the right thing. Teacher unions initially appeared to oppose conversion, but after a secret staff ballot voted in favour of conversion, they appeared to alter their stance.

Support received by the school

The school was frequently on the phone to the Department for Education during the process, but they felt that they did not - at that stage - have all the answers, though there was an acceptance that they were as helpful as they could be given the evolving nature of programme.

“I attended the SSAT briefing meeting in June, but this wasn’t entirely helpful as they were talking about sponsorship, which wouldn’t apply to us.” (Headteacher)

“The Department for Education was as helpful as it could be.” (Deputy headteacher)

The process of converting for a secondary school

Background

The school is a co-educational grammar school. It serves a wide geographical area with admissions from more than 50 primary schools. A significant majority of students come from more advantaged social backgrounds and the proportion of students entitled to free school meals is well below the national average. Relatively few students are from minority ethnic backgrounds, and the proportion for whom English is an additional language is low. It was designated a grant maintained school in the 1990s and then became a foundation school. In December 2010 it became an academy.

Factors which motivated the school to become an academy

  • Freedoms in relation to the curriculum and being able to make decisions without having to ask permission;
  • Financial autonomy; and
  • More flexibility to employ and contact staff.

What was the conversion process like?

The headteacher had discussions with other schools in the area. In addition, the chair of governors is a member of the national grammar school heads association and had appropriate opportunities to discuss the pros and cons of becoming an academy.

The governing body was heavily involved in planning. There were three stages for governors: firstly, they were given a briefing by the headteacher; secondly, analysis of benefits was undertaken and approval given to proceed, and; thirdly, there was detailed planning to understand what needed to be done to convert to an academy.  

The school engaged in a period of consultation with staff, parents and pupils and this was generally thought to have worked well by senior and middle leaders.

Conversion challenges

The school experienced a number of challenges in converting to academy status, which were eventually resolved. These included:

  • Issues over land ownership and how it would pass back to the Academy Trust;
  • Issues relating to the composition of the governing body and pension liabilities; and
  • Managing a diverse range of stakeholders.

Support for converting to an academy

There are a number of sources that can offer support and guidance to schools going through the process or thinking about it.