Conversion to Academy Status

Converting to an academy is a significant and exciting milestone, but it can also be complex. We are here to ensure a smooth and seamless transition, supporting you every step of the way. We work alongside Governors and Boards to explore the options providing independent insight into the opportunities and risks in becoming an academy and joining a multi-academy trust.

Our comprehensive conversion support package enables governors and school leaders to remain focused on their core responsibilities while we manage the process efficiently, ensuring the transition is completed on time and within budget.

What can we do for you?

Due diligence: we will work with you to explore the options of MAT partner and also to facilitate any due diligence on partners that you may wish to undertake. This can be a high-level desktop analysis or detailed comprehensive due diligence.
Detailed Project Planning: We develop a comprehensive project plan outlining key roles, responsibilities, deadlines, and risk management strategies.
Steering Groups & Working Parties: We arrange and facilitate project steering groups and working parties to keep all stakeholders aligned.
Risk Management: We provide and maintain a complete risk register to mitigate potential risks.
Stakeholder Consultation: We manage stakeholder consultations to ensure all voices are heard and included in the decision-making process.
Governance Planning: We can support the implementation of robust governance structures, including the establishment of a Trust Scheme of Delegation.
Legal Management: Our team handles all day-to-day legal liaison, ensuring compliance throughout the process.
Policies & Procedures: We can develop and refine policies and procedures tailored to your needs.
Finance Advice: Financial planning including development of school budgets into MAT structures. Additional capacity can be offered through our team of specialist consultants.
HR Advice: Specialist HR and TUPE advice during the conversion process ranging from facilitation of the TUPE process from the current employer perspective. Additional capacity can be offered through our team of specialist consultants.

What our clients think:

OAKBRIDGE CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL - New Primary School

Dales Academies Trust, supported by GKA, successfully applied to sponsor a new Primary Free School in North Northallerton, which was proposed by North Yorkshire County Council to fulfil an anticipated shortfall in pupil places once new homes in the town were built. The new school will offer 210 primary places to children aged 4-11 years.

GKA were commissioned in 2021 to project manage the pre-opening phase and development of the new Primary Free School – Oakbridge Church of England Primary School. GKA guided Dales through the Free School process and contractual arrangements, liaising with the DfE and LA, setting up governance structures (including a ‘Friends Committee’ who will act as a fundraising body for the school), oversaw the development of the education brief, led procurement of ICT and FF&E contracts and managed the stakeholder consultation.

Working alongside the LA, GKA maintained oversight of the build project, ensuring everything was on track. The new building is due to be handed over at the end of June this year and the first intake of Reception children will join Oakbridge CofE Primary School in September 2024.

DAMIAN CHUBB, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, DALES ACADEMIES TRUST

“GKA have worked with Dales since its formation in 2017 and were instrumental in the successful application for the new school. They have been an extended member of our team leading on key aspects of the project, particularly in the areas of the build, consultation and compliance. We are on track to open on time; GKA’s final activities will include managing the build handover, FF&E delivery and ICT install, as well as community engagement.”

Gilbert Ward Academy - New Special Free School (SEMH)

GKA supported Prosper Learning Trust with their growth plan and application for a fifth school, Gilbert Ward Academy, in late 2019. In May 2020, the Department for Education approved the application for Prosper Learning Trust as the preferred academy trust to deliver a new Special Free School in Northumberland for children aged 11-16 with Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs and autism. Following approval of the feasibility and outline plans for the capital build project the Trust were able to move forward with the statutory consultation.

GKA provided advice and guidance on the contractual arrangements, overseeing the consultation process, setting up governance arrangements, supporting the development of an education brief, and overseeing the build project. The build project had a challenging timescale from the start and a temporary solution to house the school from September 2023 was required. The school opened in September 2023 in community centre provision and the new build was handed over to the Trust in January 2024. GKA were able to support Prosper Learning Trust through this complex process.

CHRIS RICHARDSON, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER PROSPER LEARNING TRUST

“GKA supported the Trust through every phase of the Free School process which culminated in the opening of Gilbert Ward Academy in September 2023. Their engagement with the project started years earlier when they coordinated the writing of the initial bid to the DfE, providing a detailed project plan for the bidding process and a continual loop of quality assurance activity based on their extensive experience of the sector and the process. This included support for and participation in the DfE interview which resulted in the Trust being appointed as the lead partner in the project. GKA then supported us through the entire pre-opening phase by once again producing and monitoring a sophisticated project plan and supporting the steering group and associated committees which transitioned the school to its successful opening.

GKA are experts in this field. They have an intuitive understanding of the guidance and regulations and extensive contacts in associated organisations. They marry this with robust internal protocols around project planning, management and quality assurance. They work hard, meet deadlines and deliver their service to a consistently high standard. Importantly they instill confidence in all the relevant stakeholders and are responsive and approachable at all times.

GKA have now supported Prosper Learning Trust with two successful Free Schools and are currently supporting a third into its pre-opening phase.”

ELEMENTS ACADEMY - New Special Free School (SEMH)

In 2021, GKA supported Ethos Academy Trust in submitting an application to sponsor a new special free school in Rotherham. In February 2022 the Department for Education approved the application from Ethos Academy Trust to be the preferred partner to deliver the new school for 125 pupils aged 7-16 years with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.

GKA project managed the new free school from consultation, TUPE and through to completion, liaising with Rotherham Council to facilitate the procurement of all the ICT, furniture and equipment, this involved working closely with Rotherham Council to ensure that the building was fit for purpose for an alternative provision academy with suitable safety features (CCTV, gates, anti-climb paint and devices etc). GKA also managed the recruitment of over 35 staff, screening candidates and completing safer recruitment and DBS checks through the summer to ensure that all staff were cleared to begin work when the school opened.

Element Academy successfully opened to pupils in September 2022.

JAYNE FOSTER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, ETHOS ACADEMY TRUST

“We have worked with GKA since 2017 – prior to the formation of Ethos Academy Trust. Their work with us at Elements Academy was exemplary and without them we would not have achieved the extremely challenging timeframe of delivery within 8 months from start to finish! The team was professional and really guided us through our first free school project with great care and rigour.”

Harry Watts Academy - New Special School (ASD)

Following writing a successful application to sponsor the new school GKA supported Prosper Learning Trust in project managing the pre-opening phase/development of a new Special Free School – Harry Watts Academy, in Sunderland in 2019. The new school was commissioned by the local authority to provide specialist education for up to 96 autistic children aged 5-16, as a direct result of the increased demand for autism places within Sunderland and neighbouring authorities. The school would complement existing provision, responding to both pupil place planning pressure and parental demand.

GKA led the project management of the development of the new school, from liaising with the DfE and LA on contractual arrangements to managing the consultation process to the handover of keys to the new build. Work undertaken included setting up governance arrangements, development of an education brief, procurement of ICT and Fixtures Furniture & Equipment contracts, overseeing the marketing and communications and liaison with the Local Authority on the build project. The build was during Covid, which created additional challenges to the project in terms of delivery. The school opened on time at a temporary site in September 2020 and the new build was handed over in December 2020 and opened in January 2021. The school retained the temporary site and now operates across both and has 170 pupils and was judged Outstanding in its first inspection in 2023.

JOANNE CLIFFORD-SWAN, MEMBER AND CHAIR OF TRUSTEES, PROSPER LEARNING TRUST

“GKA supported us through the entire process from application, interview and pre-opening through to opening on a temporary site to subsequently opening the new school. With numerous challenges during the process due to Covid GKA were unphased and solutions focused, guiding us through the project through to delivery.  Key deliverables included; procurement of major ICT and FF&E contracts, appointment of a PD and a successful pre-opening Ofsted.”