How to Join | Cotswold Beacon Academy Trust

01.

Investigate potential Trusts

Think about your school’s vision and values and which Trusts most closely align with them. Get in contact with different Trusts – call them, email them, visit them, request them to visit you. They won’t mind at all! Ask questions about their central charge and the services they can provide.

You should also consider what positives your school could bring to the Trust, since joining a Trust is about collaborative effort. Take the time to understand how Trusts work and how the relationship could work.

02.

Complete expression of interest

You will need approval from the Department for Education (DfE) to join a Trust.

Once you have decided on your preferred partner, you can complete an expression of interest, required by the Regional School Commissioner (RSC). Completing this does not mean you are obliged to proceed should circumstances change, but it gives the RSC an opportunity to review whether they think your school and your proposed Trust are a good fit. At Cotswold Beacon Academy Trust our central team will guide you through the expression of interest process and complete the form with you.

03.

Undertake due diligence process

The Trust you have chosen to join will need to undertake their due diligence to ensure they understand your school, its finances and the ownership of the land and buildings your school uses. At Cotswold Beacon Academy Trust, our central team will undertake this due diligence and share the timeline and areas covered. We will prepare a long-term financial model for your school to ensure viability and will look at your infrastructure to identify where investment may be needed. We will negotiate with other partners for additional funding for your school where possible, to help meet any challenges identified in our due diligence.

04.

Consultation with staff, children and young people, and the wider community

Schools must consult with stakeholders during the academy conversion process to ensure the community’s views are captured. At Cotswold Beacon Academy Trust, our central team will support you with this process, preparing materials for consultation and arranging consultation meetings and surveys. We’re keen to hear the views of all parties during the process to better understand how your school and the Trust would fit together.

05.

Undertake legal processes

There are several legal processes involved in the academy conversion process. This includes the transfer of land, buildings and other assets as well as entering into a funding agreement with the DfE. Our Trust central team will lead the liaison with solicitors and DfE project managers to complete these processes and resolve any complications which might arise.

06.

Agree to proceed

Once the due diligence is complete, the legal issues have been resolved, and the community’s views have been considered, it’s time to formally vote to proceed with joining the Trust. At Cotswold Beacon Academy Trust, our Trustees will vote on whether to proceed, and we’ll ask your school governing body to complete a final vote. We will then sign the legal documents and lodge them with the DfE.

07.

Open as an academy within your new Trust

Reaching this stage means that your school is now a member of an Academy Trust! The following post-conversion period is important, as considerations must be made as to how the Trust policies and procedures will be implemented and communicated in your school. At Cotswold Beacon Academy Trust, we will support schools throughout this process with any immediate and long-term actions to ensure a smooth transition.