education & business 47


Becoming an academy? Consider all the options


The chancellor’s Budget announcement that all schools must become academies by 2020 received a mixed response, says Alison Talbot, education and charities partner at Penningtons Manches LLP


Schools that have not already converted to academy status presumably had good reasons for holding back and the new requirements are unlikely to allay their previous fears. All schools must either convert to academy status by 2020 or have firm plans to do so by 2022. While this sounds like a short deadline, the process of becoming an academy school is a well-trodden path and it only takes three to four months to complete the legal process once the decision to convert has been made.


Schools will, therefore, have sufficient time to carefully plan their conversion before making any firm decisions and to do their homework on the possible options.


Go it alone or form a multi-academy trust?


To date, 2,075 of the 3,381 secondary schools and 2,440 of the country’s 16,766 primary schools have converted to academy status. Of those that have converted, the majority have become part of a multi-academy trust.


So the first consideration is whether to go it alone as a single academy trust. This option is only available to schools with a sustainable business plan. For them, a single academy


model can offer greater autonomy and more freedoms than a partnership model.


For schools with few spare resources to devote to the conversion process – and for those that prefer to be part of a formal partnership – the alternative is to join an existing multi- academy trust where the leaders have already been through the legal process and can offer guidance and support.


These include very large multi-academy chains; a local group of similar types of school (eg, all primary schools); a local group of mixed schools including both primary and secondary schools; or a group of faith schools. Options will also depend on the type of school, its setting and the extent to which the local schools have already converted.


If schools are concerned about joining an existing multi-academy trust with established working relationships, they can set up a new trust. For many schools, the decision may be heavily influenced by budgets and financial hygiene of the partner schools.


Regardless of the unique circumstances, all schools should seek independent advice about the various options as early as possible to give them the time to identify suitable partners,


business focus Blaser Mills moves to new headquarters


After 44 years, leading law firm Blaser Mills has relocated its High Wycombe office to a new headquarters on the town’s recently-redeveloped Oxford Road.


The new open-plan office provides a large space of more than 6,000 sq ft with a modern, professional look. It incorporates large meeting areas, a boardroom and welcoming reception area.


Jonathan Lilley, Blaser Mills’ managing partner who spearheaded the move, commented: “Our new headquarters will provide a modern and versatile space for those visiting us, while delivering a much-improved working environment for our lawyers and staff.


“Our firm has changed rapidly over the past 18 months and we hope that by continually raising our standards, we will be able to offer our clients the best legal service possible.”


Blaser Mills is a leading law firm based in the South East with 20 partners and around 70 lawyers. The firm offers a comprehensive range of legal services


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – MAY 2016


consider who should be governors, and how to make best use of the freedoms that academy status brings.


Alison Talbot, an experienced education and charities sector specialist, has helped over 60 schools with the conversion process.


Details: Alison Talbot 0118-9822659 alison.talbot@penningtons.co.uk www.penningtons.co.uk


to businesses and acts for blue-chip companies that are household names as well as SMEs, entrepreneurs and not-for-profit organisations.


Blaser Mills regularly advises clients in the


UK doing business overseas and international clients wanting to invest in the UK.


Details: www.blasermills.co.uk www.businessmag.co.uk


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