The Academy conversion grant criteria is changing

The Department for Education (DfE) is changing the way it awards grants to schools that voluntarily choose to become academies.

At present, schools who apply to become academies are eligible for a £25,000 conversion grant to cover costs incurred to complete the conversion process.

From 1 September 2024, the qualification criteria for the grant will change.

Schools that choose to convert to academy status and join a MAT will only be eligible for the grant if they are making an application to join a MAT alongside two or more other schools. Each school in the group will continue to be individually entitled to the full amount of £25,000.

You must register your interest soon

If your school has not already started a conversion application and would like to receive the £25,000 grant without the need to group together with other schools, you must register your interest to convert to an academy by 26 April 2024 and submit your application by 7 June 2024.

A Regional Director must approve the application by 1 September 2024 for the grant to be awarded in line with the current rules. The actual date of conversion can happen after this deadline, so the key is to get the academy order during the summer term.

Applications for single schools (or two schools) made after the deadlines set out above will still be considered, but there will be no entitlement to a conversion grant. Special and alternative provision schools will still be eligible as single-school convertors.

Contact Joanne Davison with any questions on the academy conversion process. Email [email protected] or call 0191 211 7958