Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what role a maintained school issued with an Academy Order to convert to academy status has in selecting its multi-academy trust or sponsor.

Where a maintained school is eligible for intervention, there is no requirement to consult on the sponsor selection except in the case of a foundation or voluntary school with a foundation. In these circumstances the Regional Schools Commissioner (RSC) is required to consult the trustees and the people who appoint the foundation governors and, in the case of a school which has a religious character, the appropriate religious body about the identity of the sponsor.

The proposed sponsor of the new academy is under a duty to communicate their plans to improve schools to parents.

Further information about RSC powers of intervention over maintained schools and their decision-making are set out in the Schools Causing Concern guidance and the RSC decision-making framework, which can be found on GOV.UK at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/510080/schools-causing-concern-guidance.pdf; and https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/517565/RSC-Decision-Making-Framework.pdf