Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that academy orders are not sent to any schools without a valid academy application first being sent from governing bodies of schools to the Department for Education.

On 2 March 2022 the East Midlands and the Humber Regional Schools Commissioner wrote to the Catholic Hallam schools informing them that the December 2021 Academy Orders that were issued to the 19 Voluntary Aided schools in the Diocese of Hallam had been withdrawn. A further letter was issued on 7 March 2022 advising them that any future Academy Orders issued would be following the confirmation that the governing body had passed a resolution to convert to academy status. The government does not consider an apology to be necessary given the explanations given.

On 8 March 2022 the National Schools Commissioner, Dominic Herrington, issued correspondence to regional delivery officials in the department advising them of the legal steps that must be taken when processing applications for Academy Orders. The relevant guidance was also attached as a reminder of the correct process. We do not consider it necessary to issue renewed guidance.