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Model articles of association for academy trusts

Template documents with standard articles of association for different types of academy trust.

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 3 January 2013
• Last updated: 30 June 2021
  Show all updates

  1. 30 June 2021

     Updated 'Articles of association for use by mainstream academies, special academies, 16 to 19 academies, alternative provision academies, free schools and studio schools' document to reflect changes in company law and DfE policy.

  2. 22 December 2017

     Removed suspension clauses from the model articles.

  3. 6 April 2017

     Added 'Articles of association for use by mainstream multi-academy trusts with one or more university technical college'.

  4. 26 May 2016

     Replaced 3 co-operative academy model articles of association documents with 1 document: 'Co-operative academy trust articles of association: model 6'.

  5. 12 February 2016

     Updated ‘Academy articles of association: model 1’ with changes relating to the Academies Financial Handbook and technical updates.

  6. 25 March 2015

     Added 'Academy articles of association: model 2'.

  7. 20 March 2015

     Updated 'Academy articles of association: model 1' document to reflect changes to wording in clause 57.

  8. 16 December 2014

     Replaced single academy model memorandum and articles of association and multi academy model memorandum and articles of association with academy articles of association: model 1.

  9. 7 March 2014

     Added model article for co-operative alternative provision academies.

  10. 23 January 2014

      Added new 'Article by article guidance on the articles of association' document. 'Co-operative multi model articles' document has been updated.

  11. 3 January 2013

      First published.

Applies to England

Documents

Articles of association for use by mainstream academies, special academies, 16 to 19 academies, alternative provision academies, free schools and studio schools

ODT, 121 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

Articles of association for use by mainstream academies, special academies, 16 to 19 academies, alternative provision academies, free schools and studio schools

MS Word Document, 151 KB

Articles of association for use by university technical colleges

ODT, 119 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternative.formats@education.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Articles of association for use by university technical colleges

MS Word Document, 140 KB

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternative.formats@education.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Articles of association for use by mainstream multi-academy trusts with one or more university technical college

Ref: DFE-00124-2017

ODT, 122 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternative.formats@education.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Articles of association for use by mainstream multi-academy trusts with one or more university technical college

Ref: DFE-00124-2017

MS Word Document, 129 KB

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternative.formats@education.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Articles of association for use by co-operative academy trusts

ODT, 111 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternative.formats@education.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Articles of association for use by co-operative academy trusts

MS Word Document, 123 KB

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternative.formats@education.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

These model articles of association are for:

• local-authority-maintained schools converting to academy status
• existing trusts updating their articles of association
• proposer groups seeking to set up new trusts and their legal advisers

You can use them for single- and multi-academy trusts.

The articles set out the charitable purpose of the trust and its governance structure. This includes information about:

• what the trust exists to do
• appointing and removing trust members and trustees
• establishing committees and local governing bodies

The articles also provide a framework for trusts to act within company and charity law.

You must agree the articles of association for your trust with DfE before we sign your funding agreement.

If you’re converting to an academy, see also guidance about setting up or joining an academy trust as part of the academy conversion process.

Model articles of association for church academy trusts are also available.

If you’re proposing a new free school, see also guidance about applying to set up a free school.

More information about effective governance is available in the governance handbook.