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Convert to an academy: guide for schools

• From: Department for Education
• Published: 26 November 2015
• Updated: 9 December 2016, see all updates

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1. Contents

How maintained schools can apply to convert to academy status.

If you are the headteacher or chair of governors of a local-authority-maintained school converting to an academy, you must complete the following steps.

1. 1. Before you apply How to prepare for your school's application to convert to an academy.
2. 2. Apply to convert Links to the academy conversion application forms, and information about notifying your local authority.
3. 3. Set up or join an academy trust What actions to take following approval of your academy conversion application.
4. 4. Transfer responsibilities to the academy trust What responsibilities you should transfer to your academy trust as part of your school's conversion to academy status.
5. 5. Prepare to open as an academy What final preparations you should complete before your school can open as an academy.
6. 6. Open as an academy What actions you should take in the first few months after your school opens as an academy.

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