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Academies conversion - Top 10 issues
by Peter Bancroft on 22 February 2012
It is becoming more and more evident that, whilst there are undoubted benefits for schools converting to Academies, there is a growing perception that the initial process is fraught with difficulties and frustrations.
This emerged from a recent round table on the subject held by Haines Watts – where the following issues were identified by Business and Finance Managers from a wide variety of schools
- Lack of initial guidance and help – in particular where the school is one of the first in the area to convert
- Access to even the most basic information
- Issues relating to capacity and manpower for primary schools – hence a growing trend towards clustering arrangements
- Appreciation of the benefits of conversion, but a fear of the work involved to achieve this
- Lack of impact via SSAT (Specialist Schools and Academies Trust) in passing on views
- Lack of communication between LA (Local Authority) and YPLA (Young People’s Learning Agency)
- Significant increase in paperwork and reporting
- Reconciling LA year end and deciphering LA figures
- Running as a business as opposed to a school and need for commercial input
- Additional work reviewing services, suppliers and costs in general
It is clear that schools that have taken the option to convert to Academy status need specialist help and ‘handholding’ from advisers from the outset – in order to ensure a smooth passage through the process.
Find out more about Academy conversion here.
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