Every school's journey to us is different, but it usually starts with a conversation.

Please contact us and we can talk. You can meet any of our central team, Trustees or both. We've given formal presentations to Boards of Governors and staff, but we're just as happy talking over a cuppa with a few of you.

If that goes well and you decide formally to join us, a period of 'due diligence' starts. We ask questions of you and you ask questions of us. We check that we're a good match and ensure we know what we're both getting into. We talk about which 'Scheme of Delegation' your Governing Body will have – which determines the level of your decision-making powers. 

If your school isn't already an Academy, you'll have to consult your staff and local community about becoming one. But that's a straight forward process and we have collected lots of examples of how other schools have done this.

And of course there's a bit of paperwork and a chance for the lawyers to earn their keep!

All being well, you could join us any time from six months after your Governing Body's initial decision.

If that doesn't sound too painful, please contact us for that initial conversation.