Most schools convert to academy status for more funding, survey finds

The government’s academy trust survey for 2017 has shown that 71 per cent of single-academy trusts converted to “obtain more funding for frontline education”.

This was listed as the main reason for conversion by 37 per cent of respondents.

Just over 300 multi-academy trusts (MATS) and 543 single-academy trusts (SATs) responded to the survey which looked at reasons for conversion, financial regulation and how much trusts charge academies.

Almost eight in 10 respondents said they converted to use funding how they think it should be used.

The report says this is probably because SATs converted during the early stages of the coalition government, when greater funding incentives were available.

The findings also show that a third of SATs will not join a MAT because they want their school to maintain its autonomy.

In terms of school changes, MATs listed firing school leaders on conversion as one of the important changes and three-quarters of MATs stated that they regularly move around teachers and senior leaders between their schools.

The report states that the survey results “demonstrate the rapid evolution of the academy sector that has occurred since the previous survey completed in spring 2014” with the “most notable factor” being the increase in numbers of MATs and academies joining them.