We assisted Chase Terrace Technology College, a community school, convert into Stephen Sutton Multi-Academy Trust. It was an ‘empty multi-academy trust (MAT)’, otherwise known as a single-school MAT.
To start the academy conversion process, we met with governors and senior staff from the Chase Terrace Technology College and from another school possibly interested in joining the multi-academy trust, to explain the structure of a MAT and the steps that needed to be taken to form a MAT. We also held a separate meeting with the head teacher and business manager at Chase Terrace Technology College, to explain what would be involved in the academy conversion process and to agree an appropriate timescale for the conversion.
How we helped Chase Terrace Technology College during the academy conversion process
As part of forming the multi-academy trust, we provided legal services to Chase Terrace Technology College and were responsible for:
- drafting and negotiating with the Department for Education (“DfE”) Memorandum and Articles of Association for the new MAT;
- preparing the required Companies House paperwork, including the registration documents at Companies House;
- drafting a Master Funding Agreement for the MAT and a Supplemental Funding Agreement in relation to Chase Terrace Technology College and agreeing these with DfE;
- drafting and negotiating, with Staffordshire County Council, a Commercial Transfer Agreement to transfer staff, contracts and other assets and liabilities from the local authority to the new MAT;
- advising on the TUPE process, in relation to the transfer of staff;
- advising on three extra documents, required by the County Council (Deed of Novation of Loan, Excluded Pupil Agreement and Passport Agreement, in relation to grant funding from the Sports Council); and
- advising on a Community Use Agreement, required by the Sports Council, as the result of the benefit of grant funding transferring to the MAT.
Our experience of working with academies, using the DfE’s model documentation, and dealing with DfE staff meant that we were able to proactively lead Chase Terrace Technology College through the necessary processes to achieve conversion within the agreed timescale. We were also able to support the business manager through the academy conversion process into a MAT (not limited to the legal aspects) and in her dealings with the relevant sector bodies.
