This guidance will help sixth-form colleges understand:
if its appropriate to become an academy
the application process
To apply to become an academy, fill in the application form and email it to Enquiries.ESFA@education.gov.uk, along with your letter(s) of consent, initial budget forecast, and any other accompanying documents as required. Please copy in yourDfE Territorial Team contact and use SFC academy conversion as the emails subject.
Published 19 February 2016 Last updated 3 October 2022 +show all updates
The guidance and application form have been replaced with updated versions following the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022 and 2022 Schools White Paper. The clarity of the guidance has also been improved in response to stakeholder feedback, and terminology and procedural descriptions have been updated to ensure accuracy, including updated links to HMRC VAT guidance and post-Brexit arrangements.
Removed financial assumptions log. Replaced guidance document and application form with updated versions.
Added assumptions log for financial forecast.
Updated guidance with additional information for sixth-form colleges considering becoming a 16-to-19 academy.
Updated guidance and application form.
Updated the guidance document with more appropriate links. Updated the application form with a new diocesan consent contact address and a clearer section on governance.
