Department For Education
Sponsors are responsible for:
- the performance and finances of their school (or group of schools)
- setting up the academy trust
- selecting the governing body
- recruiting the headteacher
Sponsors work closely with the governing body to run the academy.
Regional directors aim to match sponsors with schools in the sponsors local area.
Academy sponsors
An academy sponsor is an organisation or person who has received approval from the Department for Education (DfE) to support an underperforming academy or group of academies.
Sponsors work with the academies they support through the academy trust. An academy trust is the charitable company that runs an academy or a group of academies.
Any of the following can apply to become an academy sponsor:
- schools
- further education colleges
- sixth-form colleges
- universities
- businesses and entrepreneurs
- educational foundations
- charities and philanthropists
- faith communities
Academy sponsors are responsible for:
- setting up the academy trust
- appointing the leadership team
- selecting the governing body
- monitoring the academys performance and taking action where necessary
- reporting to DfE about the academys performance
- involving parents and the wider community in the academys work through events, mentoring and business links
- making sure the academy spends its funding effectively
- working with the academy trust, governing body, principal and senior leadership team
If you dont comply with your responsibilities as sponsor, the Secretary of State for Education can remove your sponsor status.
1.Before you apply
Contact your regional director
If youre interested in becoming an academy sponsor, you should first contact your regional directors office to discuss your ideas.
If your regional director agrees that you should apply, DfE will nominate a sponsor lead to work with you. Your sponsor lead will ask what sort of academy you wish to sponsor so they can advise on the sponsor opportunities in your region. Theyll also ask if you are already working with a particular school that may need a sponsor.
Get consent
If youre an academy, you must ask your academy trust to pass a resolution to show that they agree with your plans to become a sponsor.
If youre a state-funded school that isnt an academy, youll need to do the following before you can apply to become a sponsor:
- get approval from your governing body to become a sponsor
- become an academy (read guidance on the process youll need to follow to convert to academy status ) - you may be able to convert to academy status alongside applying to be a sponsor
If your school has a religious character, youll also need to get approval from your relevant religious body (for example, the local diocese for a church school) before you can apply.
Other organisations or individuals dont need to show that they have consent.
Read the good practice guidance for academy trusts
We also recommend that you read multi-academy trusts: good practice guidance before you begin the application process.
This guide gives more detail on what regional directors will look for when assessing your application.
2. Prepare to apply
Schools and academies
As part of the sponsor application process, youll need to show:
- that you have a clear idea of what you hope to achieve as a sponsor and how youll achieve it
- that you have the necessary financial expertise and ability to plan strategically
- evidence of how you would support an underperforming school to improve and that youll be able to do so
- that you have a strong track record of school improvement - you could explain how youve worked with other schools or give details of your current work in your multi-academy trust
- that you plan to establish clear governance and accountability structures
If youre a school or academy, we recommend that you inform parents and the local community that you intend to become an academy sponsor. You should consider their views before applying.
Other organisations
Other organisations applying to become a sponsor need to prove that they have the skills, expertise and ability to help schools improve. This includes universities.
If youre an overseas sponsor, youll also need to show that you have good knowledge of the British education system.
Individuals
If you wish to become a sponsor in an individual capacity, youll need to demonstrate at least one of the following:
- that you have the skills and experience to help schools improve
- that others who have a proven track record in helping schools improve will work with your trust to support underperforming schools
Youll also need to show:
- how you would establish the academy trust and finance its operations in the initial stages
- what your role would be in carrying out the responsibilities of a sponsor, and who would help with this
3. Apply to become an academy sponsor
You should fill in the academy sponsor application form and submit it to us.
You should work with your sponsor lead to complete your application.
Your regional director will send you a letter to let you know the outcome of your application.
4. Become an academy sponsor
If your application is successful, your regional director will select an appropriate school that needs a sponsor. If this school isnt an academy, it will have to convert to academy status before you can become its sponsor.
Your regional director will ask you to explain what specific support you would offer the school and to provide evidence that you can give this support.
Your regional director will also discuss the plans for the school with the local advisory board. If the regional director agrees that youre the right sponsor for the academy, they will approve the match.
Youll officially become the schools sponsor once the school has signed its funding agreement and has become an academy.
Converter academies can also join your trust, if the regional director agrees.
Read about the
.5. Grants
Once the school youre going to sponsor has been granted an academy order (confirmation that it can become an academy), youll receive a grant to cover the new academys pre-opening costs.
Read guidance on sponsored academy funding to find out what type of start-up grant youll receive.
6. Support
There are several places you can go to for support and guidance on developing your multi-academy trust.
Last updated 5 September 2022 +show all updates
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Updated regional schools commissioners references to regional directors.
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