Creating a Church Academy by Conversion of an Existing School

Support available from CASL

CASL has worked successfully on the project management of over ten Church of England academies across England over the last two years.  CASL’s project teams have in-depth current experience of academy creation.  Three CASL academies opened in September 2009; a further eight opened in September 2010.

CASL has established relationships with crucial organisations, including the Department for Education, specialist consultants, outstanding academy principals, and procurement organisations.

CASL has devised bidding systems which have been checked by lawyers and approved by the then Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).  Schools can be confident that CASL’s procurement structures are secure and compliant with EU regulations.

CASL is experienced in the procurement of services for academy conversion and has established financial systems for claiming conversion costs and expenses from the Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA).  CASL has a dedicated financial monitoring team for all of its projects, each of which is allocated a specific named programme co-ordinator.

CASL has obtained written legal advice on key issues and has a partnership agreement with an experienced commercial legal firm which offers specialist education related legal advice.  CASL is able to provide independent legal advice from lawyers with current experience in the creation of Church of England academy trusts and the drafting of their Memoranda and Articles.

CASL has guidance to help schools to preserve and enhance their Christian vision and ethos in the conversion to academy status.  CASL shares the Christian values of Church of England schools and was created specifically to support them.

CASL has wide experience of the transfer of staff under TUPE and its management of this often difficult process has received positive feedback from sponsors, academy trusts and trade unions.  CASL can help you to prepare written information about the transfer to academy status for your employees, provide specialist advice and offer professional support during any consultations with representatives and individual staff.  Where changes to staff structure and or terms and conditions of employment are planned, CASL can provide legal and HR advice and support for the consultation process.

CASL has built strong links with several communications companies and can provide examples of newsletters, websites and consultation processes which have been successful in existing academy projects.  With its partners, CASL can design a communications programme to inform and involve students, staff, parents and the wider community of the school’s plans to convert to academy status.