academy conversion

Academy Conversions & MAT Formation

PAG Staff2024, Case Studies, free schools, Governance, online resources, Project Management, Schools, Transition

Academy Conversions & MAT Formation In the last decade, the landscape of the English education system has undergone significant transformations, with a prominent shift towards the conversion of traditional state schools into academies, and the formation of multi-academy trusts (MATs). This movement has reshaped the way education is managed and delivered, offering a new paradigm that promised enhanced autonomy, tailored educational …

DfE replaces governance handbook

Governance handbook replaced by DfE

PAG Staff2024, Article, free schools, Governance, online resources, Policy, Schools

New Governance Guides for Schools and Academy Trusts:A Simplified Approach  The Department for Education (DfE) has taken a significant step forward in the realm of educational governance by releasing two specialised guides aimed at maintained schools and academy trusts, effectively replacing the previous DfE Governance Handbook updated in January 2017. This move marks a pivotal shift towards simplification and focus …

A look at the length of England's school day

EPI: A look a the length of England’s school day

PAG Staff2024, Article, free schools, online resources, Policy, Schools

EPI: ‘An evidence review into the length of the school day’Assessing England’s School DayIn February 2024, the Education Policy Institute (EPI) published a pivotal report titled “An evidence review into the length of the school day,” examining the potential impacts of extending school hours in England. This paper was prompted by the UK government’s 2022 white paper “Opportunity for all: …

Kreston Reeves UK Academies Benchmark Report 2024

PAG Staff2024, Article, free schools, Fund, Governance, Leadership, online resources, Schools

Kreston Reeves UKAcademies Benchmark Report 2024The Kreston Reeves UK Academies Benchmark Report for 2024 presents an in-depth analysis of the financial health and operational challenges facing academy trusts across the United Kingdom. The report, which draws on data from nearly 300 Trusts and over 2,300 schools, offers a comprehensive overview of the sector’s current state, highlighting the resilience and challenges …

PAG Explains: Trust Mergers

PAG Staff2022, Article, Governance, Leadership, online resources, Schools

PAG Explains: Trust MergersFollowing the release of the White Paper back in March, mergers are the talk of the day. The DfE are now not only proposing academy conversions but encouraging smaller MATs to become larger. In response, PAG’s clients are now commonly asking us about how to prepare for a merger discussion.PAG has a proven route to guiding MATs …

PAG Explains: Opening a Free School

PAG Staff2022, Article, bid writing, free schools, Interview, online resources, Schools

PAG Explains: Opening a Free School Free schools were a central tenet of Conservative education policy going into the 2010 election. The Programme was launched shortly after the coalition government came into power and by 2013, 174 free schools had opened across the country. Today this number stands at over 600 open free schools.At the time, PAG’s managing director, Tom …

PAG Partners with MATA

PAG StaffLeadership, online resources, Schools

PAG Partners with MATAPremier Advisory Group is delighted to announce that we are sponsoring MATA – the Multi-Academy Trust Association – as it begins its journey in supporting MATs, and their respective leaders, from all over the country.Tom Legge, our Managing Director, will be joining the group’s advisory board and, in doing so, will become part of what we hope …

Virtual Schools and the Challenges of post-COVID-19 Education

Paolo GattavariCOVID-19, online resources

Virtual Schools and the Challenges of Post-COVID-19 Education Perhaps unsurprisingly, the COVID-19 outbreak has boosted the growth of the EdTech market. The education intelligence consultancy Holon IQ has disclosed that venture capital investors worldwide have been fully exploiting the possibilities offered by the current situation. Investment in EdTech has more than doubled over the last two years, from $7 billion …

COVID-19 and the Rise of Online Learning: Does Technology Ensure High-Quality Education?

Paolo GattavariCOVID-19, online resources

COVID-19 and the Rise of Online Learning: Does Technology Ensure High-Quality Education? One of the main consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak for education has been the rise of online learning. The relevance of this phenomenon, which was already emerging in the pre-COVID-19 times, has considerably increased in the wake of the lockdowns that the UK Government has been enforcing in …