Free Schools: How we can help

PAG provides a range of services to support free school applicants and providers, including application bid-writing, mock interviews, pre-opening project management and support converting to academy status.

Free School Applications

Premier Advisory Group has a market-leading track record in bidding for free schools on behalf of our clients. Recently, we have supported over 25 trusts with free school applications in Wave 14 of the mainstream process, Wave 2 of the SEND free school process, and various LA competitions. Our overall success rate in helping clients reach interview is over 90% to date and we can support you in submitting a high-quality application. Your application will be drafted by a team of professionals who between them have proposed, opened and acted as a DfE Assessor or New Schools’ Network (NSN) Advisor for over 150 free schools including a significant number of special schools.

Mock Interview Preparation

PAG offer a mock interview service to groups who have submitted applications to open free schools, either via the central route or any local authority presumption competitions. Our team have significant experience on both sides of the interview table and bring all our knowledge and experience to every mock interview we give. Our team will put you through a process which mirrors the free schools interview process. To follow on from the mock interview, we will conduct a review of the application and develop questions that will be asked in a face to face session with the trust team with feedback and coaching given.

Free School Project Management

At Premier Advisory Group we have a track record stretching back prior to the formation free schools programme. The schools we have helped to open span the range of provision from 4-19 and from mainstream to SEND, covering all points in between. For some we have worked from day one of their projects and for more experienced clients we’ve just provided expert input when required. Furthermore, we bring current experience in opening new schools as proposers and recent experience of having assessed free school applications from a DfE perspective. Click here to learn more about our pre-opening project management.

Academy Conversions

There is still the expectation that most schools will form or join multi academy trusts (MATs) so that proven educational models can spread and grow, and the best leaders can extend their influence by running multiple schools. We can work with you to convert to academy status and assist you in forming a MAT at each stage of the process, from preparation to opening as an academy and following the steps as required by the DfE.

Area

Local Authority

Phase/Age Range

Mainstream/SEND/AP

Closing Date for Application

Specifications

Nuneaton & Bedworth

Warwickshire County Council

Special School – 9 to 16

SEND – ASD and/or SEMH

01/05/2020

Click here

York Street

Luton Borough Council

Special School – 11 to 19

SEND – SLD, PMLD, MLD with additional complex needs

Update: 18/05/2020

Click here

Testimonials

Free school and fundings
“Since 2015, Premier Advisory has been an energetic, trustworthy and reliable partner across a range of strategic projects. They helped move PACT from primary into secondary education with a successful free school application and assisted us in a number of successful bids from capacity grants to school improvement bids. This has assisted the continued development of our trust. Through ongoing advice and guidance, PAG continues to help PACT deliver for the children in our care”

Prince Albert Community Trust

Premier Advisory
2020-03-23T16:40:02+00:00

Prince Albert Community Trust

Free school and fundings “Since 2015, Premier Advisory has been an energetic, trustworthy and reliable partner across a range of strategic projects. They helped move PACT from primary into secondary education with a successful free school application and assisted us in a number of successful bids from capacity grants to school improvement bids. This has assisted the continued development of our trust. Through ongoing advice and guidance, PAG continues to help PACT deliver for the children in our care”

Testimonials

“Premier Advisory’s services were recommended to us by a multi-academy trust for whom who they had worked with previously on a similar piece of work. From our initial discussions until the present day PAG staff have been a valuable source of information, expertise and support. PAG’s initial work was to work with the school on an application to open a new SEND school in RBKC via a local authority competition. This included a concurrent application to become an academy sponsor. Following the success of our free school application, PAG has worked with us on the formation of our new multi-academy trust which will include the new school and a local partner school. PAG has project managed the entire process, helping us to overcome a number of risks and challenges along the way.”

Freddie Adu, Queensmill School

Premier Advisory
2020-03-23T17:04:29+00:00

Freddie Adu, Queensmill School

“Premier Advisory’s services were recommended to us by a multi-academy trust for whom who they had worked with previously on a similar piece of work. From our initial discussions until the present day PAG staff have been a valuable source of information, expertise and support. PAG’s initial work was to work with the school on an application to open a new SEND school in RBKC via a local authority competition. This included a concurrent application to become an academy sponsor. Following the success of our free school application, PAG has worked with us on the formation of our new multi-academy trust which will include the new school and a local partner school. PAG has project managed the entire process, helping us to overcome a number of risks and challenges along the way.”
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