When to follow this process
If you’re planning to make a significant change you must submit a proposal in advance of the change being made.
You need to follow the process described below, which is based on the DfE's guidance on making significant changes to an open academy.
Note: this article provides an overview. Be sure to refer to the DfE's guidance when you come to prepare your application, as it contains further detail.
What is a significant change?
A significant change means creating, changing or removing the number and/or type of school places and/or where they are offered.
Significant changes include:
- Expanding or reducing capacity (by more than 30 places)
- Age range changes (other than to add or expand a nursery)
- Transferring to another site
- Amalgamations of 1 academy with another academy/academies
- Changing a school's faith
- Changing the type of special educational needs (SEN) provision in a special academy
You don't need to apply for all changes – for example, it's not required for making changes to the school day or your curriculum.
See the full list of significant changes on pages 15 and 16 of the DfE guidance.
Significant change tiers and thresholds
There are 3 tiers of significant changes. The process you need to follow depends on whether the change is categorised as tier 1, 2 or 3.
Most significant changes are classed as tier 1. Tier 2 and 3 applications will require more information.
Take a look at the summary table on pages 17 to 21 of the DfE guidance to find out the tiers and thresholds for each type of significant change.
Below threshold changes
Changes that fall below the threshold do not require a significant change application.
However, you might still need consent from the DfE for certain changes, or require your funding agreement to be updated.
See pages 21 to 23 of the guidance for more details.
Prepare your application
Before submitting an application, make sure that you have:
- All the required capital funding and have conducted financial due diligence to make sure you can afford the change (more on this below)
- Considered whether the proposed change will have an impact on school land and require the separate consent of the secretary of state
- Consent from the relevant land-owning trusts, religious bodies or other local strategic partners
- Followed the statutory process for changing your admission arrangements
- Appropriate planning permission
- Complied with the Public Sector Equality Duty and undertaken an equalities impact assessment in order to consider the expected impact on all individuals with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010
Read more about this on pages 23 and 24 of the DfE guidance.
If a proposed significant change requires a variation to determined admissions arrangements, you must:
- Submit an admissions variation request at the same time as the significant change application. You'll want to do this with enough time for it to be agreed before the closing date for parents/carers submitting applications for places to the local authority
- Notify those set out in in paragraph 1.47 of the School Admissions Code
- Set out in your significant change consultation any consequential impact on admission arrangements
See Annex B (page 41) the DfE guidance for more detail on these types of changes.
Consult with everyone who might be affected
The DfE expects you to hold a fair and open consultation about your planned significant change and show that you've considered all responses when you apply.
Your consultation should run for a minimum of 3 weeks (of which 2 weeks should be term time wherever possible).
You're expected to consult with affected local authorities (as they will know how many school places are required locally), as well as:
- Parents/carers of children who attend the school
- Parents/carers in the local area
- Primary, secondary, alternative provision and special schools, and sixth forms and further education colleges in the area
- If admissions are to be affected, the admissions forum for the school's area, where one exists, and the affected admission authorities, including those in neighbouring LA areas
If your school is a faith school you're expected to also consult:
- The trustees
- The appropriate religious authority (e.g. the diocese or relevant diocesan board if a church school)
See pages 24 and 26 of the DfE guidance, and refer to this Cabinet Office guidance to learn more about running a good consultation.
Submit your application
There are slightly different applications processes depending on the tier of the significant change. You can find the relevant application forms published alongside the guidance linked above.
How your application will be assessed
Learning the outcome
Update your records promptly if the change is accepted
You must do this before the change takes place.
This includes your:
- School’s details on the Get Information about Schools (GIAS) database – you can do this through the GIAS website any time after the decision has been made
- Funding agreement via a deed of variation (DoV) – Regions Group will help you to do this