Two-year backlog for Nottinghamshire schools wanting to become academies

A total of 22 county schools are currently in the process of converting to become academies, with 19 of them starting the process within the last year.

Academies are given more freedom over their curriculums, and receive their funding directly from the government, rather than councils,

They are run by not-for-profit companies called academy trusts, and schools judged ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted can also be forced to become academies as a way to improve standards.

Nottinghamshire County Council is hoping to employ a temporary project manager to clear the backlog, which it says ‘draws criticisms from key stakeholders’.

The rising demand as well as costs and staffing issues have been blamed for the delay processing schools’ applications.

Various legal hurdles have also slowed down the process.

A council report says: “Transfers often involve protracted negotiations around maintenance/repair costs, boundary lines, access roads, groups using school buildings and other buildings-related issues.”

Three of the schools currently in the backlog have been given a Directive Academy Order, which legally requires them to convert. These are expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The council’s cabinet will discuss the potential solutions to clear the backlog at a meeting later this week (September 19).

Officers recommend that they hire a £36,000-a-year Project Manager on a two year contract to oversee the conversions.

They will also look into hiring a solicitor and a property surveyor, for an additional cost of between £132,000 and £220,000, on a one-year basis.

This would enable the council to clear the backlog within a year, but would put extra costs on departments.

Nottinghamshire County Council says there has been a pause on new academy applications following the General Election as new policies are expected.