What is an Academy School?

When academies were first introduced in the early 2000s, they were designed as a targeted intervention to help improve underperforming schools, especially in disadvantaged areas. Since then, the role of academies has evolved significantly, and they now form a large and rapidly expanding part of the school landscape across England.

Over the past decade alone, the number of academies has more than doubled – reaching 11,737 in September 2025. Today, academies account for the majority of secondary schools (84%) and almost half (48%) of all primaries.

This continuing trend raises an important question – what is an academy school, and why are an increasing number of schools choosing to convert to academy status?

What is an academy school?

Academies are state-funded schools. However, unlike maintained schools, they receive funding directly from the government rather than through the local authority. This means they have more freedom over their finances, curriculum, and other elements of school management.

All academies are run by non-profit companies known as trusts. This can be a single academy trust (SAT) which runs only one school, or multi-academy trust (MAT) that operates over a network of schools.

Academy trusts are governed by a board of trustees, who are responsible for setting the strategic direction of the trust, working alongside the CEO and executive leadership team who oversee day-to-day operations.

Why do schools become academies?

Previously, schools that were rated ‘Inadequate’ by Ofsted were forced to convert to academy status. In these circumstances, schools would be transferred to a trust with a strong track record of ensuring pupils receive the highest standard of education.

The new inspection framework marks a shift away from forced academisation, instead introducing Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) teams to support schools that receive lower-than-Good Ofsted judgements. However, those that are placed into special measures will continue to be subject to ‘structural intervention’ – either academisation or rebrokering to a different trust.

However, in the vast majority of cases, schools choose to become academies voluntarily, following a formal process of planning and consultation. This can bring a number of benefits for school leaders, staff and students.

What are the benefits of becoming an academy?

• Financial freedom

Greater financial freedom allows academies to prioritise spending based on their pupils’ unique needs. Additionally, academies that are part of larger MATs can benefit from economies of scale, reducing costs through shared services such as HR and IT.

• Adapting the curriculum

Academy schools don’t have to follow the National Curriculum, which gives them the flexibility to design a curriculum that better reflects the needs, interests, and aspirations of their pupils. As a result, academies can adapt teaching and learning to align more closely with their wider educational vision.

• Attracting and retaining talent

Academies have the freedom to set their own pay and conditions for both teaching and support staff. This can make it easier to attract high-quality candidates, particularly in competitive subject areas or within regions that face teacher shortages.

• Career development

In MATs, staff can benefit from trust-wide training programmes, leadership pathways, and mentoring. There is also the opportunity for staff to move between different schools, departments and roles within the trust, allowing them to gain experience and progress into more senior positions over time.

• Collaboration opportunities

Being part of a multi-academy trust enables staff to collaborate more effectively, sharing best practices, resources and expertise between schools. This collaborative approach helps to reduce workload, raise standards and drive continuous improvement.

What are the challenges of becoming an academy?

Whilst becoming an academy can present a range of opportunities, it also introduces complexities and challenges that schools, staff, and communities need to consider carefully before making the transition.

• Loss of autonomy

Decision-making can often become more centralised, particularly within larger MATs. School leadership teams may have less control over key areas such as budgeting, school policies, and staffing structures, as these decisions may be made at trust level.

• Financial concerns

Some MATs have been criticised for financial mismanagement. A common concern is the excessive top-slicing of school budgets, which reduces the funding available for individual schools. Another risk is that staff may receive lower pay compared to their counterparts in maintained schools.

• School standards and reputation

Joining a MAT does not automatically lead to school improvement. Performance can vary significantly between trusts – and even between schools within the same trust. If certain schools within the same trust are failing, this can potentially damage the reputation of others.

How One Education can help

Whilst debate about the advantages and disadvantages of academy schools continues, the outcomes are often shaped by multiple factors, including leadership, teaching, and local context. Nevertheless, it is clear that academisation has become an increasingly prominent feature of education in England, driven in part by government policy that has encouraged the growth of multi-academy trusts and a move towards a ‘fully trust-led system.’

The previous government’s ambition for all schools to be part of a MAT by 2030 has now been rescinded. However, the most recent Schools White Paper continues to emphasise the role of strong, high-quality trusts, highlighting how their scale, governance and leadership capacity can be leveraged to drive excellence in standards and inclusion. With this in mind, the best standalone schools are encouraged ‘to partner with others through a school trust, so that they can spread their excellence more widely.’

As academisation continues to shape the direction of education in England, we know that both schools and academy trusts are required to navigate a wide range of increasingly complex decisions.

Since the early stages of academisation, our teams have worked at the heart of trust operations, experiencing first-hand the balancing of individual school needs and trust-wide efficiencies.

If you are looking to start the process of academisation, grow an established trust, or wish to consider procuring one of our 11 services to bring the consistency, high quality and peace of mind of continual service provision that One Education offers, we can be with you every step of the way.

We look forward to engaging with you, please get in touch for more information.