Private schools wanting to convert to academies are “left in the dark” due to a lack of guidance on the process, a new report has found, with just 1 per cent of settings converting in the space of a decade.
A report by Private Education Policy Forum found 27 independent schools in England and Wales – around 1 per cent of the total 2,500 – converted to an academy or free school between 2007 and 2017, with the last conversion taking place in 2016-17.
Of these, nine became academies and 18 became free schools. Three of the free schools have since closed.
Despite a lack of guidance, analysis found nearly all schools that converted have either an ‘outstanding’ or ‘good’ Ofsted inspection rating, with pupils achieving higher average attainment than other state schools in their local authority area.
The PEPF has called on the Department for Education to create a “permanent conversion route” for independent schools to utilise, and to establish a peer network for converted schools to offer advice.
Financial sustainability
PEPF analysed 27 applications from private schools to convert to a state-funded school, either by the academy or free school route. Researchers also conducted seven interviews with individuals involved in conversions, including heads and governors.
Several schools “explicitly” cited financial sustainability as a reason for converting, while others mentioned this more implicitly, linked to wider demographic changes.
Analysis also found social mission was an important factor to schools wanting to convert.
“Joining the state sector was seen as a way to return to their founding vision: to educate a broad cross-section of society rather than only those who could afford fees,” researchers said.
Conversions mostly successful
Overall, analysis found the conversions were successful, with rises in proportions of SEN pupils and those eligible for free school meals.
In 2024-25, former independent primary schools had an average of 67.9 per cent of pupils reaching an expected reading, writing and maths standard, compared to 60.2 per cent of all pupils attending state-funded schools in the same local authorities.
At secondary level, 50.9 per cent of pupils at former independent schools achieved a grade 5 or higher at GCSE English or Maths, compared with 43.6 per cent of all pupils attending state-funded schools in the same local authorities.
But nine out of 24 schools were judged as ‘requires Improvement’ in their first inspection after converting. Now, all but one are rated as ‘outstanding or ‘good’.
Schools also saw an almost 70 per cent increase in the proportion of FSM pupils, and more than half had a 10 per cent increase in the proportion of SEN pupils.
Schools ‘left in the dark’
Researchers found there was a lack of support and advice for converting schools.
While conversations between schools and the DfE took place, this “fell well short of a centralised portal for advising and guiding schools from their initial proposal through to the completion of the process”.
This “piecemeal” approach meant that many converting schools were “left in the dark on a range of crucial issues”, researchers said.
The PEPF has urged the DfE to create a permanent conversion route through which independent schools can convert to state-funded schools. This should be based on processes previously used through academy and free school routes.
The report has also recommended the DfE establish a peer mentoring network through which former independent schools can provide support and advice to newly converting schools.
