Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many academy schools are awaiting transfer from one Trust to another as a result of a new sponsor not being identified.

As at 7 January 2019, 78 academies were in the process of transferring from one trust to another and all of these academies have a new sponsor identified.

Academies may transfer to other trusts in a range of circumstances. In some cases, Regional School Commissioners may intervene due to concerns about academy performance and in other cases, an academy may be moving trust as part of an agreed voluntary arrangement. In all cases, a new trust will have been identified before the transfer is approved. For this reason, the department does not have any academies that have been approved for transfer where a new sponsor (or trust) has not been identified.

If a transfer is not felt to be the right approach, other improvement activity will take place, including other support arrangements.