Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what criteria they will use as the basis for the expansion of multi-academy trusts within the area-based approach to commissioning.

Details of what Regional Directors consider when making decisions about trust growth are set out in 'Building strong academy trusts: Guidance for academy trusts and prospective converters' published in May 2021. Before approving a decision about growth, Regional Directors will consider the evidence about the educational and financial capacity of the academy trust. In doing so, they will consider the particular circumstances and maturity of the academy trust.

In addition, 'Implementing school system reform in 2022/23', published in May 2022, sets out that Regional Directors will adopt an area-based approach to commissioning. This will focus on quality first, identifying those trusts which are best placed to take on underperforming schools in these areas. Area-based commissioning will commence initially in education investment areas, prior to being rolled out across the country in due course.