As part of the Area Based Reviews, initiated in December 2015 and due to be completed by September 2017, a sixth-form college can apply to become an academy if it meets the following criteria:

• contributes to higher standards in the area through more effective partnerships and sharing of good practice and high-quality teaching expertise and resources; and
• secures the financial health and stability of the college – especially those colleges who are currently at financial risk and improving the efficiency and value for money of the provision it offers for young people in the area.

The NASUWT gives full support to all members regardless of the type of school in which they teach.

The NASUWT believes that all state-funded schools, including academies, are a critical part of our public education service and, therefore, in order to deliver the educational entitlements to all children and young people, teachers in all state-funded schools need to be working within a national framework of pay and conditions of service which supports all teachers in delivering high-quality education.

It is important that senior leaders and governing bodies in all school types  understand what enables all of their pupils to meet their potential, and that there is an inextricable link between the pay and conditions of teachers within a school and the outcomes that the school achieves for  pupils.

Consequently, the NASUWT continues to campaign for national pay and conditions frameworks to apply in academy schools, and for all children and young people to be taught by qualified teachers who are recognised and rewarded as highly skilled professionals and have working conditions which enable them to focus on teaching and learning. 

The NASUWT supports fully members in academies, individually and collectively, in maintaining adherence to policies that protect the pay and conditions of service of teachers and headteachers. 

The Union provides a wealth of advice, bulletins, briefings and training and professional development opportunities for all members in academies.

The NASUWT is the only teachers’ union which has a dedicated team of national negotiating officials, a key part of whose role is to negotiate with academy trusts to meet with employers and to secure pay and conditions of service policies and procedures that will benefit teachers and school leaders. 

Academy schools are free to develop their own terms and conditions for new staff. However, as a result of proactive engagement by the NASUWT, the majority of academies continue to honour the national pay and conditions framework for teachers as set out in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD).

Where a school has converted to academy status, teachers’ pay and conditions of service would remain the same because of the protections of the TUPE.

Where teachers agree to a change of contract following conversion to academy status, they will be bound by any new terms and conditions devised by the academy.

Schools, regardless of their status, already enjoy considerable autonomy over their affairs, whilst remaining accountable for their use of public money. All schools are subject to the same inspection regime. All schools are subject to the same test and examination performance measures.All schools are subject to primary legislation, including employment law, health and safety, and equalities legislation.