Significant Change
Application

In line with the 1996 Education Act, Local Authorities must collaborate with academy trusts and Regions Group to ensure that there are a sufficient number of school places available for every child of compulsory school age. As part of this process, academy trusts can submit ‘Significant Change’ applications to adjust the number and type of school places available, as well as the physical learning environment to better suit pupil needs and demand.

While this can be a substantial undertaking for trusts, PAG, with our vast experience in sector bid writing, is well-equipped to support you through this process.

Speak to PAG

Significant Change purposes

There are a number of reasons a trust may need to submit a Significant Change application. A Significant Change application must be undertaken if a trust wishes to make the following changes to its provisions:

• Expansion or removal of capacity (by more than 30 places)
• Expansion onto a satellite site (including special schools)
• Age range changes
• Changes of gender composition
• Transfer to another site
• Adding or removing board provision
• Amalgamation
• De-amalgamation
• Gaining, changing, or removing a faith designation
• Redesignation and changing a Church of England academy’s characteristics
• Increasing or decreasing places in a special or alternative provision (AP) academy (by 20 pupils or 20% of the overall school capacity, whichever is smaller)
• Change in the type of special educational needs (SEN) provision in a special academy
• Adding or removing a SEN unit/resource provision (RP)
• Increasing or decreasing the number for which a SEN unit/RP caters (by 20 pupils or 20% of the overall school capacity, whichever is smaller)
• Changing the type of SEN for which a SEN unit/RP caters

PAG's Significant Change experience & expertise

PAG has extensive history and experience for supporting trusts with their Significant Change applications. Through the Significant Change process, we have successfully enabled our clients to open new satellite provision, post-16 provision, as well as the physical expansion of their school. All of our applications have been approved at Advisory Boards and have received no contestation from the public during the consultation phase.

Dependent on the applicable tier, PAG will work with you to develop a full business case for your Significant Change application. This includes undertaking public consultation for the application, where we will gather the views of relevant stakeholders to demonstrate support for the change and develop mitigations for any concerns or risks that may arise. We will also assess if the Significant Change aligns with pupil place planning and demonstrate through your case that a Significant Change is necessary to meet or manage pupil place numbers.

To further ensure the bid is successful, we will also leverage our experience working closely with DfE. Alongside Create: Schools, our two organisations have a long history of governmental collaboration after PAG was appointed the official DfE free school applicant support provider for free school waves. PAG will engage with the DfE from the outset, ensuring that the business case is heard at the earliest possible meeting of the Advisory Board, whilst supporting the presenting officer to provide clear advice to the Advisory Board, maximising your chance of success.

PAG's Significant Change process

By collaborating with your trust, PAG will develop your full Significant Change application. Depending on circumstance, we will develop your application by providing some or all of the following services:

Assess viability of Significant Change against trust finances and local pupil place planning

Assess the level of risk involved, both within the trust and external schools within the locality

Undertake the full consultation exercise

Develop a consultation report, which includes the assessment of public views for the proposed change

Develop mitigations for any concerns arising during the consultation phase