Tender launched for legal advice on creation of 13-school multi-academy trust

A group of schools are to appoint a legal services provider for the creation and subsequent expansion of a multi-academy trust in the West Midlands.

The successful provider will advise on the five initial schools converting, with the agreement of the Department for Education, into the prospective Uttoxeter Learning Trust. They comprise a High School, a Middle School and three First Schools.

This will include advice on:

• The funding agreements, including master funding agreement;
• The Commercial Transfer Agreement;
• The property and land transfer including the DfE Land Questionnaire and site due diligence;
• Employment transfer of staff (TUPE); and
• Establishing the Multi-Academy Trust including registration with Companies House.

A further eight schools have also committed to join the trust and are expected to submit applications to convert in January 2017.

The legal services provider will be asked to provide a price per school for any additional schools to be added to the multi-academy trust awarded an academy order before the end of 2017.

The legal services contract will start on 8 November 2016 and run until 31 December 2017.