Sixth form colleges with a religious character can finally apply to become an academy.
Nearly all sixth form colleges (SFCs) have been able to convert to academy status, and in doing so enjoy the luxury of not paying VAT, since former chancellor George Osborne changed the rules in November 2015.
But a group of 13 SFCs which are Catholic-run have been prevented from doing so due to their religious character, which would not be maintained under government rules. If they converted, they would lose protections in areas of curriculum, acts of worship and governance.
The DfE finally found a solution to safeguard religious character through the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022, which became law in April.
