No – for three reasons.
First, being on our Development Programme is not taken into account by the DfE when they’re assessing your application.
Second, we will be working with fewer groups than we expect to be approved. We definitely expect to have some groups that access our universal services, but not the Development Programme, to get through the process.
Third, we have worked to create enough support and information through our universal services to allow a group to be approved without our Development Programme. You have to have a good team and some expertise – but that is true for anyone who wants to successfully open a new school.
