WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON ALL SCHOOLS BECOMING ACADEMIES
Academies are growing more common, but what precisely are they, and what happens if your child’s school converts? The previous Conservative government prioritized the academy system, and the present administration shows no indications of abandoning it, despite controversial plans to force all schools to become academies being scrapped.
WHAT IS AN ACADEMY, EXACTLY?
According to the Schools in Mumbai academies are self-contained, state-funded schools that receive funds directly from the federal government rather than through a local government. They are operated by the head teacher on a day-to-day basis, although they are controlled by independent charity bodies known as academy trusts and may be part of an academy chain. Initially, academy schools were established to replace failing schools in order to assist them in adapting to more difficult-than-usual circumstances, but this concept has subsequently been expanded.
Academies conversion orders are always issued to schools judged ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted because the government claims that schools improve twice as quickly when they become academies. In March of last year, then-chancellor George Osborne said that by 2022, all schools, including the most successful, would have to be academies or have strong, formal plans to do so.
Following opposition from labor groups, parents, and politicians, the idea was scrapped in May. “We encourage those strong local authorities where schools are exceptional and great — they may choose to convert,” then-Education Secretary Nicky Morgan told the BBC at the time. I hope they would, since we are sure that establishing academies raises standards, but they can also do the right thing for themselves, which I believe reflects our worries and discussions.”
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PUBLIC SCHOOL AND A PRIVATE SCHOOL?
Eduminatti says aside from the funding differential, academy schools have more financial and curriculum autonomy than other state schools. They are also exempt from following national teacher salary and conditions. An academy chain is made up of several academics. The assumption is that by doing so, they will be able to achieve economies of scale for the services and resources they require, allowing them to spend more money per student.
WHEN A SCHOOL TRANSFORMS INTO AN ACADEMY, WHAT HAPPENS?
Because the additional control offers heads and governors the option to establish new term times, school hours, and curriculum subjects, there might be a lot of changes.
WHY IS THE GOVERNMENT SO ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT ACADEMIES?
The government claims that academies raise standards by giving head teachers more control over remuneration, school day length, and term periods. They have more creative flexibility and have the option of opting out of the national curriculum. Instead of being limited by inflexible national laws, those directly involved in the school may be able to create policies and processes that work best for their specific student body. Academies have been demonstrated to improve twice as quickly as other public schools, according to the government. Others, though, disagree. “I want to drive up standards and free schools from the constraints of local bureaucracy,” Mr. Osborne said.
WHAT ARE THE OPINIONS OF THE CRITICS?
Several MPs’ committees have criticized the academies initiative for a lack of financial and public accountability control. Some private school chains have developed at an unsustainable rate as a result of private suppliers running vast chains of schools. Many teachers’ unions have also expressed reservations about the rise of academies. Academies are supported by the government, but they have more authority over the salary and working conditions of instructors. Unions think that rivalry between schools is pointless and that it “segregates and fragments communities.” Because of the market-driven approach, the greatest schools can attract the best teachers and resources, making other schools less appealing to students, parents, and staff. We’ve also meant that local governments have lost money on school support programs, and there are concerns that those who need it the most may be left behind.
Heads of academy chains can earn a lot of money from the government, with the highest-paid academy CEO earning £370,000 in 2015. Sir Michael Wilshaw, the head of Ofsted, chastised seven prominent academy chains last year for failing to improve the results of too many students in their schools while paying board members huge salaries. However, he noted that several academies have made significant improvements. Academies have also been accused of “cherry selecting” the brightest kids because they cannot be forced to accept ‘difficult’ students by the local government, which must instead turn to a national body, which may or may not intervene if an academy refuses to accept a child.
WHY IS THE GOVERNMENT NOW CONCENTRATING ITS EFFORTS ON ENCOURAGING SCHOOLS TO BECOME STRONG TRUSTS?
For schools, joining a multi-academy trust is still a good idea. They allow the most powerful leaders to take on more responsibility for supporting more schools, developing excellent teachers, and allowing schools to focus on what matters most — teaching, learning, and a curriculum that works. Every year, hundreds of schools opt to convert to academy status and benefit from the flexibility that comes with it, on their timetable. Multi-academy trusts can give the finest training and evidence-based curriculum support for already exceptional teachers as we recover from the pandemic, allowing them to focus on what they do best — teaching.
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