ACADEMIES
Academies: the big debate
The academies debate has split opinion down the
AGAINST
and pupils have been forced to take direct action,
protesting inside and outside their schools against
Alasdair Smith
middle, with many educationalists pointing to improved
plans to create academies. Increasingly, teachers too
National secretary
feel compelled to take strike action against academies.
The main complaint is that whenever academies are
exam results, while others focus on the perceived
The Anti Academies Alliance
created, the consultation process is a sham and the
decision-making process remote and undemocratic.
problems. SecEd asked two prominent academy experts,
It is probably unfashionable, and certainly unpalatable, In towns up and down the country, such as Barrow,
to acknowledge that the ideology that created the Carlisle, Tamworth, Nuneaton, and Wakefield, good
one on each side of the fence, to argue it out
economic and political crises of recent months is the schools have been, or are being, shut or re-organised
very same ideology that has imposed academies on our in face of widespread local hostility.
education system. Campaigners against academies have faced an
The mania for deregulation and privatisation – neo- uphill struggle. It was always going to be difficult
FOR
There are new models of education developing too. liberalism – is based on the mantra that private is better to oppose academies when a £30 million-plus new
Elizabeth Reid
Groups of academies sharing a similar approach to than public. One might think that nationalisation of building and generous transitional funding was made
education – like those sponsored by Ark, the United banks had put paid to this view, but unfortunately, at available.
Chief executive
Learning Trust or the Harris Education Trust – are least in the education world, the government still clings Support from politicians of all parties also made
bringing together what works across traditional local to this damaging fantasy. it hard as it appeared that there was a consensus. But
Specialist Schools and Academies Trust
authority boundaries. Academies, we are told, enable the “DNA of the a constant flow of negative stories has meant the
For example, the Harris Trust is organising its own private sector” to transform our state education. Eight programme has become mired in controversy. Earlier
A few years ago, people used to ask me why they bespoke professional development courses for teachers years after the programme was launched, it is surprising this year, the Liberal Democrats abandoned support for
should back academies. I would ask them when they and school leaders. then to hear that “there is insufficient evidence to make the programme. Some Labour councils and even some
last visited one: their silence spoke volumes. Which Of course, there are a few academies that have a definitive judgement about academies as a model for Tory councillors are now openly voicing concern.
is not really surprising: those who are most opposed needed extra support from outside and changes in school improvement”. There is a growing grass roots opposition to
to academies have rarely seen for themselves the leadership. But given the extraordinary task that the 133 These are not the words of the Anti Academies academies. In January 2009, campaigners scored a
difference they make. academies are undertaking, what is remarkable is that Alliance, or the teachers’ unions. They are the words significant victory stopping an academy in Derby.
Fortunately, with 133 academies now open, those there has been so much improvement and innovation of the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) Academies The headteacher and school governors had started out
objections are rarer. People have seen the exam results: in schools and communities whose young people were Evaluation Fifth Annual Report, commissioned by the in favour of Sinfin Community School becoming an
for the 36 academies with results in both 2007 and being written off a decade ago. government. academy, but after a high profile community campaign,
2008, there has been an increase of 11.5 percentage And this is something that has parents voting The PWC report was published in November 2008. and strike action by members of the NASUWT and
points in the proportion of pupils gaining five good with their children’s feet. It is particularly telling at Since then the Sutton Trust has reported, referring to the NUT unions, they switched sides and spoke out publicly
GCSEs – more than double the national increase. academies, which were the subject of some of the government benchmark of 30 per cent of pupils getting against the proposal.
When maths and English are included, the increase is most vocal protests when plans for change were first five A* to C GCSEs (including maths and English), In the June local elections, parents in Barrow and
4.3 percentage points, compared to 2.5 percentage points mooted. that: “As phase one academies have seen their first Tamworth fielded anti-academy candidates in several
nationally. Comparing the 62 academies with results in Mitcham’s Harris Academy had seen some protestors cohort go all the way through, it might be expected that wards. It shows a real determination to restore their
2008 to their predecessor schools in 2001, improvements try to block its birth in the courts. Yet it had three times they would now be hitting this target. However, none of democratic right to have a say in how their children
are running at twice the national average. as many parents making it their first choice of school as the first three academies achieved this in 2007.” are educated.
Many academies are at the cutting edge of used to do so before it become an academy. There is no magic academy bullet. The reality is that But there are powerful vested interests supporting
educational innovation. They have over twice as many Similarly, Islington’s St Mary Magdalene Academy far from guaranteeing success, academies experience academies. In addition to the Specialist Schools and
pupils on free school meals as the average, often more. had been the subject of much local protest before it many of the same problems as maintained state Academies Trust, there are a series of corporations who
They do not select: some use banding to ensure a opened: in its first year it had over 800 people applying community schools. So for example, nine of the oldest have made millions out of “edu-business” contracts
comprehensive intake. for places, far more than other local secondaries. 36 academies saw their results fall last year. to create and service academies. A few millionaire
Of course, they are also attractive to middle class Academies are popular with parents, and are usually Academies in the PWC sample have 12 per cent of philanthropists, such as Arpad Busson of ARK and
parents, and this ensures a balanced intake that helps oversubscribed, sometimes heavily so. their staff without qualified teacher status, compared Lord Harris the carpet salesmen, have considerable
raise standards for all. The critics’ last charge is that academies are to an England average of five per cent. Some 11 of the influence. Some academy federations, such as United
Mossbourne Community Academy in Hackney unaccountable and aloof from their communities. I 27 academies in the sample experienced a change of Learning Trust, now control more schools than some
– declared “outstanding” by Ofsted – has achieved test doubt such critics have seen the excellent outreach leadership, mostly within the first year of becoming local authorities, yet they remain wholly unaccountable
results well above the national average. The academy’s work with the Somali community at the City Academy, an academy. And academies continue to exclude a far to their local community.
separate learning environment for year 7 pupils is Bristol, or the community sports work at Capital City higher proportion of children. The Anti Academies Alliance believes in a good
making a huge difference to their transition into Academy in Brent, which pays for an athletics coach We know the government presents different statistics, local community school for every child. We want all
secondary school, a time when pupils’ anxieties often to help the neighbouring Willesden Sports Centre to claiming attainment is improving faster in academies. schools to have new buildings and higher funding
lead to a dip in achievement. develop a combined community and performance Perhaps this is so, but as research by Professor Stephen where needed. And we want all local communities to
Instead, having started with just 62 per cent of programme for young people in athletics. Gorard demonstrates, this is more a consequence of have the democratic right to be involved in their local
students achieving Level 4 (the national average) in In any case, most local authorities now positively changing the intake than of “transformational” impact school. Parents and teachers will need to re-assert their
English and maths, 90 per cent achieve the national welcome academies to their communities – some, of private sponsors. rights in the face of this corporate academy juggernaut.
average in the school’s end-of-year 7 progress tests. like Hackney, Bristol and Birmingham, make them But statistics will not solve the argument about Business does not always have the right answer.
Other academies are also showing real improvements a major plank of their overall city-wide regeneration academies. Nor will they motivate much parental Visit: www.antiacademies.org.uk
in the most difficult circumstances. Some 79 per cent of programmes. opposition. In our experience, what has angered
pupils at North Liverpool Academy, with pupils from All of which explains why the government is right parents most about the academy programme has
some of the city’s most challenging estates, gained five to want to open 80 more academies this September been the loss of local democratic
good GCSEs in 2008 – or 36 per cent including English and a further 100 in 2010, leading towards accountability. Across the
and maths (up from 26 per cent the year before). at least 400 in the country, parents
Its innovative, fast-paced curriculum for years near future.
7 and 8 adopts best practice from primary schools Academies are
with an accelerated two-year literacy programme. already transforming
This programme is delivered by a small number of chances for thousands
specialist teachers in a dedicated teaching area. Pupils of our least advantaged
engage in 12 themed projects integrating English, ICT, young people, and
history, geography, religious studies, and Spanish. their expansion will
Those who are able to do so take AS levels in do so for many more.
years 10 and 11. Visit: www.ssatrust
.org.uk
Academy vision: The government plans to open 200
academies by 2010. One already up and running is
Mossbourne Community Academy in Hackney, London
SecEd • July 9 2009 17
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