Review
technology such as SMART Notebook software, as used in real classroom environments. Dominic Herrington, Director of the Academies Delivery Group at the DfE, also commented on the independence that the academy structure can offer schools, acknowledging that they system can offer educational advantages. However, addressing the conference at the event, he said: “Autonomy is not an end in itself. It’s about how to drive up standards in your school.” Herrington also recognised that the benefits of academy status seemed to be ongoing, if not accumulative: “The longer a school is an academy the more the beneficial effects of that academy grows,” he said.
A question of confidence
Whilst the recession is never far from current spender’s minds, the huge crowds and visibly packed exhibitor stands at the Academies Show, as well as the large queues for the lectures and seminars, implied that for academies at least, confidence is on the up.
In March, research published by the British Educational Supplier’s Association (BESA) announced that school budgets, whilst having faced cuts, are still much healthier than in years gone by. BESA also announced that quarterly spending for 2012 had increased compared to the same quarter for 2011. In short: there’s money to spend. Education Today spoke to representatives at some of the exhibitor stands who felt that having reserved spending for long enough, educational institutions are now in a position to invest in products that will contribute to the successful expansions of their academies. The exhibitor stands gave attendees the valuable opportunity to be ‘hands on’ with some of the latest equipment and discuss their requirements and concerns with some of the best solution providers. The event was also an excellent networking opportunity for delegates, providing the chance to discuss with colleagues whose institutions had already made the conversion to academy status.
Amongst the exhibitors that found the event worthwhile were The British Council, the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. The organisation was present at the show to encourage academies to participate in its international programmes. John Rolfe, representative for the British Council
said: “We had an excellent, busy, productive and very useful day and met a great range of interesting contacts.”
Takako Yeung, School Development Manager at the National Education Trust, a charity that promotes and shares good practice within education, also found the busy event to be fruitful: “It was a great opportunity to talk to others in the field of education and to develop links with potential partner organisations. Much like speed dating, we only had a few minutes to talk to delegates about our work and whilst it was a quick introduction to our organisation, it made for lively conversations with people that we might not otherwise have met.”
Academy status
Back at the conference, addressing the concept that the formation of an academy is merely a status change, David Wootton, Academies Executive for the United Learning Trust and Chair of the Independent Academies Association, said: “Successful academies need to be transformational.”
He added: “Academies can extend opportunities for enrichment and extra curricula
activities. The freedom they gain is the freedom to think innovatively – to rewrite the script.” Wootton also noted that academies had moved away from the early model where interaction between schools was minimal. More recently, he noted, umbrella structures and groups of academies were proving highly effective in sharing best practice and driving up standards together.
The afternoon conference session introduced Charlie Taylor, Expert Advisor on Behaviour at the DfE, who presented the benefits that the academies programme could bring to the provision of Pupil Referral Units. Observing that the care provided by units was not always as good as it should be, he believes schools now have the opportunity to work together and collaborate to create better resources under the academy structure: “If there isn’t good enough local provision, you can get together with other schools to develop your own,” he said. The event didn’t neglect to address the impact that the move towards academy status is having on the role of local authorities. Jon Coles, Group Chief Executive at the United Learning Trust and United Church Schools Trust - one of the largest single sponsors of academies in the UK - suggested that local authorities could still be responsible for holding academies to account.
Setting the scene for change
The conference was concluded by Martin Latham, Headteacher of Robinson Primary School, Gloucester, itself an academy. Latham told the audience that it was ‘easy’ to become an academy thanks to the level of support now available. Reinforcing much of the day’s enthusiasm for academies’ potential to shape teaching and learning for the future, Latham encouraged schools who might be considering the transformation to do so now. “You are the people who can make a difference here,” he told the audience, “and this is a once in a lifetime chance for you and me to make a difference.” Following on from the success of the London event, show organisers are now gearing up for the next free-to-attend event, The Academies Show Birmingham which will take place at the NEC on 28 November.
June 2012
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