UK EDUCATION
The academy-school programme,
initiated by the Labour government, began with ‘sponsored academies’ – schools that were deemed by OFSTED to be underperforming and were required to convert to academy status, with a government-approved academy sponsor taking over leadership. Later, the programme was expanded
to allow top-performing schools to convert to academy status. The present government stands
firm behind the belief that the academy programme is driving up standards in England’s schools. A Budget announcement by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, that all schools in England would be required to convert to academy status by 2020 came just days after Sir Michael Wilshaw, OFSTED’s chief inspector of schools, highlighted “serious weaknesses” in academy chains and was met with a Conservative backbench rebellion and threats of industrial action by teaching unions. In response, the government
abandoned the enforced academy- conversion plan. But the programme remains firmly on the government’s agenda for poorly performing schools, and it is likely to be pursued by the new Education Secretary, Justine Greening, under the leadership of Theresa May, who is known to be a supporter of the academy school programme. There are currently around 3,300
state-funded secondary schools in England, just over 2,000 of which are already academies. Of the approximately 16,500 primary schools, nearly 2,500 have converted to academy status.
Grammar schools Following the return of parliament after the summer recess, there were several leaks to the national press about the
Impington Village College
government’s intention to bring back the selective school system. Theresa May, herself a former grammar-school pupil, is widely acknowledged to be in support of grammar schools. After Shadow Education Secretary
Angela Rayner tabled an urgent question in the House of Commons asking the government to clarify its position, Theresa May delivered a speech in which she revealed a radical set of proposals for education reform, including the news that she intended to lift the restrictions on grammar-school expansion. Speaking under a banner that read “A
country that works for everyone”, Mrs May made no apology for the sweeping reform, claiming that she was determined
to create “a true meritocracy”. Grammar schools are popular
with relocating families, as they typically offer an excellent standard of education. Many grammar-school students perform exceptionally well at GCSE, A Level and the International Baccalaureate. As a consequence, many transfer to top universities, both in the UK and overseas. Theresa May announced that she
would like to relax the restrictions on new and expanding selective schools, as well as allowing existing non-selective schools to become selective in some circumstances. “For too long, we have tolerated
a system that contains an arbitrary rule preventing selective schools from being established, sacrificing children’s potential because of dogma and ideology,” said Mrs May. “It would be illogical to continue to make it illegal for good schools to expand.” She would also like to see independent
schools offer more support for increasing the quality of provision in state schools. Independent schools are currently
required to demonstrate a benefit to the public in order to maintain their charitable status. Mrs May would like them to work harder for this privilege. She suggested a raft of options that would range from undertaking full
64 | Re:locate | Autumn 2016
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