Michael Gove and the coalition government are calling it “radicalism”; NASUWAT are describing it as a “recipe for educational inequality and social segregation". We want to know what you think about the blanket invitation for all schools in the UK to become independent academies?
Education Secretary Michael Gove is writing to all primary and secondary schools in England inviting them to become academies. He says that “it's about saying to heads, and boards of governors and teachers - it's up to you.”
Academies are state-funded schools which are independent of local authority control, and this proposal could mean thousands of schools decide to ‘opt-in’ to the scheme. Schools that are rated as outstanding could be eligible for fast-tracking and be free of local authority control by the autumn.
The government argues that schools are improved by having greater autonomy – more choice will be given to parents as the ‘market’ opens up. Schools could find themselves managed by outside companies rather than local authorities.
To date the academy programme, which had plans for up to 400 schools, had been focused on improving standards in the most challenging areas.
Education Secretary Michael Gove is writing to all primary and secondary schools in England inviting them to become academies. He says that “it's about saying to heads, and boards of governors and teachers - it's up to you.”
Academies are state-funded schools which are independent of local authority control, and this proposal could mean thousands of schools decide to ‘opt-in’ to the scheme. Schools that are rated as outstanding could be eligible for fast-tracking and be free of local authority control by the autumn.
The government argues that schools are improved by having greater autonomy – more choice will be given to parents as the ‘market’ opens up. Schools could find themselves managed by outside companies rather than local authorities.
To date the academy programme, which had plans for up to 400 schools, had been focused on improving standards in the most challenging areas.
However, under the new proposals, academies would be the most successful schools, often in more affluent areas.
Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, argued that it was wrong to stop local authorities from having a say in proposals for new schools.
She said that such "academies and free schools are a recipe for educational inequality and social segregation".
"Given the imperative to tackle the budget deficit, the Academies Bill represents a costly and unnecessary solution to a problem that simply does not exist."
What do you think?
Gove should read more Jonathan Swift...
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