Education Secertary, Nicky Morgan, has vowed to “sweep away bureaucratic and legal loopholes exploited by those who put ideological objections above the best interests of children” in order to force through the rapid academisation of local authority schools.
In other words, Morgan wants to clear away even the limited say that parents, teachers, students and the local community have in the conversion of schools to academies. Morgan, clearly stung by the recent victory against the academisation of three schools in Lewisham, wants to ensure that trade union and community campaigns against academies do not best her again.
Morgan made the announcement as part of the Education and Adoption bill on Wednesday 3 June. The bill places a new “duty” on councils and governing bodies to “actively assist” the academisation process — seemingly this means parent, teacher or other opposing governors will be prevented from campaigning to prevent academisation.
Up to a 1,000 schools deemed as “failing” may be targeted in the coming months for rapid academy conversion. Yet despite Morgan's claims to have students' interests at heart there is no evidence becoming an academy is beneficial for students — even within the narrow hoop-jumping exams system the government uses to measure students' success. The education select committee, chaired by Tory Graham Stuart, found no evidence of improved educational success from academy conversion. In its “review of academies and free schools” the committee concluded that “academisation is not always successful nor is it the only proven alternative for a struggling school” and that “the government should stop exaggerating the success of academies”.
Analysis by the Local Schools Network showed that in last year's GCSE figures, the results of sponsored academies fell more than the results of non-academies. 8% of primary sponsored academies and 14% of secondaries are currently rated “inadequate” — yet Morgan has nothing to say about students in these schools.
The victory in Lewisham has diminished, in the immediate future, the chances that other Lewisham schools will go for academy status and improved the chances of maintaining Sedgehill (another school in the borough currently under a Interim Executive Body and threatened with academisation) under LEA control. However, given the change in the law there is a significant possibility that Leathersellers will come back and have another go.
The NUT have stated that unless or until the Governors withdraw their academy plans altogether, then the dispute continues. Given the recent success, students, parents and teachers will be ready to return to fight if neccesary.
