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| Photo by Daniel Eden |
Forced
Academisation of Our Local Schools
By Councillor Joanne Platt and Andy Burnham MP
The
Government’s recent announcement on schools and the plan to force all schools
into academy status has nothing to do education standards.
Across
the Wigan borough 94% of our primary schools are classed as good or outstanding
and 74% of our secondary schools are good or outstanding by OFSTED. Our children and young people continue to
outperform their peers nationally at both key stage 2 (end of primary) and key
stage 4 (GCSE).
Our
school leaders, regardless of the status of the school, are bound together in
partnership, and with the Council, to raise achievement and aspiration. What will forcing these good or outstanding
schools to acadamise actually do to improve the experience and outcomes for
children and families?
We
have a very proud track record of educational excellence in Wigan Borough. Our primary school position is ranked, 3rd
in the North West behind Cheshire and Trafford and 2nd in Greater
Manchester. How will forcing our schools to academise improve this position?
As
Cabinet Member for Children’s Services in Wigan Borough, and as Member of
Parliament for Leigh, we know what the pressures and priorities facing schools and
our young people are because of our close links with educators across the
borough.
The
LGA study, carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research,
found no evidence of short-term benefits in improved performance that could be
associated with a school’s conversion to an academy. There was also very little
evidence that pupils eligible for free school meals, or with low prior ability,
made more progress in academies than they would have done in similar,
maintained schools.
We
are seeking answers to these important challenges from the Education Secretary
and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who announced fundamental changes to the
education system in this country that were not in the Tory Manifesto or part of
his budget.
1. What will forcing our schools to
acadamise do to help children and families with special and complex needs to
have choice and access to the right support?
2. There is a teacher shortage crisis in
the country. How will forcing our
schools to acadamise ensure highly qualified teachers are trained and retained?
3. The current curriculum and testing
changes are in chaos. What is the forced
acadamisation process going to do to give clear and guidance to teacher’s students’
parents and the future employers of our young people?
4. This Government seem intent on ended the
role of communities in education. The message of giving control back to local
communities that is being given by Government could be further from the truth.
If this plan is pushed through Multi Academy Trust are run as small business
with accountability only to the Governing Board which no longer require parent
representatives. Local elected councillors and parent governors bring local
community accountability to schools. Why
are the Government forcing schools to lose this local accountability and hand
power to non-elected and non-accountable regional schools commissioners and to
Whitehall bureaucrats? Local people know
what is in the best interest of their children and communities, and local
people need someone to turn to when they need help and support with the
education of their children.
The Government’s policy
does nothing to resolve these key challenges, other than to divert much needed
resources and focus away from these issues and into a pointless, imposed
re-organisation. We continue to be proud
of all our schools and to work with them in the best interests of our
children and families – community schools, faith schools and academies.
We are calling on all
educators across the Wigan Borough to join our campaign opposing these changes.