THE LATEST NEWS AND INFORMATION ON ACADEMIES, FREE SCHOOLS AND PRIVATISATION ISSUES FROM THE NUT’S PRIVATISATION IN EDUCATION UNIT
NUMBER 26, JULY 2012
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ACADEMY CAMPAIGNS
Union victory at BoldonSchool
Strike action has been averted at a Tyneside secondary school after governors decided it will not become an academy. NUT members at BoldonSchool, South Tyneside, had been preparing to walk out for three days in the week following half term over governors’ plans to move towards academy status. The governing body meton 31 May 2012 and decided not to proceed to the next stage towards conversion. Jill McManus, Secretary of South Tyneside NUT, said: “The campaign was a real team effort. We had 100% support for action from NUT members and we campaigned together with the NASUWT and our local Public Services Alliance.” (NUTpress release 01.06.12)
Eighth strike day at Kimberley
NUT members at the KimberleySchool in Nottinghamtook an eighth day of strike action on 27 June 2012 over governors’ plans to turn it into an academy. Governors rejected an NUT offer to hold talks through the conciliation service ACASin return for suspending further action.More on the SaveKimberleySchool campaign and a link to its petition can be found at:
Downhills Fights on
The official report of the Interim Executive Board (IEB) on the outcome of its consultation exercise on whether Downhills primary school should become a sponsored academy was published on 22 June 2012. It was conducted by consultants Cambridge Education at a cost of £45,000. The report revealed that 94 per cent (219 respondents) wanted the school to remain maintained by the local authority; three per cent (seven respondents) were unsure or didn’t answer the question. Only seven per cent (17 respondents) said that should the school become an academy they would favour Harris as the sponsor while 81 per cent did not favour Harris. A further 12 per cent were unsure about Harris.
The IEB was sent into Downhills following the sacking of the Governors for refusing to convert the school.Just 45 minutes after the IEB presented its report, Lord Hill responded by letter to the chair of the IEB Les Walton confirming Michael Gove’s intention to hand the school over to the HarrisAcademychain. His letter stated:“It is recognised that the majority of those who responded to the consultation have expressed their preference for the school to remain maintained by the local authority. The Secretary of State is of the view, however, that the explanations, where given, do not provide a convincing argument that this would be in the best interests of the pupils at Downhills…”
A second strike by NUT and UNISON members was held on 19 June when parents and children joined strikers at the DfE’s offices to protest against Michael Gove’s refusal to visit the school. (Save Downhills press release, 23.06.12)
Derby Council seeks co-operation against academies
Labour led Derby Council hasannounced it will fight plans to turn the city’s schools into academies. A month after winning control of Derby in the local elections, the city's Labour group has made opposition to academies one of its main policy planks. Councillors want to explore setting up a series of co-operative trusts in which schools would work together and with the local authority. Councillor Martin Rawson, new city council cabinet member for children and young people, said his group's policy was completely opposed to that of the previous Tory/Lib-Dem coalition council, adding: "We think that forcing schools to become academies won't improve standards but collaborative working in co-operative trusts will have benefits such as shared good practice and resources." (Derby Telegraph, 05.06.12)
Liverpool Council swaps schools for Government cash
Teachers arebeing balloted for action up to and including strike action at WestDerbySchool over plans for the school to convert to academy status. Local unions have accused Liverpool Council of “undemocratic interference” after interim Education Director Bob Clark wrote a letter to every member of staff at the secondary school warning it would be “counterproductive” to oppose schools leaving the local authority family of schools. He also used the letter to state that the council “accepts the academy conversion within Liverpool and supports WestDerbySchool in its consultation on this matter”.Julie Lyon-Taylor, the NUT’s Liverpool secretary, said: “This undermines consultation and is undemocratic.”
The stance marks a massive change of face for the Council which previously opposed schools opting for academy status. However as part of the city’s deal with the government for funding worth £130 million to build 12 new schools, it has agreed that six of the schools must become academies. (Liverpool Echo, 02.06.12)
CoventryCouncil’s judicial review over forced academy
Coventry City Council has become the first to take the Government to the High Court over moves to force a local authority school into academy status.Teachers, governorsand local councillors are united behind the Council’s application for a judicial review of the decision to force HenleyGreenPrimary School to convert. The council will argue that Education Secretary Michael Gove acted unlawfully by requiring the council to issue a warning notice to the school, which would in turn force it to apply to the government to become an academy.
The school’s governors issued a statement saying: “We believe there is good evidence to show the school is making sustained and significant improvements working in partnership with the local authority and other schools. We believe this progress can best be developed and built upon by sustaining and enhancing this relationship.” (Coventry Telegraph, 07.06.12)
Lancashire forced academy opposition
WalverdenPrimary School, Nelson, is the first school in Lancashire to be ordered to convert to academy status but governors are now seeking legal action against the proposals and appealing to education watchdog Ofsted after they were issued with a warning notice. The school is being backed in its opposition by the Conservative-led county council. Chair of governors Philip Berry said the move to “force their hand” was an “absolute disgrace” and “undemocratic”. There are now concerns that other schools in the area could also be forced to become academies. (This is Lancashire, 31.05.12)
Boltoncommunity opposes forced academies
Teachers and parents attended a meeting in Bolton on 19 June 2012to show their opposition to local schools becoming academies. Speakers included the Anti-Academies Alliance, as well as Alan Johnson, leader of Bolton Green Party, and Councillor Kevin McKeon, who represents HorwichNorth East. Julia Simpkins, secretary elect of the NUT’s Bolton branch outlined the main concerns of the protesters, highlighting the case of PlodderLanePrimary School, which will become Bolton’s first forced academy. She said that Bolton Muslim Girls’ School is “fighting strongly” against becoming an academy. Further meetings are planned for coming months involving parents with children at schools threatened with academy status. (This is Lancashire 19.06.12)
ACADEMIES
Academies in Numbers
There were a total of 1,877 open academies on 1 June 2012. From 1 May to 1 June 2012, 70 new academies opened and 113 new applications were received from schools.
NUT Region / Secondary academies (converter & sponsored) / Primary academies (converter & sponsored) / Others / Total OpenYorks/Midlands / 173 / 85 / 8 / 266
South West / 165 / 117 / 14 / 296
South East / 169 / 64 / 4 / 237
North West / 102 / 26 / 4 / 132
Northern / 66 / 32 / 8 / 106
Midlands / 166 / 49 / 11 / 226
London / 179 / 45 / 15 / 239
Eastern / 240 / 93 / 42 / 375
TOTAL / 1,260 / 511 / 106 / 1,877
‘Others’ includes all age, 14-19, all through, middle deemed secondary,special schools, PRUs etc
Academies’ funding problems
Recent reports in the Guardian and Financial Times have highlighted growing problems and inconsistencies in the funding system for academies. Academies are increasingly finding themselves short of money, having converted believing that academy status would bring a major cash boost. Local authorities have begun to adjust their accounting mechanisms in order to retain funding for their own central services, resulting in lower Lacseg payments to academies. This is increasing pressure on academies which, like maintained schools are suffering from overall cuts to the education budget.
Balcarras school in Cheltenham, will see its budget cut by more than £400,000 from September – the equivalent of nine teachers. Its Head, Chris Healy, says the potential financial benefits were a major incentive to convert, with the school anticipating an additional £500,000 a year. In a survey of almost 1,500 schools carried out last year by school leaders’ union ASCL, seven out of ten cited financial gain as a reason for converting.
According to Peter Downes, a former head teacher, Liberal Democrat councillor and expert onschool funding, academies are still being funded more generously overall: "The DfE spends £1.055 billion on academies, but it only recoups £415million of that from local authorities". Downes speculates that the £600 million shortfall is being funded centrally, but this has been denied by the DfE who claim that Lacseg funding is sufficient. (Guardian, 29.06.12)
The Financial Times’ Education Correspondent Chris Cook highlights further issues with Lacseg funding, focusing on over and under-payments in different local authorities. The DfE calculates the Lacseg grant before it actually knows how much will be spent on different services in each area. So, for example, the DfE estimated the Lacseg should be £551 for a pupil in Islington in 2011-12. However, the local authority spent just £219. These inconstancies have resulted in numerous over-payments to schools and undoubtedly act as an incentive to convert. However, they are also a reason for some academies receiving less money than they believed they would. Read the full analysis here:
ULT Academies £250 boost for low paid workers
UNISON has welcomed the decision from academies sponsor United Learning Trust (ULT) to pay the £250 increase to its school support staff earning less than £22,000, calling it “the right thing to do”. ULT runs 19 academies and UNISON is the only union recognised to represent school support staff in ULT.
The £250 was promised to low paid public sector workers in George Osborne's June 2010 emergency budget, but has been widely ignored. It was due to be paid to public sector workers earning less than £21,000 but ULT has extended it to those earning less than £22,000. The offer is a £250 uplift to salaries, rather than a one-off payment. ULT is the first major academy sponsor to pay the minimum increase and UNISON is calling on others to follow suit. (UNISON press release, June 2012)
Gove announces acceleration of forced academy programme
Education Secretary Michael Gove used his annual speech to the Spectator Conference to announce an acceleration of the forced academies programme with a new fund to support more organisations to become academy sponsors and forced academisation of every primary school which is in Special Measures or the Ofsted category ‘Notice to Improve’. He added that the Government would target the areas with “the highest concentration of underperforming schools”.
Gove said existing sponsors such as Ark and Harris were “the engine of school improvement – and we want to take off the brakes, so they can go further.” Gove told the conference that since the Coalition Government came to power, 1,513 schools had converted to academy status and 135 secondary schools had been fully taken over and re-opened as new academies with more due to open in September. In addition 220 ‘underperforming’ primary schools were open or in train to become sponsored academies. (DfE press release, 26.06.12)
Nottinghamshire school seeks advice on forced academy plan
Staff and governors at WoodbridgeJuniorSchool, in Alfreton, Nottinghamshire may seek to oppose an order by the Government to force it to become an academy. Alison Siddall, chairman of the governing body, has expressed concern over whether becoming an academy would be beneficial for the school. She said: “"Everyone is worried about the situation and we are looking to the County Council for advice." (Nottingham Post, June 2012)
Primary seeks to avert forced academy conversion
A Stoke on TrentPrimary schoolis consulting on becoming a foundation school in an effort to avoid being forced into academy status. The governors of Mill Hill primary school have opened a formal consultation into the proposal which would see the school become Mill Hill Co-operative Learning Trust, partnering with the Co-operative and HaywoodEngineeringCollege. Chair of governors Jean Edwards said: "By becoming a foundation trust the school will keep the Mill Hill name and staff get the same wages and working conditions. The governing body will remain the same and still make the decisions. Children will probably see little change but we will get a trust board above the governors and link up with other schools."
Five other Stoke-on-Trent primaries have also been told they must become academies from September 2012. (This is Staffordshire, 19.06.12)
Private school to become academy
The independent LiverpoolCollege is to become an academy from September 2013. The change will end annual fees of £9,675 for day pupils and expand pupil numbers from 730 to 1,126 over a transitional period of five years alongside a widening of curricular choice. The College will comprise a Middle School for Year 7-9 pupils and an UpperSchool for Year 10-13 pupils. LiverpoolCollege says it will strive to achieve a balanced intake of mixed abilities but will also focus on ensuring that pupils possess the appropriate aptitude and attitude to thrive within the College’s distinctive culture and work ethos. According to a spokesperson for the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference which represents 250 top private schools, the move reflects a trend for falling public school attendance in “regions that are heavily dependent on public sector jobs”. (Academic Institutionpress release, 25.06.12)
DEVELOPMENTS IN INDIVIDUAL ACADEMIES
Academy drops libel claim against Lambeth council
Durand primary academy in south London has dropped its libel claim against Lambeth Council. The action was initially taken over three emails in which Lambeth’s Chief Auditor raised concerns about the school’s management. However, on 25June, the day that the libel trial was due to begin, Durand’s barrister announced in court: “The claimants feel they have achieved the purpose for which they brought these proceedings and can now draw a line under this matter.” The overall costs of the case are thought to be well in excess of £100,000. Since both Durand and Lambeth are publicly funded bodies the tax-payer will ultimately pick up the tab.
Durand academy is also involved in a controversial project to establish a state boarding school in a stately home in Sussex, with questions raised about whether the funding for the project will come directly from central government or from the school’s own funds. Durand also hit the news when it was revealed that it had been employing the services of a PR firm - Political Lobbying and Media Relations Ltd (PLMR) - whose director is on the school’s board of governors. Durand’s latest accounts showed that it paid £152,812 to PLMR.
( 26.06.12)
Academy Head in court
Mark Shere the former Head of St Peter's Academy, in Stoke-on-Trent, pleaded guilty to six charges of false accounting when he appeared at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court charged with dishonestly claiming accommodation expenses after pretending he was staying at a B&B. As part of the package for his new post at the academy he was allowed to claim up to £10,000 in relocation costs after moving from his home in Exeter. Shere never got to actually run the new school because, by the time it opened in September 2011, he had been dismissed. The academy replaced two schools - St Peter's CE High, in Penkhull, and Berry Hill High. Shere was sentenced to a 12-month community order and told to pay £4,000 in compensation. (The Sentinel, 02.06.12)
FREE SCHOOLS
Just nine new free schools sign funding agreements
The DfE has released an update on the progress of the free school projects that are due to open this September. So far only nine of the 58 mainstream schools have reached the final stage of the free school process by signing funding agreements with Government.A further three special schools and seven alternative schools are also set to open under the free school programme this September. The details can be accessed at the DFE website:
Toby Young plans two more free schools
The journalist and free school founder Toby Young has revealed that he hopes to set up a further two free schools – a primary and a sixth form - in the same area of London as his Existing West London Free School. Young says he expects to hear the results of an application to the DfE to set up a primary school within the next few weeks. The school would be based on the site currently occupied on a temporary basis by the WestLondonFreeSchool, of which Young is chair of governors. Plans for a 240 place sixth form are more distant with Young saying that he is actively looking for a premises. ( 20.06.12)