Members Name

School Name

Date

Dear (Name),

(NAME) SCHOOL AND ACADEMY STATUS: WHAT YOU CAN DO

I have been informed that (am given to understand that)consideration is being given to your school converting to academy status.

ATL believes that any transfer to academy status would have a detrimental and irreversible impact on theschool community (pupils, parents, staff, and governors), and this is a view which is shared by all the staff unions.We are convinced that the risks of a move to academy status far outweigh any potential advantages.

For teachers and support staff, the disadvantages are:

  • The academy will have the ability to set its own pay, terms and conditions. This can have both short and long term impacts for staff, create divisions amongst the workforceand could see a gradual erosion of nationally negotiated standards of employment.
  • Changes to curriculum, teaching and learning. The exemption of academies from the requirements of the National Curriculum could result in the loss of a broad and balanced educational offer for all pupils and the reduction of a workforce with a broad range of expertise and subject specialism.
  • Potential changes to school term times and the school day including Saturday opening.
  • Weakening of the role of staff unions in the school, including a less effective working partnership between management and staff
  • There is no evidence that Academies improve educational attainment of young people, that they improve teaching and learning, or that they improve opportunities or the lives of students, staff or their local communities.

Either:For more information on why academy status will be bad for staff, students and parents, you should download a copy of our academies FAQs at (This paragraph is optional, as branches may wish to send a hard copy of the staff FAQs to members, along with a hard copy of this letter. Hence this alternative paragraph should be used):

Or:Please find attached a copy of ATL’s FAQs on academies, which provide more information on why academy status will be bad for staff, students and parents.

If you are concerned about the school becoming an academy, please approach your ATL school Rep, and ask him/her, in conjunction with the other union reps in the school, to convene an all-staff meeting to discuss the issue.

To discuss this letter, or any other aspect of the potential move to academy status, please contact me (etc etc etc).

Yours sincerely

Xxx xxxxxx

Branch Secretary