Academy chains

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Janet Downs: Trouble at two academy chains: AET banned from expanding and E-Act gets a warning

“I believe that chains such as the Harris group, Ark or the United Learning Trust are doing an amazing job on the ground, working with local authorities and turning round schools in the worst condition. As far as I am concerned, they should grow at the fastest sustainable rate,” said Education Secretary Michael Gove in July 2011 shortly after ULT, ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Janet Downs: "It seems that E-Act isn't too hot at comprehension either. E-Act’s Director General, Sir Bruce Leddington, wrote on E-Act's website: ‘The [Academies Commission] report is right to acknowledge “the overwhelming success” of the academies programme to date.’ http://www.e-act.org.uk/academies-commission-report/ But it ......"

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Janet Downs: Parents critical of Government’s education policies, YouGov poll reveals

Despite all the hype, the Government seems to be losing the battle to persuade parents that academy status will improve education. A YouGov survey on behalf of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) found that only 14% definitely agreed that academy status would result in improvement. 55% did not while 31% said they didn’t know. Gove’s supporters might be cynical about results from ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Janet Downs: "John - And you're absolutely correct about the wording of questions. Take this example from an ICM poll (2010) done on behalf of the National Grammar Schools Association: "Q.1 There are currently 232 state grammar schools in England and Northern ......"

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Janet Downs: Academy chains shouldn’t expand too rapidly and primaries are reluctant to convert, says Commission

Note: the words in brackets are the author's comments Some successful academy chains have cautioned against too-rapid expansion, the Academies Commission found. The Commission recommended that chains should not increase in size too quickly especially when improvement in existing schools was fragile. (But Education Secretary, Michael Gove, was encouraging chains to grow as quickly as sustainably possible in July 2011 including one, ULT, that ... read more and comment →

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Janet Downs: What did the Academies Commission recommend? And why’s the Government so slow in reacting?

Note: words in brackets are the author’s comments The Academies Commission recognised that academy status alone is “not a panacea for improvement”. It had concerns about some academies manipulating their admissions and found that although a few sponsored academies had been a stunning success, most had not been any better than similar non-academy schools. The Commission found that some academies in ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Janet Downs: "The Academies Commission report was published on January 10 2013. And still no response from the Government. http://www.academiescommission.org/academies-commission-report-unleashing-greatness-getting-the-best-from-an-academised-system/..."

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Janet Downs: Many previously underperforming non-academy schools in poor areas did just as well as similar academies, says report

Note: The Academies Commission’s findings were based on results for 2011. The 2012 schools performance table had not been published when the Commission reported. Words in brackets are the author’s comments. Many previously underperforming non-academy schools in disadvantaged areas have done just as well as similar academies, the Academies Commission reported. Results in sponsored academies were slightly lower than similar non-academy ... read more and comment →

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Janet Downs: “Most things an academy can do, a maintained school can also do,” says Academies Commission

Secretary of State, Michael Gove, said academy heads were improving the education of pupils in their academies by the following: “Longer school days; better paid teachers; remedial classes; more personalised learning; improved discipline; innovative curricula…” This is what the Academies Commission found: "In short, many maintained schools have, in the words of the Secretary of State, introduced extended school days, remedial classes, more ... read more and comment →

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Janet Downs: There is no “academy effect” – Henry Stewart’s research upheld by academics

Labour’s academy programme has been praised by the present Government who claim that academy status raised school performance especially when academies were sponsored by chains. This alleged rise in results is used to justify academy conversion even to the extent of forcing schools to become academies if the Government judges them to be “failing”. But research into academies set up ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by The Mayans Were Right (Ish) | Furious Corvid: "[...] privatisation of education (here, here) with no evidence to support the reform (here) and the channelling of public funds to private individuals, aka Jobs for the Boys [...]..."

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Janet Downs: No need to look to Charter schools in the Land of the Free – the freedom they’ve got has been enjoyed by UK schools for the last twenty years!

Autonomy in schools drives up standards – Michael Gove is clear. And he’s right. But there’s no need to look to the United States for autonomous schools – they’re here in England and they’re not just academies. It’s a myth that only academies have freedom. In 2009, international research found UK schools were among only four countries that gave the greatest ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Janet Downs: "Andy and Paul - I've just started a new thread on the subject of academies being given permission to employ non-qualified "teachers". This has actually been allowed for some time (see Schools Network/Reform report linked in my post above) ......"

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Janet Downs: Conditions are right for a “perfect storm” says Assistant Director of Children’s Services

Schools face “unprecedented pressure” because of the Government’s policies, says a report by the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS). Heads and teachers are “becoming increasingly alienated” at a time when the Government expects them to deliver higher standards. The factors contributing to what one Assistant Director of Children’s Services in a large county authority described as a “perfect ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Tim Bidie: "Janet - May I refer you to my referenced replies above. The NAO report I reference above clearly states that the achievements of disadvantaged pupils in academies did improve: 'The performance of academy pupils from more challenging circumstances (those who are registered ......"

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Janet Downs: Will converter academies find their new status is a poisoned chalice when Ofsted comes calling?

Another converter academy, Caistor Yarborough Academy in Lincolnshire, has been failed by Ofsted. Inspectors had previously judged the school to be good with outstanding features in April 2007 and found that this performance had been sustained in July 2010. Ofsted judged the school inadequate overall despite finding no inadequate teaching. “Teachers generally plan well-structured lessons,” Ofsted discovered, and there was “some ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Kevin Campbell: "From the looks of their Ebacc, and Ebacc individual subject, percentages it appears that they haven't got the crossover in subject areas and they also haven't tried to beat the system...."

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