Accountability

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Francis Gilbert: The Shadow Education Secretary suggests reining in the #freeschools and #academies programme

The Shadow Education Secretary, Stephen Twigg, spoke at the Education Innovation conference today and answered my question about what would happen to the academies and free schools programme under a Labour government. He responded in a relatively cautious fashion, but clearly indicated that the academies programme would be reduced, suggesting, though not stating openly, that schools wouldn't be forced to become academies. In ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by David Barry: "What has struck me several times on reading posts here is that people seem, all too often, to have bought into government rhetoric regarding "Free Schools" versus LEA "controlled" schools. So we have proponents of "Free Schools" saying they support ......"

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Stephen Smith: Review could remove councils from education services

This in Wales. Very interesting this - Review could remove councils from education services http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-20414626 it seems that as we're given supposed local democratic accountability over the police force via the new PCCs, we may be about to lose local democratic accountability over schools. Wonder where academies fit in ? Oh and free schools ? read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Tony Chuan: "Local government is expensive and inefficient for all sorts of reasons: 'we created a system of government long ago, with organisational approaches and technologies for processing information that were the best we could do at the time. ......there are at ......"

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Francis Gilbert: Professor Robin Alexander’s devastating critique of Gove’s curriculum reforms

Professor Robin Alexander is one of the most respected academics in the educational field. He pioneered dialogic teaching and directed the Cambridge Primary Review. During the last year, he has published two important academic papers: his response to the National Curriculum Review and an analysis of the ways in which international comparisons of education systems are misused by politicians. I'm ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Janet Downs: "Richard - see faqs above "Is the UK tumbling down the international league tables?" which gives evidence of how the Government and its supporters misuse the OECD PISA figures. Also see the question re exam systems in other countries ......"

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Fiona Millar: To profit or not to profit

Last month I was invited to speak at a conference of housing professionals on the subject “To Profit or Not To Profit”.  The government is now trying to entice private sector providers into the social housing sector and I was asked to give a perspective on this issue from the education sector’s point of view. It was a good opportunity to ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Janet Downs: "Emma - many of these non-for-profits have trading arms which sell services to their academies. The National Audit Office 2010 was concerned about a conflict of interest when sponsors put pressure on their academies to purchase services from the ......"

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Fiona Millar: Accountable for some, responsible for all

I have got an article in today's Guardian about how schools, including academies, are forging new relationships with their local authorities and with each other. My piece also poses the question of why we need to re-invent a 'middle tier'  when, as the Leader of Lambeth Council Steve Reed points out "We don't need to create a new middle tier. We ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Bob Wolfson: "The interesting development that LSN doesn't seem to have picked up on is who will sponsor the Academies that DfE has placed on the naughty step? There is a broad choice - will it be other local schools that ......"

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Janet Downs: We did it for the money. Survey reveals extra finances were the most popular reason for academy conversion.

“78 per cent of schools chose to become an academy in part because of a perception that they would receive additional funding.” This was revealed in a survey conducted by the Schools Network and Reform. When pushed, however, slightly less than four in ten heads said money was the main reason. Nevertheless, it was the most popular incentive. The remaining ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Academisation and the Neglect of Sick Children | Think Left: "[...] Financial sweeteners were offered (1) to encourage the Academisation process, such that the cost of the process exceeded original estimates by £ 1Bn. 2, 3  Schools resisting  the process have been forced to convert. Schools have reported unreasonable, disappointing and unexpected ......"

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James Hargrave: We are the conservatives now. The fight to save good local schools

Gove is having to look for nasty sounding rhetoric to describe opponents of his free schools and academies policies. So we have been described as "enemies of promise" and even "trots". The reason for the use of this language is simple. It would be hard to mount a huge attack on people who just want good locally managed schools for ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by For the Benefit of the Conservative Party – “FOR SALE – Local Hospital and Schools “ | Think Left: "[...] We are the conservatives now – the fight to save good local schools: Local Schools Network [...]..."

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Janet Downs: Why wouldn’t a primary school want to become an academy? asks Gibb

Tucked away at the back of this week’s TES is a short article written by Nick Gibb, Minister of State for Schools. It’s the same old stuff: academies benefit from increased autonomy, are free to innovate, tailor support, spend their budgets, change the length of the school day and so on. These claims had been made by Mr Gove at ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Janet Downs: "Marigold makes an important point – Ormiston Victory Academy was established in September 2010 when the pupils with the improved GCSE results were already half way through their GCSE courses. Improvements were already underway when Ofsted visited the pre-academy ......"

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Martin Field: I don’t want the school, where I’m a teacher and both my sons attend, to become an academy and foundation school.

Our state education system is one of the things that makes us a civilised country and we shouldn't allow it to be given away, or sold off, so easily. I can understand why Tories and anxious heads and governors might accept the "easy" or "safe" or "pragmatic" cop out but I can't understand why teachers, parents and ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by rosalyn: "I agree entirely. Unfortunately I think people arent furious because they arent told enough about it and there is so much else going on the economy that little attention is paid. I also blame politicians in opposition for not having ......"

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Alasdair Smith: Call for public inquiry into academies and free school programme

The Anti Academies Alliance is today calling for a public inquiry in the the Coalition's academy  and free school programme. The revelation in the Financial Times of significant financial errors in the funding of academy converters suggests that DfE ministers and officials do not have a proper grasp of either the cost or impact of the programme.  This should also be ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Tubby Isaacs: "Interesting to read this now. It was obvious at the time that Young was talking rubbish about what should be published and what shouldn't. The Information Commissioner agreed with Cook too. Maybe he didn't know the rules. So, have we seen ......"

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