I have worked in education in one capacity or another all my working life . Taught travellers for a number of years , ran return to learn course for adults , worked in the Youth Service and served as a Governor on many local schools .
Very lucky to have opportunity to be Chair of the Education Committee when Luton became a unitary authority in 96 .
Only a strong LEA can plan and deliver an integrated education policy for an area . Heads , especially secondary heads tend to run fiefdoms where building up reserves and beating their neighbours in the league tables becomes their main goal .
I have first hand experience of an Academy as one of the kids I fostered had the misfortune to attend one ! Highest excluder in our town .
I now work for our Behaviour and Tuition Service working with children and young people not in school for whatever reason . Half the tutors have been made redundant as schools haven't bought back the service ; cheaper to provide a BSA .
I am watching the services we built up between 1997 and 2009 being demolished and it makes me very sad .
Now we have the opening of our first free school , the only private school in our area , taking their own waiting list first and just 20% of the other places will be up for grabs .
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Zoe - your post demonstrates the danger in academy conversion. When academies decide not to puchase a particular service, whether it be music provision, say, or your own Behaviour and Tuition Service, then that service dies.
I worry about what will happen to our most disaffected pupils when there's no service there to pick them up !
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