SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT OFSTED ...
Firstly, outstanding schools will still be inspected, they will have 'health checks' and inspections as a result of parental complaints. There is a reason they announced this at the same time the letter came out, and this was to entice headteachers in. What they didn't make clear was the impact assessment. It will cost schools up to £78,000 to convert.
Raising Standards?
To say that academies are raising standards and that their results are improving faster than in other schools is not proven because the data is kept secret. Furthermore, such data that it has been possible to acquire indicates that the government’s claim is wide open to critical challenge.
Selective Admissions
Covert and overt admissions and exclusion practices enable academies to skew their intakes in favour of those from higher-achieving backgrounds. Local authorities can ‘direct’ maintained schools to accept special needs and looked-after children but can only ‘ask’ academies.
Increased Exclusions
There is increasing evidence of academies excluding more children than maintained schools.
Evading Education Law
Academies are not covered by general education law which means that their students and parents have fewer rights than those of schools in the maintained sector. Academies should be brought under the umbrella of general education law and the recently published education and skills bill should be the vehicle used to achieve this.
No Democracy
Rushed, flawed and manipulated consultation processes show a complete disregard of the views of local people. There is no democratic ballot for parents and teachers within the consultation process.
Governance Arrangements
The sponsor has the power to appoint the majority of governors. Academies are only required to appoint one parent and one staff governor and they are rarely representative of the communities they are supposed to serve.
Staff Terms and Conditions
Academies have high staff turnover rates, and staff in academies can be prey to discriminatory employment practices. Teachers and support staff working in academies deserve the same protection as those working in the maintained sector.
The Power of the Sponsor
The sponsor gains almost absolute power once a school acquires academy status. They take control of public assets - the buildings and the land.
Social Segregation
OECD research suggests that where schools systems have a greater diversity of types of school, there is a greater tendency towards more social segregation.
An Unproven Experiment
The academy programme remains hotly contested. Lord Hattersley has warned that academies will create a ‘hierarchy’ of schools.
Outstanding Schools Becoming Academies
Below are a number of campaign materials that will assist school reps and members in campaigning against a move to academy status. By acting together we are more effective in making our voices heard. Please keep in touch with your local NUT association/division for support and assistance and let them know whether your Governing Body is intending to pursue academy status.
- Joint union letter addressed to the Chair of Governors, which should be signed by as many staff members as possible, outlining the unions’ concerns about possible transfer to academy status.
- A model resolution against transfer to academy status for Governing Bodies to consider.
- A letter from NUT General Secretary Christine Blower for you to give to your chair of governors, highlighting legal and other problems with voting academy status this term.
- An FAQ document for parents.
- A parent/carer petition to be used to generate support for the unions’ position.
- A joint union letter to parents.
- A poster for notice board display
- An FAQ document for teachers.
- A letter sent to Michael Gove, Secretary of State, by Christine Blower.
Arrange meetings of union members – and ask them to sign a joint union letter
- Get colleagues together to discuss the Government’s proposals and how they could affect your school and members’ working lives. This could be a meeting or an informal get together. Use union materials like our FAQ's to guide the discussion.
- You should ask all staff members to sign our joint union letter addressed to the Chair of Governors. This letter outlines the unions’ concerns and requests that the governing body discuss the joint union model resolution against Academies, which you should forward with the letter.
Send the joint union letter and model resolution to your Chair of Governors
- Ask him or her to pass it on to other Governors.
- It is important to speak to the teacher and support staff representatives on the Governing Body about supporting the union stance. You should also give them copies of the letter to Governors and the resolution.
- Also give the chair of governors Christine Blower's letter.
Involving Parent Governors and parents/carers
- If you believe the Governors will vote for academy status despite staff opposition then it is very important for the Parent Governors and all parents/carers know the union position.
- In schools where the parent representatives are supportive they could be asked to circulate the enclosed parent/carer petition and joint letter. In other schools, staff will know other parents who will be prepared to do this.
TRUST SCHOOLS
What is a Trust School?
A charitable trust takes control of land and assets as well as appointing most of the Governing Body. The Governing Body becomes the employer and is no longer in Local Authority control, yet still receives Local Authority funding. The Cooperative College is sold to schools as ‘nice’ privatisation as it pairs schools with ‘nice’ partners like universities.
What is a National Challenge Trust ?
The only difference is the decision to create one is triggered by the Local Authority. If the Governors refuse the LA has powers of intervention which it can use to remove the Governors and create an interim executive board.
What is the Role of the Union?
To involve itself in any discussions with the Local Authority on any proposals which the Local Authority may be considering for structural interventions as a result of the National Challenge Scheme. To propose proactively, alternatives to any unacceptable structural intervention.
Those alternatives can include the support programme set out in the National Challenge toolkit for schools and Local Authorities and include funded extra support for English and mathematics; an extension of bursaries for science teachers; the prioritisation of Advanced Skills Teachers for National Challenge schools; an extension of study support; an extension of one-to-one tuition; and additional support for pupil behaviour and attendance.
It is important, therefore, that Local Authorities are challenged on any proposed structural intervention and asked why the other forms of National Challenge support are not being used. To challenge through deputation any attempt to not apply the TUPE Regs.
How will this affect you?
This will take the school away from LA control and local terms and conditions of employment are undermined. Local agreements no longer apply, and the Governing Body will be able to apply their own policies to e.g. discretionary leave, sickness absence monitoring policies etc.
Will national conditions of service still apply?
Trust Schools are like Foundation Schools in that the School Teachers Pay and Conditions ( the Blue Book) and Conditions of service (Burgundy Book) still apply. This covers: pay, pensions, maternity, sick leave/ sick pay, cover, right to time off for union duties, 1265hr limit. etc
How will this affect admissions policies?
The school will be able to set its own admissions policies but will still be required to operate within the legal framework the same as all other maintained schools. It will not be allowed to select by ability.
What we will be looking to ensure.
1. Members are given the information they need and consulted on a response.
2. That a response is made within the allocated consultation time.
3. That the TUPE regs are implemented in order that a transfer of employer is consulted upon with an appropriate time allowance.
4. Any threatened changes to job descriptions or conditions of service are challenged. This could be through industrial action.
5. To negotiate that current local conditions of service are safeguarded for current staff.
6. To aim to work with the other unions to formulate an additional joint response.
