ahhh ffs I am so thick; did YOU know that a school going into special measures means automatic academisation?

[RaisinDEtre]

No nor me

Shoulda pulled my kid out when secondary sch failed spectacularly last year

Sch being turned into academy.

Did you know?

[meditrina]

This has been around since Labour first introduced the policy. So yes, I knew that it's very, very likely to happen.

[prh47bridge]

Not automatic but there is certainly a lot of pressure. As Meditrina says it has been like this for over a decade.

[RaisinDEtre]

How on earth did this info bypass me, blimmin eck, I usually pride self on being switched-on, finger on the pulse etc

grrrrrrrr

so it's not 'new' then, sigh

Thanks both, v grateful for your replies

[StetsonsAreCool]

I did, but my Mum is a headteacher. In a 'satisfactory' primary school.

As there are no primary academies in her LA, she has been told to change voluntarily, or they'll re-inspect her school and as 'satisfactory' isn't anymore, then the school will be put in special measures and will be forced to change.

It sucks, as nobody has been able to tell her exactly HOW it makes it better for the pupils. As far as I can tell, it will be the same management team, same teachers, just differently structured funding. Mum can't see the benefit either. But maybe we're missing something.

[misstrunchball]

I thought that was how Labour saw the change to academies when they first came around but since the coalition the only schools that can become academies are 'good' or 'outstanding' ones.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-13274090 this is an old report on how it works and I didn't think it had been changed.

[misstrunchball]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-13274090 sorry got it right now.....

[TalkinPeace2]

Any yet my local school that is failing under every measure listed by Gove will have nothing done
because it is already a sponsored Academy
and the system has NO IDEA what to do next ....

[RaisinDEtre]

this school is deffo failing, so perhaps for the best [ponders] I guess from rock bottom the only way is up

so depressing

we are in a deprived v rural area with crappo schools all around, no access to grammar

[GnomeDePlume]

Raisin I wonder if you are in the same area as me.

My DC's school is teetering on the edge of special measures (for the third time in the time we have been associated with the school).

If it is any comfort DD1 did leave with a full set of A/A*s at GCSE. TBH I think this was despite the school not because of it.

IME you have to be on top of the school the whole time. I will be honest that I am a total pain in the arse at the school. I dont think that the HM is under any illusions about my opinion of him a waste of clean socks.

You have to be on the case constantly. It is hard work.

[BackforGood]

That said (and I am against Academies for so many reasons), I went to look round a secondary school near here (dd is in Yr6) this week, which is a school that went into special measures, and had a reputation so bad people were selling their houses to ensure they weren't in the catchment - it was a bit like Beiruit there - and has now been turned around completely, massive injection of funding, has brand new premises, and a keen and enthusiastic new staff under a 'superhead' type person.
As you say, when you hit rock bottom, it's sometimes good that's recognised, and then it is turned around and ready for a brand new beginning.
So, although I'm against the whole principal of Acadamies, if one of my dc had been at this school, I'd be delighted with the changes.

[prh47bridge]

TalkinPeace2 - Given that several academies have been into special measures it is very surprising that you think the system has no idea what to do next. There is a well established process for dealing with such academies. It was set up by the last government and has been used a number of times.

misstrunchball - Not quite. Things haven't changed since the report but the BBC report is incomplete. It misses the fact that the last government introduced a requirement for any school in special measures to consider converting to academy status. The current government has not removed that requirement.

[TalkinPeace2]

prh Indeed, the one near Cory was, but this one is failing on every level but so far nobody is willing to deal with the issue.
Their kids roaming the streets during the day (in Uniform) trying garden gates are NOT reassuring.
And the sponsors just do not accept the problem exists even though they had 50 out of a potential 200 year 7's .....

[prh47bridge]

Interesting. Has Ofsted caught up with this and put them in a category of concern?

[TalkinPeace2]

Not that we have heard .... You know which school it is - feel free to find out what you can. They have four staff on duty in the morning getting the kids in the gate - and there are only around 400 pupils !!!!

[ProPerformer]

No they don't automatically become academies - they are just recommended to. It really depends on how long the school stays in SM.

The school I work in went into SM last year. Academy status was discussed BUT we are now out of SM (in record time thanks to a totally AMAZING temp head) and Academy discussions are now on the back burner.