Primary v academy

[Amythesianwaterfall]

Hello,

What are the main differences between a primary school and an academy? Are they really just much of a muchness? Are jobs better protected in a primary school as opposed to an academy and are term dates more rigid in a primary?
Thank you!

[Nerfmother]

A primary school means it has classes from reception to year six. Other schools might be an infant school or a junior school.
An academy means it is funded by the government directly rather than by the local authority. So the local authority has no sway over it.
So a primary school could be an academy or a maintained (local authority school) .

[Amythesianwaterfall]

Thank you for replying and very helpful!I'm also wondering whether it is more attractive for a teacher to work in a primary school as opposed to an academy.
Thank you

[ReallyTired]

If you work for a primary that is not an academy or a free school then employment rights are generally better. Certainly support staff get a better pension in an LEA school than an academy. I don't think that teacher pensions are affected.

[Nerfmother]

They could work in an academy that was a primary school.
The age range if pupils is defined by : infant school, junior school, primary school
The funding and governance is defined by the type of school: academy, Local authority maintained, free school, private, and some others which are similar to maintained

[MM5]

Reallytired.... That is not completely true. I have been working in an academy for 3 years and my terms and conditions are not better or worse. My pension is the exact pension I had before. So, you can't generalise those facts.

[sugarandcinnamon]

I was going to start a similar post. Hope you don't mind me jumping in...

If a HT wanted to make the school (say infants) an Academy, what would that entail, who would be involved in the decision and how long is the process? Also, how much power does the HT have over staff, can they for example request a school become an academy just to better their day and try and rid of staff they don't like? Basically, can it get any worse for the staff?

Sorry for hijack

[Amythesianwaterfall]

Hey sugar:) I've been wondering this too and it's a great question! Thanks for the other responses too!
Is it also true that academies can extend the number of working days in a year?

[intheenddotcom]

If staff already work there then they are TUPED over and everything stays the same.

In the case of new staff, some have new contracts others will follow the teachers pay and conditions.

[MM5]

If a HT wants to make a maintained school an academy, he/she must go to Governing Body. It is the GB that makes the decision following a consultation with stakeholders. Sometimes, the DfE force conversion. At that point the GB can make the decision which chain to go with as this is required in a forced conversion.

Terms and conditions for new staff into an academy are dependent on what the academy has decided to do. There are a lot of academies that have chosen to stay with the say pay and conditions that maintained schools follow. However, be aware that the government is messing with those conditions every time we turn around!

An academy can change the length if the school day and length of the school year. But, for staff, contracts usually also have to be changed and financially compensated to reflect this change.

As far as getting rid of staff. On the occasion of a failing school converting, I have seen poor staff removed. However, in the chain I work in, I have only ever seen staff removed by the same procedures that are followed within maintained schools for poor teachers.

Not all academies are created equal as no academy chains are created equal. There are some amazing academies and chains out there that are doing what is right for all.

What has had massive negative effects on schools and academies alike is the seemingly weekly change in how we do things handed down by the government that is making life as an educator miserable.

[Amythesianwaterfall]

Great post, MM5! Thank you for your answers and they have really helped:)

[sugarandcinnamon]

Thanks for the replies.
My main concern was if competent staff could be turned against more easily in an academy. What you have said leads me to believe its no easier in either school and academy status can make life a little easier financially as long as it's used in the right way.
Okay, I'm obviously looking at the wrong end of the stick.
Thanks again.