Anybody got any experience of Academies?

[alexsmum]

Our local high school is being turned into an academy in 2007.The school itself is appalling.it's G.C.S.E results are terrible-massively below the national average,the truancy is terrible and the kids are such unbelievable scallies.I live near the school and the behaviour i see on a daily basis is terrible.
I don't see how throwing money at the problem is going to make a difference, but i don't know what would make a difference.
my big worry is that when it's changed to an academy, your child HAS to go there( unless you go private).
Have been looking at fees for the local grammar schools (which look fab btw)but there is no way we can afford them.
ds is only in year one now, but this is something we have to be thinking of if we are going to have to move or whatever.
anybody got any experience ?

bump

A local one here changed name from school

to * *** accademy

but is was a dumping school and still has the same reputation

But people say after several years it may change

so you do have some time

i think part of the problem is that anyone who cares about their kids sends them somewhere else, and the only kids left are the ones whose parents don't care and they don't care.
It sounds awful but the idea of my little boy ending up there is horrifying.

we have a similar problem here in Southampton. Where I live there is a girls secondary and a boys, the girls is very good and achieves the highest gcse a-c rates for the city, the boys is failing. Our local ed. authority is proposing to merge the two and possible make it academy. I am horrified at the prospect. The main problem is that no parents of boys are willing to send their sons there and are using county schools and therefore as someone said in a previous post, all thats left are the unfortunate ones. I am trying to add my weight to the supporters trying to stop the merger as my daughter is doing brilliantly at the girls school. Good luck

\link{http://education.independent.co.uk/schools/article342338.ece\article in the Indy about Trinity Academy}

My friend's daughter goes here and hates it. She was doing well at the previous grammar school which the academy replaced, and even though she is working hard and at the top of her class in English and maths, is quiet and studies hard - This did not stop her being given a warning because her hair was tied back with a red scrunchie instead of regulation colour!
There have been many pupils banned for the most trivial of things. In my friend's opinion they are trying to make the school elitist and get good results by excluding the 'trouble makers'. In reality, they are punishing everyone and demoralising pupils.