Forced academies - could this happen to your DC's primary next year?

[muminlondon]

The DfE is putting up the 'floor target' to at least 65% in a primary school achieving Level 4 in SATs next year. If the school doesn't achieve it, it will be forced into a takeover by an academy chain. There is no choice of sponsor, even if the governors find a local academy to partner them and parents support them. There is often no paper trail just intimidating phone calls from a DfE broker and it seems hard to make a complaint.

They are also going to distinguish between a 'good' Level 4 and 'bad' Level 4 in league tables until 2016.

'If the floor standard had been 65 per cent in English and maths in 2011, 1,915 schools would have been below the floor. Last year, it would have been 866 schools.'

Still using the stick not the carrot though.

www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/inthenews/a00222410/new-primary-school-measures-to-raise-ambition-and-standards

There is a web page proposing a 38 degrees campaign against forced academies here - you can vote on it as a priority:

38degrees.uservoice.com/forums/78585-campaign-suggestions/suggestions/3705380-against-forced-academies-and-the-privatisation-of-

DD2s school got 78% in 2011. It was put in special measures this time last year. For, as far as anyone can tell, completely spurious primarily admin based reasons. In 2012 it got 86%. It's being forced to become an academy. It's entirely political and the OFSTED report which placed it in SM was full of inaccuracies (that would be the charitable term).

That's awful, really sorry to hear that. Do you think at some point there will be a judicial review by schools who want at least to choose their sponsors or be given a time limit to work with a school improvement team? I find this so anti-democratic.

Our head teacher has had a nervous breakdown with the sheer pressure on primary schools. He has foolishly resigned even though he was popular with both staff and pupils. Our deputy is leaving at Easter. Now our school is in a state where it needs special measures.

I feel that the drive to push up standards has destroyed my children's school. No teacher in their right mind will take a job in a deprived area.

Its sad.