Guest post: Nicky Morgan - "Why academisation is best for our schools"

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As parents, we all want the best for our children. We want to make sure they have access to the best opportunities and to help them grow up into well-rounded adults. Making sure that our children have a high quality education is a key part of that.

I want to outline exactly what academisation means and why I truly believe this is the best way forward for our schools. Our children only have one shot at receiving the best education and I am committed to ensuring this happens as swiftly as possible.

We need to put our trust into the hands of the people that know best how to run our schools - the teachers - and the academy system does just that. tells you more about what an academy is. It gives schools greater autonomy to make the decisions that are right for their community and pupils. After all, we have the finest generation of teachers ever and being part of an academy helps put the power back in their hands.

The most recent results show that the percentage of pupils achieving the expected level in reading, writing and maths at the end of Key Stage 2 in primary academies has risen by 4%, from 67% in 2014 to 71% in 2015. Additionally, when it comes to secondary, it's a similar story with converter academies which are performing 7.2% above the national average, with 64.3% of pupils achieving five good GCSEs.

However, a dynamic school system where all schools are academies is just one part of a much wider plan to improve our education system which I set out yesterday in our white paper.

It is every parent's right to know their child is in an excellent school no matter where in the country they live. I am confident that this move will guarantee a higher school standard with each academy held to account for the performance of their pupils.

Ultimately, I am committed to making it easier for you as a parent to play an even more active role in your child's education. In essence, I want to put young people and parents first – something that might sound obvious, but the truth is that for too long parents have been an afterthought in our education system. We want you as parents to have a much stronger voice in what happens to your child during their school years, because we know that you want the very best for your child.

So how are we doing that? Firstly, I am well aware that the education system can appear complex to many parents. I am dedicated to changing this once and for all, and putting the control firmly back in your hands. As a result of this, I plan to introduce a new, online Parents Portal from as early as next year. This portal will enable parents' access to key information and allow you to support your child's learning.

Alongside this, we have changed the curriculum and the way that students will be assessed. This will help to raise standards and make sure that your child leaves school with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. It is imperative that every child fulfils their potential, and this includes stretching the most able pupils.

More young people will also study the EBacc - a combination of maths, English, two sciences, a humanity and a language - up to the age of 16. And the exams and qualifications young people are awarded will set a new international gold standard that is respected by employers, helping them to succeed in our increasingly global world.

I am a firm believer that an exceptional education transforms children's futures and everything outlined in this White Paper is committed to ensuring that parents and pupils come first. Our goal must always be to ensure every single child leaves school with the best education and the opportunity to excel in adult life. I believe that together, we can achieve that goal.

Every year I (and everyone employed by the Local Authority) have to declare any outside interests or connections to companies that might make a profit from school/LA contracts ...innovative or what?

Overall there are more wasteful, failing LA's than effective, good value ones

Evidence for this statement please ptettybrightfireflies. Obviously it's the sort of thing tories say, but where's the evidence?

And I really, really object to the deceit in Nicky Morgan's post. Her nonsense in her party political broadcast above about converter academies performing 7.2% above the national average, with a bit in blue for is thicko parents to understand the GCSE results those converter academies achieve.

To become a converter academy you had to already be successful - your ofsted had to be good with outstanding features. It might be interesting to see whether converter academies did any "better" after becoming academies (although tbh I'd rather they measured pupil well being under different systems than focus obsessively on GCSE's & Ebacc subjects at that). But to suggest they're performing better than non-converter academies (which presumably includes other types of academy) because of becoming an academy is outright misleading.

Nicky Morgan - I know Andrew Dilnot has already picked you up on your use of statistics (which must be particularly embarrassing given that he's an ex principal of your former Oxford college) but surely there must be someone in your department who can help you understand what those statistics mean & ensure when you present them they are not misleading.

I'm afraid the guff about converter academies above is every bit as misleading as the nonsense about PIPs on QT & I believe it's outrageous that it is seen as acceptable to keep lying (because let's be clear, that is what it is) to the electorate.

And here's Andrew Dilnot's letter to Nicky Morgan on her use of statistics. www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/archive/reports---correspondence/correspondence/letter-from-sir-andrew-dilnot-to-rt--hon--nicky-morgan-mp-181214.pdf

As my kids would say "oh that's a burn" - but she's still doing it

Excellent summary of what's gone wrong in education by Dadof2Gs. I'm one of those experienced teachers who are now doing non-subject-specific cover for peanuts to avoid having a proper teaching job.

mercifulTehlu thank you.

I have a long suffering OH who is a mumsnet lurker, and is in the same boat as you. Fuming at the changes, but also in despair as there doesnt seem to be any way back into the classroom full time without essentially ruining any quality of life outside of it.

Every year there has been a drip drip drip of new legislation and changes that only undermine the profession further.

What are the chances that in a decade, all of this nonsense will get reversed or changed again by some other ideologist? Or are we stuffed for a few generations thanks to contracts, a la the train networks?

Devilishpyjamas when have politicians actually ever cited real evidence rather than made up, or twisted statistics to justify ideological stances? See Junior Doctors and their dilemma, the disabled and recent cuts in light especially of recent events, and so on...

Every time I see a critique or robust response to the government's policies, all they do is just deny or rubbish it with a wave of their hand, and carry on regardless, spouting the party line without regard for any Real facts.

I know Dad - but I think this administration are particularly bad (New Labour were bad - but this lot.... - msybe they get away with it more because of the support of the right wing press).

And Nicky Morgan has been picked up on her distinctly dodgy use of statistics before - and yet she still does it. On both occasions when I have seen her this week (above & on QT).

This lot seem to think they rule us. They don't, they are our representatives & it's outrageous they just lie to us & refuse to be challenged.

MNHQ - any chance of a reply from Nicky Morgan on a) where the video has gone & b) on why she is using misleading statistics to back up her claims about academies.

From the Sunday Times today

"Only 15% of,the largest academy chains perform above the national average in terms of progress made by pupils, compared with 44% of councils, while more than 80% of maintained schools are rated as "good" or "outstanding "

Apparently one Chief Executives of an academy chain earns £225,000 pa

A young Graduate I know has been offered a placement to do on the job teacher training at a local academy school - she would be responsible for a reception class but they have said she would not be paid. Wrong for her and wrong for the children.

I'm failing to actually see any actual reason why academies are a 'good' thing.

I'm trying to sign the petition and it keeps telling me that I haven't signed until I 'click the link' in the petition - but I can't see a link. Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong pls?

The link should come up in your email

Petition signed

Aha - found the link! It is in an email . . . . they don't usually do that, do they?

Dad - well that's the real million dollar question, isn't it? I almost find myself hoping it will become more and more disastrous as quickly as possible so that drastic change will be inevitable (even though this is at a time when my own dc will be hit by the fall-out).

Sadly though, I cannot imagine any government having the guts to do what needs to be done. It is sooo easy for them to manipulate the public's understanding of what's going on and of what is causing the problems that I don't think teachers can expect much support from the majority of parents. The public have no real way of seeing why everything implemented by each successive government (whichever party they are) is just another form of educational spin, and that MORE of everything (testing, accountability, data) is the opposite of what schools need, not a way of improving results.

This is a cost cutting decision. The same old Tory mindset, if it moves, privatise and cost it out in the short term. You can fill the schools with inexperienced and unqualified teachers. You can even have an unqualified head. Whoopee, just give the schools a posh sounding name and rubbish local authority schools. Never mind the lack of constant in service training that local authorities have maintained all these years. No, watch the cost and all will be well. Oh! And don't forget to tell some lies which governments are really good at, so no problem there.

The cynic in me feels like this is being done so that private companies and shareholders can profit from our education system to an even greater extent. For example, LAs provide schools with services such as legal, HR, health and safety... Without LAs the schools will have to buy into these services from private companies therefore benefiting private businesses and shareholders.

I think the problem is that a lot of the general public probably don't realise the full implications of Academies and the education White Paper. Unless they are involved in education, have children in an Academy or are applying for schools, many people are probably not that aware that yet again our public services are being privatised by the back door - especially when the government keeps producing dodgy statistics to back up their ideology. So lots of those who this will really affect probably won't realise until it's too late. Much of the press is focused on the disability cuts (which I also vehemently oppose) and now the departure of IDS.

Msdinosaur, that's spot on.

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/124702
86,000 now signed this one ....

I remember a couple of years ago they put in a young headteacher who had never taught but was a businesswoman or something. Lots of raised eyebrows and predictably she quit after about one half term. Ridiculous.

Im a teacher who is leaving the profession at Easter. Just in time it looks like. It will be interesting to see the figures for retention this year. Last year was bad enough.

For example, LAs provide schools with services such as legal, HR, health and safety...

They don't all do that though. Some still do deliver by dedelegation of funds but in many LAs, those funds and services have already been devolved - schools have the spending power.

And, in some cases - schools are saving money. School Business Managers I've spoken to say that they can get Insurance much cheaper than the LA provided it and HR services are better value.
Presented with that evidence, it's easy to understand why the DfE is keen for other schools to follow that model and cut the LA out of the loop.

www.theguardian.com/education/2013/oct/09/free-school-head-no-teaching-qualifications-leaves-job

Found the story.

I also noticed NM ignoring the question about workload on QT. She really does not have a clue. Apparantly they are having big workload issues at the DfE because the job of dealing with failing academies now comes to them instead of the LA and they have neither the staffing or training to deal with it adequately.

Petition signed.

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/124702

please sign