Every school to be an academy?

[CamboricumMinor]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-35814215

Apparently this is expected in tomorrow's budget. I'm sure this isn't going to be a good move for school staff but what about the children? I'm not convinced at all.

PrettyBrightFireflies

The problem is that its not a case of when but possibly never.

I am actually quite amused that people think that disillusioned teachers will start up their own schools.

I am actually quite amused that people think that disillusioned teachers will start up their own schools.

In my area, they have!

parents in my area have, i would highly recommend it!

The new free school legislation won't let parents or anyone else set up a free school unless there is a proven lack of places elsewhere in the more or less near vicinity. So it is not that easy. Thee has been a pressure group for one for a long time near me, and they have had to withdraw yet again because the official,line is the borough as a whole does not have a lack of places.

form Is that legislation that has come in since the origional Free Schools were established?
Because one of the LA's I work in has a riduculous over-provision of places, yet a free school was approved and is now over subscribed - causing viablity issues for other schools in the area. Standards are dropping, professionals have recommended that one of the LA schools is closed, but politically that is just not going to happen.

orkhandles4candles - sorry your wrong. Local group near me didn't have to prove lack of places. In fact there were 2 under-subscribed schools in area. They had to prove parental support for the free school, and they did. It was from parents who refused to go to the 2 failing schools and where going private / moving out of area / going religious... Since free school opened the brain drain of area has reversed. One of the two failing schools have made changes and improved, the other has blamed free school for everything and done nothing.

You say this (and officially it is correct) but I know of many academies that have been able to get around this

I have repeatedly come across allegations about academies that are not breaching the rules in any way. A common theme seems to be that many people don't understand fair banding (personally I think the way it seems to be commonly misunderstood is reason enough to abandon it).

I am aware of academies that have broken the rules just as some VA schools have broken the rules. If someone refers them to the Schools Adjudicator they get dealt with. The problem is often a lack of people referring to the Adjudicator. London Oratory got away with illegal admission criteria for far too long.