Panorama on Academy Trusts - shocking

[Ahmawa]

Did anyone watch Panorama today on the shocking financial irregularities and fraud at two Academy trusts?

Even after the Government was informed by whistle blowers as it was a flagship policy they simply sweeped it under the rug and bailed out one of the Academies.

Does anyone think Academies are just an idiotic idea and scam for some people to make a fast buck?

The teachers in academy trusts are often still amazing. What scared me if the total lack of audit re funds and. CEOs doing what what liked.

In my LA area, only two secondary schools are not academies! Most are academy converters. So teachers won’t have much choice. Staffing shortages have been about the high cost of housing not academy status.

are you both teachers at academies

No idea about CherryPavlova but I'm not a teacher.

Again I don't know why teachers would work for an academy

As I said, I don't know why you think they wouldn't. Many are able to source the services previously provided by the LA at lower cost, freeing up more money for teaching resources. There may also be additional funding from the sponsor. The staff have more autonomy, with less dictation from above.

for starters they don’t pay council tax

Nor do LA controlled schools. Schools do pay business rates but most are eligible for reliefs.

The only difference in state funding between LA controlled schools and academies is that the LA deducts some money from the funding for their schools to pay for services they provide to those schools. Academies have to obtain those services themselves, whether from the council or elsewhere.

No, not a teacher but know a few MAT CEOs and chairs.

Academies are audited. They have to file accounts that comply with company and charity law

Accounts are published and in public domain. Very little secrecy.
Panorama was about a couple of specialist trusts. It doesn’t mean all are bad - or indeed that it was entirely unbiased reporting.

If there are a large number of academies in an area they may employ in house the services previously provided by the LEA and possibly using the same staff. Which can make it difficult for the state schools to get the same services.

The money that used to be taken by the LEA is now taken by the Exec to pay people like the CEO.

If you want to look at the accounts for these academies you can go onto their websites and find them there.

Our local MAT has income in excess of £17m. It needs to be run like a business to manage those funds

Everything has to be ran 'like a business' people are essentially running a small businesses when running their homes.

The issue I have with Academies are the like is the lack of accountability for the government. I guess, politically I'm most accurately described as socialist.
The essential provisions for our society should come from the government, that includes health and education, but with the introduction of academies our children's education is heading into marketisation and privatisation.
To me, that stinks.

Of course teachers work in academies because they can offer an attractive package and for some staff there is little choice.
I know how much benefit many children and communities have had from some academies but it shouldn't have needed these 'charities' to step in and allow the government to hand over their responsibility.

Academies are accountable to the government but not to local authorities. They are supposed to be more accountable to parents than community schools, although I am not convinced this is always the case.

My own view is more pragmatic. I don't care how services are provided as long as they are free at the point of use, efficient and effective. If profit-making schools would result in lower costs to the taxpayer and a better education for children I would be in favour.

The TBAP example isn't as simple as painted in the programme. There are historic issues that have impacted on the current financial situation, and new things have been found all the time. The trust is trying to sort these issues but it's like pissing in the wind and the head teachers don't know the full picture. TBAP is excellent provision for marginalised pupils and it is woefully underfunded. They may get more per pupil funding allocated, but due to the nature of PRUs, they can't guarantee any number of pupils so often have to run at a loss.