Tell me about working in an academy school

[polkadottytotty]

Hello

I teach Maths part-time in a comprehensive 11-18 school.
Lots of stuff coming round at the moment from unions regarding the negative side of academy schools, i.e less/no PPA time, longer/weekend working hours, change in maternity entitlement.

We had a satisfcatory rating by Ofsted and as I understand it is only being offered to outstanding schools at the moment - but we have a newish head who is very ambitious and I can see him heading in this direction.

But I'm thinking that there must be pros (for staff) in becoming an academy school too - or the schools who have already made the change havn't had a massive loss of staff.

Would be interested in any info anyone has, particularly from teachers working in an academy school.

Thanks

I was speaking to someone at an examiners meeting who taught in an academy and loathed it, as she had to teach entrepreneurship, and that wasn't her subject, and the kids didn't like it. That was part of the deal for getting the sponsorship though.

She wasn't happy at all and was looking to move - didn't like it post change of status.

Sorry that should say 'as the schools who have already made the change havn;t had a massive loss of staff'

Thanks for that scaryteacher - I think I would loathe having to teach entrepreneurship too!

Useful info here p12-13.

Academies tend to have their own payscale, so you may get paid more- but your rights as outlined in the burgundy book are eroded accordingly. Unions can offer little protection to teachers working in academies.

depends who runs your academy (who is the sponsor)
for sure longer working year - 5 days extra on either end of the school year for about 1K extra (that how they were advertising it on TES)
I would go on tes.co.uk in search for an answer - you'd get lots of opinions

If the unions can't support teachers in academies then they also have a vested interest in selling the disadvantages, don't they?

Difficult choice for everyone.

I also don't think you can really teach entrepeneurship - I work with business people and they are born that way! I suppose it would alert children to the fact they are entrepeneurial but they probably already know they can talk a hind leg off a donkey!

Yeah, those evil unions trying to support everyone. Despicable.

I've worked in an academy for several years and don't recognise the things being said here. I think each one is different, but ours adheres to the STPCD and although there are additional expectations they are not much more than most teachers would consider to be part of their job. We do 2 extra PD days I think.

I'm sure it must vary - sponsor ,school etc .
DC school now an Acdemy and impression I get is that staff aren't very happy .
Seems to be huge concentration on tracking everything ,loads of intervention/booster classes that staff are expected to run at weekends ,halfterm etc .
At parents evening I asked DC's teachers if they were going to remain at school for next year .
They looked at eachother ( it was 2 science teachers ) and said in a rather surprised way " It's not up to us ! " ,which I took to mean that they lived under the expectation that their services might be dispensed with .

Cat me if you want - am not v impressed so far.

I work at an academy. I get paid at a higher rate but do work extra days during the year. My burgundy book rights have not been affected. It is high pressure but I thrive on that.
It largely depends on the ethos and the board - my suspicion is that there will not be major changes in most schools that become academies.