Becoming an Academy - have you been through this process

[roisin]

Are there any pupils, parents, or staff on mumsnet who have been through the process of schools closing and becoming an Academy?

The general consensus seems to be that the first few years will be horrific.

Does anyone have any rays of hope to shine on this one?

cannot beam any rays of hope on this, but my friend started work a few weeks ago at an "Acedemy" (as admin/reception).

just thought you might want to know that piece of info................

Roisin - need you! Ta muchly!

As you were!

my prejudices are such that I wouldn't choose to teach in one

hm, they just changed a local community college/secondary school into an academy....and so far I have heard more positive things than negative ones...but, I had not enough trust into true positive changes being achieved , and therefore decided not to send es there...by the time ms and ys are ready to transfer to secondary we should know more, lol....no help really...

Hmm... Would you stand by those principles if it meant being unemployed Heated?

Three schools in town are closing (1700 pupils) - that's an awful lot of staff.

Hi i am a mentor in a new academy.
It became an academy two years ago and i feel things have changed for the better for the children definately.
Despite all the external things such as new uniform , new building etc the rebranding of the school has had a positive impact on how they feel about it also i think. This was a failing school which was put in special measures and turned itself around but was never going to entice new pupils there with the reputation it had.
However i think staff have felt more pressure on them but no higher turnover of staff than normal.
However have been on mat leave this year so things could be somewhat different now!
Think the fear of unknown and the process of change is hard!

with the academy here they are now, in some distant way, connected with the only local independent school...is that what always happens?
Also, once they changed to academy, there was a big weeding students pout process...it went from the school anyone will get a place in when all fails, to still, kind of that...but the bad reputation Kids were weeded out...which, whiles improving the school, I suppose, isn't fair on teh Kids themselfs...the Kids that tend to fail tend to have not the greatest parenting imput or things like adhd....so, really it was not fair....but yes it will improve the reputation....
however, my es goes to a secondary school, that has the right rules in place anyway, and isn't dependent on a change of building and staff... it is in a similar area and has similar criteria as the old community college...but they come down stricter etc...straightaway....and because of this they are supportive of all students no matter what...rather then tossing out the "bad" lot...

It will make a big difference who the sponsors are.

Do you know?

In general though.
Yes - expect explusions. (often making other local comps suffer)
A loss of parent governor control
A removal of accountabilty
New uniform and buildings

Just hope you don't have the Vardys.

No Roisin, IF it was my only choice then I would have a road to Damascus conversion. Maybe as the children get older and we become more tied to an area, it would become more of an issue, but fortunately I teach in a school where Academy status will never apply.

However, it will be an issue for my dh whose school IS going to be an academy. He will have to be 'sold' on the benefits I think to stay. He's an outstanding teacher in a shortage subject & I can't see him eager to sign on to having breakfast, dinner and more after school time with the pupils - he already IS on duty every lunchtime. The longer day doesn't appear to work for teachers with children.

But maybe there are benefits we don't know about...?