Academies

[ElementaryMyDear]

Is anyone else horrified at the implications for children with SN of the government's proposals to make every school an academy? Their track record on SN so far is pretty appalling, and if there is in effect no LA oversight how can the system work?

I think everyone school will eventually be an academy anyway as the councils are trying to move only and sell off. Eg we don't have council housing in our area anymore it's all HA

Every school ffs

I think they will all change over in the end ..

What really worries me is that some academies have a reputation for being quite ruthless about getting rid of pupils that are a nuisance, need extra input, or might endanger their league table results. However, under the current system the local authority has a duty to find an alternative school place and can usually put children into a maintained schools. If they don't exist and there is no local academy willing to take a child with SEN, will that mean they all get pushed into special schools or PRUs whether they need them or not? And how can councils ensure that children with EHCPs get the support set out in them if they have no control over what happens in schools and, probably, no staff to supervise?

www.askportsmouth.org/sen-advice-centre/what-is-an-academy-school

I found the above but it was written before the latest madness was announced.

Do you think the various 'units' and 'maintained specials' will end up academies as well?

Cos if so, LAs' ability to bully local schools into pretending they have a specialist place/ can meet all needs for peanuts will evaporate overnight.

Perhaps someone hasn't thought this through...