By Mel Stride The Academies Bill has recently gone through Parliament. It allows state schools to break freefrom local authority control with greater authority over the curriculum andteacher pay and the removal of educational bureaucracy and associated costs.The evidence is that Academies (brought in by Labour) raise standards includingwhen the social background of those attending is taken into account. The Billallows for maintained state schools classed as ‘outstanding’ by OFSTED to befast-tracked to academy status. The bill allows new ‘free schools’ to becreated by parents, charities, churches and others and for them to enjoyAcademy freedoms. Primary and special schools are included. None will beallowed to make a profit and each will provide free education with fundingfollowing the pupil. The better a school is the more pupils and funding it willattract. This model has been successful in countries like the US and Sweden and sees increased parentalchoice improve standards.
This approach has its detractors. Some say these new schools will cream off thebest pupils and leave sink schools struggling in their wake. But the evidenceis the opposite. Where free schools take root attainment typically improvesacross all local schools and new Academies will be expected to partner weakerschools. Another factor is the pupil premium which will be available forchildren from less advantaged backgrounds with schools having a clear incentiveto offer them places. Another objection relates to the impact that Academiesand free schools might have on the remaining local authority maintained schoolsin their area as a result of them buying services from outside the localauthority so leaving the local authority with diminished resources (withunchanged overhead) for those schools that remain under their control. Heremuch is made by the opposition of the effects that this dynamic might have onSpecial Educational Needs (SEN) provision. A vital area given the key roleeducation plays in improving life chances. There are several aspects of thebill that matter here including that Academies and free schools will haverequirements for SEN provision that are identical to those of maintainedschools. Also where SEN provision is not being provided to the requiredstandard the Secretary of State may intervene. Finally of course Academies andfree schools will still be able to buy their SEN provision from localauthorities and where the standard and value are high (as one would hope itwould be) then presumably they will do so.
The Academies Bill is permissive in that it is up to schools to decide whetherthey wish to opt in or not. I hope that many do and that over the yearsthousands of young people will look back on this bill as one that gave them avery great deal.
