Education and finance
21st-century schooling
Clare Scott Dryden takes a look at academies – the government’s initiative to improve education for all
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Academies are a new type of school. As all-ability schools, they are established by sponsors from business, faith or voluntary groups working in partnership with central government and local education partners. The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DfCSF) meets the capital and running costs for the Academy in full.
Academies bring a distinctive approach to school leadership, drawing on the skills of sponsors and give head teachers and staff new opportunities to develop educational strategies to raise standards. The Academies programme aims to challenge the culture of educational under-achievement and to deliver real improvements in standards. Most Academies are located in areas of disadvantage and replace one or more existing schools facing challenging circumstances.
Each Academy provides an environment for teaching and learning that is comparable with the best available in the maintained sector. They offer a broad and balanced curriculum to pupils of all abilities, focusing especially on one or more subject areas. As well as aiming to provide the best opportunities for their pupils, Academies have a key part to play in the regeneration of communities. They aim to help break the cycle of underachievement in areas of social and economic deprivation whether in inner cities, suburban or rural areas. Each Academy aims to offer local solutions for local needs. Each will be different, drawing on the expertise of its sponsors to help develop its own distinctive ethos and mission. Whether they involve new buildings, refurbishment, or both, they will be innovative in design and built to high environmental standards.
However, the Academies have come in for criticism. A report for the Trades Union Congress argues that their impact on achievement is not clear enough to justify the expansion that is planned. It wants an independent review of their effectiveness before plans to boost their number go ahead. Ministers have insisted academies are successfully tackling under-achievement. Schools Minister Andrew Adonis says: “The evidence shows that academies are successfully tackling both failure and under-performance. They are improving results at a much faster rate than the national average.
“An independent study by the National Audit Office this year concluded that academies were on course to deliver good value for money and were raising attainment rapidly in deprived areas.” By September 2007, there will be 83 Academies open in 51 local authorities, with a further 50 projected to open in September 2008. There are currently around 144 “live” projects (open and in development). Discussions are ongoing with a number of potential sponsors and interested local authorities.
CASE STUDY Oasis Community Learning is sponsoring five academies. The first three opened last September in Enfield (North London), Grimsby and Immingham (both Lincolnshire). The other two are scheduled to open later this year in Bristol and Salford. Oasis Community Learning is the umbrella governing body for all Oasis Academies. As well as schooling, the Oasis Academies also offer a range of community facilities and services, including adult learning, GP clinics and healthy living centres. Each has a different specialism, such as Business & Enterprise (Enfield), or Performing & Visual Arts (Bristol). Oasis Academy Enfield opened
in September 2007, with purpose-built
facilities for 1,150 students aged 11-19,
including sixth form facilities for 250.
Year 7 teacher Paul Hammond
says: “Working to open a brand new
Academy has been an exciting challenge.
I have been privileged to
work with a large number of people
committed to improving the life
chances of young people in schools. I
think the Academy provides a tremendous
opportunity to make an impact
on the borough.” |
