Schools becoming Academies

[DulwichFox]

What is the significance of Schools becoming Academies.. ?

What does that mean... ? Same Teachers... ? Different curiculum..? Funding..?

DulwichFox

[Louisa]

I think academies remain state funded schools but are independent of local authority control. Funded by government.

Louisa.

[uncleglen]

Yes Louisa and a good thing too. During the last Tory government when Mrs T was in the Labour LEAs use eduction as a political football as they had substantial autonomy. Therefore the LEA could withhold spending 'at the chalk face' and spend more at the Education department on admin and stuff that did not benefit our children. Teachers were in collusion with this as they are, in the main extreme, lefties.

It is totally unacceptable and one of the reasons why I loathe Labour and everything it has done to undermine the education of the working classes in the UK

[intexasatthe moment]

As far as I know one of the distinguishing features of this latest tranche of Academies is that the land is moved from LA ownership to central government .

And isn't it going to cost a lot of money ....?

[sjsl]

Yes, it is going to cost a lot of money, and yes I gather it is also a land grab, doesn't sound like a good plan to me...

[DaveR]

I had always understood that schools becoming academies transferred the land/buildings into a trust? Pretty sure it doesn't go to central govt.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Unclegen - I support free schools and academies - the creation of many different providers is a good thing. But forcing academisation on successful schools who dont' want it however, is ridiculous (and very unconservative, as you wish to make this, like everything, into a pro tory political rant). It's moving power and decision making away from local communities and schools in order to centralise power in Whitehall.

[Over_the_Pond]

"Under current arrangements, when schools become academies they lease the land from local authorities. The new plans, however, will see all school land transferred directly to the education secretary, Nicky Morgan, who will then grant leases to academy trusts." http://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/apr/01/councils-decry-governments-academy-schools-land-grab

If you search a bit more, there are better articles for explaining the details, but this one is ok.

The land now held by local authorities would be handed over to the central government, and the possibility is that long leases (~100 yrs, similar to current local authority leases) to academies would effectively be a form of privatisation, as the land would be under private control (by an academy) for the rest of our own lifetimes, and a good chunk of our children's lives.

[????]

rahrahrah Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Unclegen - I support free schools and academies -

> the creation of many different providers is a good

> thing. But forcing academisation on successful

> schools who dont' want it however, is ridiculous

> (and very unconservative, as you wish to make

> this, like everything, into a pro tory political

> rant). It's moving power and decision making away

> from local communities and schools in order to

> centralise power in Whitehall.

I tend to agree with this. I'm in favour of academies but also choice - this feels overtly political to me. I think plenty of Conservative LAs think so too.

[Earl Aelfheah]

The government have climbed down apparently. Obviously decided today was a good day to bury news of the U-turn (with the local elections). Glad they've seen sense though.

[Saffron]

Do they just concoct these ridiculous ideas so that they can claim to be 'listening' when they announce a retreat, and provide strategic distraction from other events? So wasteful.

[Earl Aelfheah]

"I want to be clear there will be no pulling back from that vision, there is no reverse gear when it comes to our education reforms". So definitely a U-turn.. no reverse gear.

[Saffron]

Are they still going to enforce it on 'failing' schools? Soooooooo, just 'fail' most schools, and their Academy Plan more or less comes into play afterall? :-/

[Earl Aelfheah]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/may/08/despite-nicky-morgan-academies-u-turn-schools-till-in-a-mess

[DulwichFox]

School becomes an Acadamy..

That's like Old Victoria House converted to 'Luxury Appartments'

DulwichFox

[hpsaucey]

Saffron Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Are they still going to enforce it on 'failing'

> schools? Soooooooo, just 'fail' most schools, and

> their Academy Plan more or less comes into play

> afterall? :-/

hhm - let's see. How to help fail a school and magically turn it into an Academy. I know let's make SATS harder!Huzzah!

[LondonMix]

Central government leasing land is neither a land grab or privatisation. I think the policy of forcing all schools to become academies was ridiculous but let's not rewrite reality

Over_the_Pond Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> "Under current arrangements, when schools become

> academies they lease the land from local

> authorities. The new plans, however, will see all

> school land transferred directly to the education

> secretary, Nicky Morgan, who will then grant

> leases to academy trusts."

> http://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/apr/01/c

> ouncils-decry-governments-academy-schools-land-gra

> b

>

> If you search a bit more, there are better

> articles for explaining the details, but this one

> is ok.

>

> The land now held by local authorities would be

> handed over to the central government, and the

> possibility is that long leases (~100 yrs, similar

> to current local authority leases) to academies

> would effectively be a form of privatisation, as

> the land would be under private control (by an

> academy) for the rest of our own lifetimes, and a

> good chunk of our children's lives.

[Saffron]

It's not rewriting reality, though semantics may differ. It's a point of view that is as valid as any other in this mess. Furthermore, forced conversion to academies is still going to happen, just under a different guise.

So this "ridiculous" action, whether you define it as a land grab / privatisation or not, will still be enforced albeit under now rewritten terms, and it will still be ridiculous.

https://disidealist.wordpress.com/2016/05/06/when-is-a-u-turn-not-a-u-turn/

[Saffron]

"Land grab", btw, is defined as a rapid, large-scale acquisition of property by a single entity or group of closely associated entities such as a government or associated companies, often under unfair terms and/or to exploit resources. It is often associated with water grabbing in developing countries, but it can be applied to any rapid, large-scale acquisition, particularly where control of resources is concerned.

[intexasatthe moment]

As I read it the land is transferred to central government ownership .Then it can be leased by central gov to the Academy . And at the end of the lease central gov will own the land won't they ?

I'm not sure what term should be used to describe this action - taking land away from local authorities ?

I don't understand the comment that reality is being rewriten .