British political parties unite behind academy schools

Britain’s academy schools – independent, privately sponsored state schools – are supported by all three major political parties, the Guardian reports.

The Labour government, Conservatives and the Liberal-Democrats, supported the academy programme at the launch of a book, Academies – a series of essays published by liberal think tank CentreForum this month.

There are 83 academies throughout England. A further 230 are expected to open by 2010. Academy GCSE results are rising at more than twice the national average, including in English and maths. They are on average three times oversubscribed, the book says.

Success of British academy schools in line with US charter schools

The success of academy schools owed much to factors seen internationally as being central to school improvement, co-editor and former senior education adviser to Tony Blair, Conor Ryan wrote in the book.

Like US charter schools (privately run public schools), academies had regulated independence, which they made more use of. They varied the school timetable, with longer school days; changed their staffing structures and pay to suit their needs; their governing bodies were more strategic; and they were readier to innovate with the curriculum or the school organisation.

The schools were run on a not-for-profit basis and each had a specialism. Strong sponsors and smaller, more effective governing bodies were seen as keys to academy success.

School chains praised

Lord Adonis, the schools minister, in the book praised sponsors who ran more than one academy.

"Academy chains able to leverage excellent leadership, ethos, branding and curriculum across more than one academy – and to do so rapidly – are guarantors of quality, accelerating the expansion of academies, because of the ease and reliability with which the chains are able to take on new projects."

Most of the academy chains in Britain were run by charitable foundations, universities or private schools, but one Swedish company that operates profit-making state schools in Sweden had recently set up two academies in south-west London.

'All-through' academies

Academies should be extended to primary schools, the book argues.

All-through schools for three- or five- to 18-year-olds were common in the British 'public' school system and in progressive nations such as Finland, and could be developed in academies.

They could provide good value for money, as expertise in specialist subjects taught at secondary level would be available to primary pupils, and the more holistic approach of primary schools could benefit older children.

Privately sponsored, state-funded academies should also be expanded to take over failing primary schools, the book says.

Children's prospects were determined before secondary school, and children in disadvantaged areas of the country, where the academy programme was focused, were worst affected.

Resources

The Guardian article is at this web page.

Information on the book is at this web page.

In Subtext last month we looked at a report that said the academies had given impetus to the education system.

A Subtext story on a Swedish company setting up two academies in London is at this web page.

British government information on the academies programme is at this web page.