Schools will be ‘better as academies’

11:00am Wednesday 18th July 2012 in Education

SMALL rural schools will be best protected if they group together as academies , according to an education chief.

Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for education Melinda Tilley made the claim as the executive voted to support the government’s wishes that every school gains academy status.

She said: “The best way to protect small rural primary schools is to make sure they’re in collaborative trusts with others in their areas.

“Looking after small primary schools is one of my things, and we need to make sure we don’t close any, because they are absolutely invaluable.”

She also underlined the authority’s commitment to schools which did not want to become academies.

She said: “Any school which does not want to convert, we will support.

“This isn’t our decision, it’s up to headteachers and governors – we can’t force them.”

The council has earmarked £600,000 of reserves to support the transition of schools to academy status, but has been accused of playing politics by campaigners.

Bridget Henderson, from Oxford Against Academies, said: “They are putting £600,000 behind their academies strategy, and this is at a time when the county is cutting services.

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“There is no evidence that academies improve education. This is just about politics.”

Academies are free from local authority control, and are often sponsored by private companies, but still receive money from central Government.

Comments (3)

3:17pm Wed 18 Jul 12

Christine Hovis says...

“Looking after small primary schools is one of my things, and we need to make sure we don’t close any, because they are absolutely invaluable.”

And they are looked after at the expense of the big city primaries. But, that's what you get if the *Shire* part has enough Tory councillors so they can ignore the *Oxford* part.
“Looking after small primary schools is one of my things, and we need to make sure we don’t close any, because they are absolutely invaluable.” And they are looked after at the expense of the big city primaries. But, that's what you get if the *Shire* part has enough Tory councillors so they can ignore the *Oxford* part. Christine Hovis

5:21pm Wed 18 Jul 12

Judy R says...

Why is the Government wasting millions of pounds of taxpayer's money encouraging successful schools to convert to academies, when there is no evidence that they provide a better education?

It's all about politics, not education, that's why! The Government and our County Council are running down, not just schools , but as many local authority services as possible and opening them up as a taxpayer-funded marketplace for profit-making businesses. Companies such as Serco and Capita can charge individual or small groups of academy schools much more for their services than the lower, bulk-buying rates negotiated by local authorities.

Academy schools are independent and not accountable to local communities, so if you are unhappy about something you may have to go to London to sort it out. They rely on funding from central government, which will soon start attaching strings, such as re-introducing selection or to schools actually being run by private companies.

The people of Oxford, where there is not a single Conservative member on the City Council, want their schools to focus on improving educational standards, not to divert vital teaching resources and much-needed public funds to a pointless academy conversion exercise.
Why is the Government wasting millions of pounds of taxpayer's money encouraging successful schools to convert to academies, when there is no evidence that they provide a better education? It's all about politics, not education, that's why! The Government and our County Council are running down, not just schools , but as many local authority services as possible and opening them up as a taxpayer-funded marketplace for profit-making businesses. Companies such as Serco and Capita can charge individual or small groups of academy schools much more for their services than the lower, bulk-buying rates negotiated by local authorities. Academy schools are independent and not accountable to local communities, so if you are unhappy about something you may have to go to London to sort it out. They rely on funding from central government, which will soon start attaching strings, such as re-introducing selection or to schools actually being run by private companies. The people of Oxford, where there is not a single Conservative member on the City Council, want their schools to focus on improving educational standards, not to divert vital teaching resources and much-needed public funds to a pointless academy conversion exercise. Judy R

5:57pm Fri 20 Jul 12

Trecker says...

I agree with Judy R. It will cost about £6.35 million for all primary schools in Oxfordshire to become academies.Only 6% of primary schools nationally are applying or have become academies in spite of Melinda Tilley, the Cabinet Member for Education, suggesting a much higher figure. There is no reliable evidence that primary schools will improve by becoming academies, even though Oxfordshire County Council is saying this will happen.. The £6 million pounds plus needed for all the primary schools in the County to convert could have a huge impact on improving Oxfordshire schools without them becoming academies. Instead this money goes to solicitors.
In addition, if Oxfordshire County Council is saying its schools need to improve, why hasn't it done more for schools in the past? Surely it should be looking at its successful schools and learning from them? Schools do not need to have academy status for this to happen. I fear that political dogma is overriding common sense.
I agree with Judy R. It will cost about £6.35 million for all primary schools in Oxfordshire to become academies.Only 6% of primary schools nationally are applying or have become academies in spite of Melinda Tilley, the Cabinet Member for Education, suggesting a much higher figure. There is no reliable evidence that primary schools will improve by becoming academies, even though Oxfordshire County Council is saying this will happen.. The £6 million pounds plus needed for all the primary schools in the County to convert could have a huge impact on improving Oxfordshire schools without them becoming academies. Instead this money goes to solicitors. In addition, if Oxfordshire County Council is saying its schools need to improve, why hasn't it done more for schools in the past? Surely it should be looking at its successful schools and learning from them? Schools do not need to have academy status for this to happen. I fear that political dogma is overriding common sense. Trecker

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