Don't rush to become academies

11 June 2010 3 mins read Anonymous Author Education

Schools considering applying for academy status by September 2010 should proceed with caution until more information is known about how they will be funded and how the admissions will work in practice, argues one seasoned observer.

I previously argued that local authorities need not fear the advent of a new generation of academies, subject to some clear provisions for fair admissions and for excluded pupils.

Since then, the Academies Bill has been published, and the Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove has written to all head teachers of schools graded "outstanding" by Ofsted, inviting them to consider acquiring academy status from September 2010.

This throws up some logical contradictions. In particular, the proposition that academies will be drawn from the ranks of "failing" schools and "outstanding" schools — while schools rated "satisfactory" or "good" will find it more difficult to acquire such freedoms.

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