Academy Schools

Yes I am bitter .

The secondary academy on my DGD's doorstep ( the one she can't get into) is an excellent school. It performs head and shoulders ahead of even its closest "rival" however they operate a back door selection criteria where they only take children from certain selected feeder primaries ( all of which happen to be situated in very affluent areas and at least 2 are miles away ) The children who could not get into one of the feeders at 4 have a zero chance of getting in to the academy . They probably don't want my DGD because whilst she is very bright, she goes to a primary on a council estate and they probably can't smell money, which seems to be in plentiful supply for paying the staff and management team (????) well above average plus bonuses etc. yet the head has asked parents to contribute to their child's education by setting up a monthly direct debit . As I said in a previous thread a stones throw from being a private school.

One of the Academy chains near us has a good academic record. That is because if you don't shape up or fit into the mound you are transported to one of the other schools in the chain, possibly at some distance from the original one. That way they keep their academic record but the move doesn't appear on any records because student is still in the chain. So you might think child will spend whole school career at a particular school but then could end up at another with nothing you can do about it.
Re. Your grandchild, I think it will depend on the Academy. Like all schools, you can't tarnish them all with the same brush.

My GD attended a high school that changed to Academy, there where sides and allegiances drawn up by staff and an agenda by the prinipal to rid school of those that did not agree, many excellent teachers left this way.Any problems where dealt with by heads of year and the principal was unreachable in her towers and guarded by her PA, it was not a happy school and although I cannot remember the name of the group they belonged to( might have been ATT) I believe this has received some bad press.Our journey through school was not a happy one.The principal was fired last year for gross misconduct concerning some pupils.This has been our experience.

My GD has been at our local academy for nearly a year and so far so good she's doing well a couple of hiccups were swiftly sorted by staff no complaints yet

The use of the word Academy is a bit confusing. A lot of the recent name changes from School to Academy have more to do with schools trying to work within the ever changing legislation for schools.
A lot of it is down to the changes in funding from the old LEAs that held the purse strings and from which schools could buy services. In many areas so many schools have turned themselves into Academies because they have felt it would improve their finances and self determination (whether or not this is so is still open to question).
Eventually in any one area there are just a few establishments left who are still attached to their local LEA but are finding they are really loosing out as these LEAs can no longer function financially.

Sometimes an Academy is just the same old school under a different name.....sometimes outside money has come in and there are hidden agendas.

I don't think this will happen partly because all the political parties have at some point supported them. There may be a limit on setting up new ones of course and something might have to be done over failing Academies. You probably already know that they receive the money straight from government rather than through the local authority. The fact is that an awful lot of parents like them and want their children to go to them,

Hi trisher
I don't have any concerns re my GS education.
It's more enlightenment

It is the school that his parents requested.
It is a small school with excellent Ofsted report
DD has met the Headteacher and DGS teacher and teaching assistants
She has visited the school with GS.
And over all very happy.

This morning I was reading some points raised on one of the other news and politics thread regarding academy schools.
One point being that they are privately run
I have since read that they don't receive local funding but are funded by government with Charity status.

Education and schools have been off my radar for quite a little while.
Academy schools have been going since 2010 so I am interested to know if any GNers thought there was any difference between state and academy schools.
Better, worse the same?
Also if there was anyone that had taught or been involved in the running of an academy.

I guess if I have any qualms it is that academy schools could become an educational/Political football.

I think that one issue to be aware of of, is who is responsible for the running of the school? A problem in an ordinary state school is taken to the Governors. Academies seem to be a law unto themselves.
It is true that may not affect most children on a day to day basis, but to me is a concern, should issues, say of the quality of teaching, support for children with additional needs, or similar, arise.

Cherrytree59 My GD is starting an Academy school in September as well. I haven't taught in one but do know a bit about them and have heard both sides of the argument for and against them. Can I ask what your concerns are? As far as your GS is concerned there should be no differences for him from a normal state school.