Sam Clayden 16 March 2016

Budget 2016: All schools to be converted into academies

Fixating on giving schools independence will not generate improvement in education standards, local government representatives have warned.

In his Budget speech today, chancellor George Osborne laid out plans to convert every primary and secondary school in the country into academies by 2020.

He said: ‘We are going to complete the task of setting schools free from local education bureaucracy, and we’re going to do it in this Parliament.’

But the Local Government Association (LGA) has opposed the plans, saying there was no evidence schools performed better in the hands of academies.

Chair of the LGA’s children and young people board Cllr Roy Perry claimed only 15% of academy chains perform above the national average compared to to 44% of councils, the LGA claimed.

Cllr Perry said it ‘defied reason’ that councils were being portrayed as 'barriers to improvement'.

He said: ‘With mixed evidence about academisation improving standards and when public spending is facing significant cuts imposing academisation on schools regardless of local opinion cannot be an appropriate use of public money.’

Association of Directors of Children’s Service (ADCS) vice president Dave Hill has warned that turning schools into academies could be counterproductive, ‘adding further confusion to an increasingly disjointed school system leaving our most challenging pupils at risk of slipping through the cracks’.

Associate director for public services at Institute for Public Policy Research Jonathan Clifton said: ‘The government is arguing that England’s schools need more autonomy in order to match the best in the world.

‘But England already has the third most autonomous school system in the world, while it lags in 23rd place on pupil performance.

‘Fixating on giving schools independence is unlikely to generate any improvement in education standards”.

The chancellor also announced plans to focus on the performance of schools in the north, where results had ‘not been as strong as we’d like’.

He said: ‘London’s school system has been turned around and we can do the same in the Northern Powerhouse.

‘I’ve asked outstanding Bradford head teacher Sir Nick Weller to provide us with a plan.’

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Family Support Worker

Durham County Council
Grade 6 - £27,269 - £30,060 (Pay award pending)
Do you have a real passion for helping families to make positive changes for themselves and their children? This might be the right role for you!   WH Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Clerical Officer Receptionist

Durham County Council
Grade 3 £24,404 - £25,183 Pro Rata to hours worked Pay award pending
WHAT IS INVOLVED? We are looking to appoint a part time Clerical officer/Receptionist within Business Services to provide a professional, effective a Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Administration Assistant

Durham County Council
£25,584 - £27,711 pro rata
Administration Assistant Grade 5    £25,584 - £27,711 pro rata Temporary – required from 1st October 2025 until 31 December 2025 37 hours per week, Te Consett
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Support Assistant

Durham County Council
£24,027 pro rata
Support Assistant Grade 1 £24,027 pro rata Temporary – required from 1st October 2025 until 31st October 2026 Part Time, 32.5 hours Mon - Fri 9am -4pm Consett
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Lecturer in Foundation Learning -Maths, English and Digital

Durham County Council
Grade 9 £34,314 - £37,938 pro rata for part-time term time working PAY AWARD PENDING
The DurhamLearn Foundation Learning programme area delivers Digital Skills, English and Maths Functional Skills.   An opportunity has arisen for a Lec Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council
Linkedin Banner