Voice's concerns over academies

Monday, 26 July 2010 12:00 AM

Voice: the union for education professionals recently changed its policy to oppose the creation of any new academies. Voice continues to support its teacher and support staff members wherever they work but has numerous concerns about academies, including:
. the "breakneck speed" with which the Government is rushing ahead in allowing more schools to become academies;
. the way academies have been promoted as some sort of panacea to magically transform education - Voice has said many times that changing the way schools are organised and governed is not a guarantee of success or better education, and the mixed results from the academies established so far supports this;
. the creation of two-tier education system which damages the ability of local authorities to deliver central support services to maintained schools - Voice is particularly concerned about the long-term provision of support to pupils with special needs and emotional and behavioural problems and those excluded from school, and how school transport and psychology, cultural and sports services will be affected; and
. pay and conditions at academies: levels of pay and methods of progression are variable compared to the maintained sector, the working day is often longer, and teaching assistants and other support staff may be particularly badly affected by the loss or erosion of any system of national pay and conditions.
There is also an important distinction to make, that is sometimes overlooked or confused in the media, between schools simply searching for information on academy status and actually applying.
The Department for Education's Website points out that "it is important to note that .registration of interest for further information . should not be taken to imply that the school has made any decision or commitment to proceed with the process".
Voice believes that families should have access to a good-quality local education system that guarantees a good school for all, and that all schools should receive the levels of investment they need to deliver that quality education.
Choice - and therefore competition - is not the way to produce an education system in which high-quality provision is available to all.
Comment on Voice's policy at http://www.blog.voicetheunion.org.uk/?p=1230

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