This week MP Neil Carmichael discusses turning schools into academies

THE Government has set out plans to ensure all schools in the state sector become academies by 2022. The policy is developed and explained in the recently published White Paper but is, essentially, a natural extension of the Academies Act 2010 which made it much easier for schools to become academies.

The first academies were created in 2002 by the then Labour Government. The principle aim then, as now, was to improve educational standards. Today, there are 5,170 academies with more than 70 per cent of these being ‘converters’ as provided for in the 2010 Act. A further boost for academies is the Education and Adoption Act 2016 requiring all schools judged to be inadequate by school inspectors to be turned into academies and also introducing measures to tackle ‘coasting’ schools.

There are several reasons for the decision to convert all remaining state schools to academies. Firstly, it is sensible to have one system as opposed to having academies and local authority maintained schools. The latter group is a mixed bag with some authorities performing well – Hampshire is an often sited example of being capable – but too many authorities are less impressive and often too slow in intervening when schools fail.

The positive reasons for academies centre around the empowerment of school leaders and teachers. Academies are, by definition, autonomous from local authorises and consequently have much more scope and flexibility to shape their curriculum, structure, culture and community links. Academies are more responsive and, ultimately, sustainable because they normally operate in groups focussed on self-improvement.

Local Authorities will emerge with new roles including championing the interests of parents and, crucially, pupils. This is because authorities will no longer be providing schools so any potential conflicts of interest will be removed.

Naturally, there are concerns about this seemingly radical policy. The Education Select Committee will be exploring the implications this week with the Secretary of State and later through a full-scale inquiry on Multi-academy Trusts. Issues such as accountability, admissions, property and governance will be explored. Academies will also be impacted by the ‘fairer funding’ reforms for schools.