Councils forced to set up academies, claims ATL

12 Jan 06
The Department for Education and Skills is putting 'unreasonable pressure' on councils in an effort to push through the controversial academy schools programme, a teaching union claims.

13 January 2006

The Department for Education and Skills is putting 'unreasonable pressure' on councils in an effort to push through the controversial academy schools programme, a teaching union claims.

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers said there was 'incontrovertible' evidence that councils were being forced to set up academies or risk forfeiting their share of Building Schools for the Future refurbishment funding.

'Local authorities are told they will not get their Building Schools for the Future money unless they approve an academy within their plans,' ATL general secretary Mary Bousted told Public Finance.

'This threat is made irrespective of whether the local authority wants an academy, whether local parents are demanding an academy, or whether an academy will provide the best education for all pupils in that area.'

The controversy flared up again this week after Swindon Borough Council raised plans to transform the troubled Headlands School into an academy sponsored jointly by the United Learning Trust and Honda.

Phil Baker, the ATL's Swindon branch secretary, told PF that the DfES would only let the council rehouse the school if it became an academy. 'We feel very strongly that borough land should not be handed to a private sponsor to do what they wish with it,' he said. 'It's an incredible state giveaway.'

The ATL also cited Cabinet papers from Sunderland City Council which state: 'If the city is to progress its BSF and new school programme, agreement must be reached with the DfES on the academy issue. DfES officers have made it clear that they will not accept a “no-academy position”.'

Opinion among councils themselves, however, appears to be divided. A Local Government Association source said some councils were concerned that local needs for academies were not being properly assessed.

But he added: 'Some local authorities are quite pragmatic, as long as they have some input. Academies are funded directly by the DfES and private sponsors so they would release more money for councils to focus on other schools.'

The DfES insisted there was no attempt to force councils to include academies in their school refurbishment schemes but said the government 'expects local authorities to consider academies as part of their BSF plans'.

PFjan2006

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