By Lucy Phillips
6 January 2011
More than one in ten secondary schools in England is now an academy, according to figures released today.
The government said 407 academies are now open, including 11% (371) of all English secondary schools. The remaining 36 are primary schools that have converted to academy status and are no longer under local authority control.
More than 200 of the academies have opened since September, when the coalition pushed through its education reforms, including 46 that opened this week.
The majority of the new academies (136) were schools rated outstanding by Ofsted and given new freedoms by the coalition to convert. The remaining 68 were weaker performing schools that have new sponsors who intend to turn them around.
Education Secretary Michael Gove said he was ‘delighted’ by the new openings.
‘Schools are taking up our offer to become academies because they recognise the huge benefits of being an academy – more autonomy, more power to teachers, and an opportunity to thrive, free from interference from government,’ he said.
Baroness Shireen Ritchie, chair of the Local Government Association’s children and young people board, said it was important to maintain fairness in the school system.
‘Councils’ main priority is to make sure that all children have access to good quality education, whether they are taught in an academy school or in a traditionally funded community school. The government must make sure that money is fairly distributed and the same opportunities are available to all,’ she said.
‘Reassuring parents that their children are being treated fairly depends on having a system where all schools are on a level playing field. Councils are best placed to oversee schools in their local area, and make sure the principle of fairness is embedded from the start.’
A further 254 schools have applied to become academies and are waiting for government approval.
