By Vivienne Russell | 12 November 2012
Another 400 of England’s weakest primary schools are to be transformed into academies, the prime minister has announced.
David Cameron said that, by the end of next year, the schools would be paired up with sponsors to keep up the momentum on education reform and improve standards.
Today’s announcement carries forward the plan to turn the worst-performing primaries into academies. In summer 2011, the government revealed that 1,300 of the approximately 17,000 primary schools in England fell below the minimum accepted level of performance. By the start of next year, 200 of these schools will have been given academy status.
Cameron said: ‘We have seen some excellent progress with our reforms, including turning 200 of the worst performing primary schools into sponsored academies, and opening more academies in the past two years than the previous government opened in a decade.
He added: ‘Time and time again we have seen how academies, with their freedom to innovate, inspire and raise standards, are fuelling aspirations and helping to spread success.
‘It is simply not good enough that some children are left to struggle in failing schools, when they could be given the chance to shine.’
But the National Union of Teachers said there was ‘no evidence’ to suggest that academy status in primary schools would bring any educational benefits.
General secretary Christine Blower said: ‘Despite this the coalition government is pressing ahead regardless, removing schools from their local authority and handing them over to unelected sponsors.
‘These decisions are being taken over the heads of local authorities, teachers, head teachers and parents… This is such irresponsible and rash behaviour from a coalition whose motivation appears ever clearer to be the privatisation of our education system.’
Another 400 of England’s weakest primary schools are to be transformed into academies, the prime minister has announced.
David Cameron said that, by the end of next year, the schools would be paired up with sponsors to keep up the momentum on education reform and improve standards.
Today’s announcement carries forward the plan to turn the worst-performing primaries into academies. In summer 2011, the government revealed that 1,300 of the approximately 17,000 primary schools in England fell below the minimum accepted level of performance. By the start of next year, 200 of these schools will have been given academy status.
Cameron said: ‘We have seen some excellent progress with our reforms, including turning 200 of the worst performing primary schools into sponsored academies, and opening more academies in the past two years than the previous government opened in a decade.
He added: ‘Time and time again we have seen how academies, with their freedom to innovate, inspire and raise standards, are fuelling aspirations and helping to spread success.
‘It is simply not good enough that some children are left to struggle in failing schools, when they could be given the chance to shine.’
But the National Union of Teachers said there was ‘no evidence’ to suggest that academy status in primary schools would bring any educational benefits.
General secretary Christine Blower said: ‘Despite this the coalition government is pressing ahead regardless, removing schools from their local authority and handing them over to unelected sponsors.
‘These decisions are being taken over the heads of local authorities, teachers, head teachers and parents… This is such irresponsible and rash behaviour from a coalition whose motivation appears ever clearer to be the privatisation of our education system.’
