academisation | Schools Week

Morgan to define ‘underperforming’ councils with consultation and vote

The definition of “underperforming” councils that will be used to force schools to convert to academies will be set out in a consultation and put to a vote of MPs, Nicky Morgan has said. The education secretary told the House of Commons today that new plans to convert all schools in areas where a council is […]

Government u-turns on forced academisation plan

The government has abandoned plans to force all schools to become academies, the government has confirmed. This is a u-turn on proposals announced in the budget and developed in the education white paper. It comes in the wake of threats of strikes by teachers and school leaders in opposition to the plans. Nicky Morgan, the education secretary, has […]

No academies u-turn announcement as Morgan dodges questions

Questions about the future role of local authorities in schools went unanswered as Nicky Morgan faced a grilling from MPs about plans to convert all schools into academies. During education question time in the Commons this afternoon, the education secretary dodged several questions about reports that councils could be given the right to set up multi-academy […]

‘It’s all about the money’: The REAL reason behind forced academisation

Why are the Conservatives intent on making every school into an academy? It’s not about standards, it’s all about the money, writes Mike Cameron. It is becoming clear to anyone with even a passing understanding of the issues that academisation is not a universal panacea that cures all of a schools ills. The evidence we […]

Morgan: ‘No reverse gear’ over academisation plans

Although education secretary Nicky Morgan faced a relatively polite reception at the NASUWT conference, a few of her comments prompted teachers to shout and laugh at her. Ms Morgan, the first Conservative education minister to speak at the event in almost 20 years, was heckled by one delegate when she spoke about children “suffering” in […]

Teachers could strike over plan to make all schools academies

Teachers could strike over plans to turn all schools into academies, a leading teaching union has said. The leadership of the National Union of Teachers has confirmed that wording of a priority motion being worked up for its annual conference in Brighton this weekend will include room for debate about industrial action. Proposals which will […]

Morgan to be grilled by MPs over white paper academies plan

Education secretary Nicky Morgan will be grilled by MPs over her plans for education next month. Ms Morgan will appear in front of the House of Commons education committee on Wednesday April 27 to answer questions about her educational excellence everywhere white paper, which was released last week. Plans in the document to turn every state […]

‘Never look where their hands are pointing’: The hidden parts of the white paper

Never look where their hands are pointing. A childhood obsessed with magicians teaches you that, but it’s also true for politicians. Never look where their hands are pointing: it’s always a distraction. With that in mind the Schools Week team pored over the 128-page education white paper unveiled last Thursday pulling out every possible policy. […]

‘Tread warily in this brave new academy world’

Teacher training needed reform. But are school-led routes the only solution? Accountability, parent power and the question of who controls schools all need to be addressed too – and soon Last week, I explained how the school-led system is stifled by a lack of true autonomy for school leaders, and is failing to improve education […]