Schools on a fast track to go it alone

At least 21 Oldham schools are on a fast-track to become academies under Government plans announced in the Queen’s Speech.

Under a bill set to be introduced in the coming months thousands of primaries and secondaries judged by education watchdog Ofsted as outstanding will be “pre-approved” for opting out of local authority control.

That means at least 20 primary schools in Oldham, along with one secondary school will be able to bypass councils and go straight to government if they want the greater freedoms.

Once granted, heads are able to reward high-performing teachers and set their own curriculum, except in core subjects such as maths and English.

Under the Academies Bill, which is set to be pushed through as a priority, the schools could chose to go it alone as early as September.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said: “Teachers know how to run schools, not bureaucrats or politicians.

“Many schools have already shown a keen interest in gaining academy freedoms. They want to use those powers to increase standards for all children and close the gap between the richest and the poorest.”

The bill was unveiled as one of 22 legislative commitments for the next 18 months in Parliament during the pomp and ceremony of the Queen’s Speech at the State Opening of Parliament.

The Oldham schools listed as outstanding since 2006/7 are:

Primaries: Burnley Brow, Byron Street infant and nursery, Delph, Freehold, Glodwick, Greenfield St Mary’s, Greenhill, Holy Rosary, Holy Trinity Dobcross, Limeside, Mayfield, Mills Hill, Richmond, Springhead infant and nursery, St Chad’s, St Joseph’s, St Matthew’s, Thornham St James, Thorp and Yew Tree. Secondary: Blue Coat.


Plans are branded ‘disastrous’

THE plans to allow top schools to become academies have been been branded as “disastrous” by local campaigners.

Stuart Paulley, secretary of Oldham Campaign Against Academies (OCAA), said: “Schools have nothing to gain by becoming academies, especially if their sponsors are as incompetent as sponsors of many existing academies.

“The rushing through of this bill will be disastrous. Academies do not improve standards. Allowing schools themselves to decide to leave the local authority system will make planning of provision impossible. It will also lead to increased financial strain as local authorities try to maintain services for disadvantaged children.

“Free Schools are often opened in empty office blocks, industrial estates or other cheap accommodation. They often have very few facilities and they have also created more segregation”

Five Oldham high schools will be replaced with three academies in September under the borough’s separate, long-standing plans to transform its high schools.