Half our schools turn academy

Union leader says switch is ‘all wrong’
MORE than half of high schools in England are academies - or applying to be one, according to Government figures.

They include six of Oldham’s 11 secondary schools.

Around 1.45 million secondary school pupils attend the state-funded schools which are independent from local and central government control.

They can set their own pay and conditions for staff, change the length of terms and school days and have more freedom over their curriculum.

Oldham has three traditional academies, which replaced struggling schools and are run by sponsors: Oasis Academy Oldham, Oldham Academy North and Waterhead Academy.

Blue Coat, Crompton House and Hathershaw are ‘convertor’ academies, having changed after the Government opened up the programme to higher-performing schools.

The former Limeside Primary School, now sponsored by Oasis Community Learning, is the borough’s only primary school academy. Oldham College will run Stoneleigh Primary School as an academy from September.

But Tony Harrison, National Union of Teachers Oldham branch secretary, said: “Academies are wrong. There is no justification for schools becoming academies.

“Schools that do become academies lose all the support services the local authorities provide and they have to provide their own. It is simply privatisation of our schools and the vast majority of teachers are totally against that.”