Archive > Marple Primary Schools Transition

Is there a crisis for Primary School places looming in Marple?

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andy+kirsty:

--- Quote from: simonesaffron on January 06, 2016, 09:09:13 AM ---Furthermore, hasn't the government announced its intention that all schools will be academy status by 2020 ?

--- End quote ---

They have, in spite of the evidence that shows that chaining a schools legal status doesn't drive improvement. Nicky Morgan was widely ridiculed in the press a number of months ago for introducing the definition of a 'coasting school' into the Education & Adoption bill. She then couldn't define what coasting meant during an interview and had to confirm that a definition was yet to be drafted. We have since learnt that it is any school that doesn't improve between ofsteds.

This means that if a school is inadequate or RI it could be forced to become an academy, if it is good and remains good it could be forced to become an academy, if a school is outstanding and remains outstanding it would be forced to become an academy and forced into a MAT with struggling schools. if you move from good to inadequate, outstanding to good and so on you will be foreced to convert.

Another part of the legislation removed any need to consult with the local community or the LA (who are the enemies of promise) and gives the right to the RSC to impose an IEB (interim executive board) who replace the governors and will decide the fate of the school.

If you have heard about Downhills Primary the chair of the IEB was also the CEO of the Harris Federation, they ended up sponsoring the school, Lord Harris of Peckham was the Tory party treasurer. There have also been a number of similar instances up here where Ofsted inspectors also have paid roles on Academy boards, they 'inspect' schools the suggest they convert and are supported by their chain.

The whole fragmentation of the service has been abused extensively, more so down south than up here, but, the running down of schools and teachers has many parallels with other public services before they are privatised.

Whilst some will balk at the idea, the NUT have produced some very detailed research under the banner of EduFacts, a number of very prominent educational figures as well as serving head teachers have written papers about the unintended consequences of current government policy and the impact it will have on our kids.

you can visit it at https://www.teachers.org.uk/edufacts

corium:
Further to my previous post managed to dig this up from an old Guardian article:

"...As birthrates dropped in the 1990s, the number of children in state primary schools in England and Wales peaked in 1999 at 4.3 million and began to fall in 2000, reaching a low of 3.95 million in 2009. But since 2002 birthrates have been rising. In 2010, the number of primary school pupils began to increase. By 2015 it was estimated there would be 4.39 million, a rise of around 10% compared to 2011. By 2020 this will grow to 4.8 million, 20% higher than the figure for 2011.

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These government figures are now thought to be an underestimate after census figures were higher than expected. But the child bulge could not have come at a worse time for local authorities. The government scaled back school-building programmes immediately after the election in 2010, and maintenance, repair and expansion projects were shelved..."

corium:
Going back to the original question & the point Ringi makes it's a national issue as I understand there is a population bulge working it's way through the education system - I have e feeling it's currently at c years 3/4 but others might know more definitively. I say bulge but don't have the data to say whether this is a one off or a longer term increase given the population is rising overall. I do remember it being raised as an issue when Marple Hall were looking at adding a 6th form as there was an argument Stockport was overprovided with 6th form places at the time.

simonesaffron:
Furthermore, hasn't the government announced its intention that all schools will be academy status by 2020 ?

andy+kirsty:
Dave is indeed right

Whilst the legal duty to ensure that every child who is of compulsory education age residing within the LA boundary has a place within a school rests with that LA, since the coalition government the LA is prohibited from opening new schools, if they need to provide places there are limited options open to them.

The can extend an existing school - those who are familiar with the geography of the area will know that this isn't really a solution.

A free school could be established, sponsored by big business or another Academy Chain - many have been established and many have failed, it has wasted billions in education funding.

or, as in Kent a school could establish a satellite campus - although I imagine this route is reserved for Grammars only.

The Gove approach to education has been a disaster and very few have really understood what it has meant, essentially market forces, privatization, faux competition, forced academisation and the removal of any democracy. All under the umbrella of 'rigor' and school improvement. However, as Ofsted and the DfE have just confirmed, schools that become Academies are more likely to remain inadequate 1

So, the only Academy near by, Mellor Primary, with the help of the LA was 'Outstanding', now it is 'Good' and has no support from the LA as it opted out, so faces the prospect of being sponsored if deemed to be coasting, or, spending vast sums of cash on consultants to make it improve, Ludworth on the other hand has been and remains Outstanding and Rose Hill is steadily improving.

As a parent my real concern is that we are fast moving to a US model of standardised tests, a focus on what can be measured rather than what children need to stimulate their minds.

1 https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/schools-become-sponsored-academies-are-more-likely-stay-inadequate

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