Academies in Birmingham. Who will benefit?

When I tackled the Director of Children’s Services, Tony Howell, about Academies in Birmingham he assured us that creationism couldn’t creep into the curriculum. He would see to it that couldn’t happen. Well, judging by a report in the Birmingham Post (14.12.2007), the King Edward Foundation are looking at one school at least, Sheldon Heath, which they wish to help run.
According to the report “Representatives from King Edward’s will sit on the governing board of Sheldon Heath – whose name will change – and have an influence on its curriculum.”


Looks to me that the private sector will be able to extend its influence and dictate terms to the state sector. This is just what Lord Adonis appears to want. Shouldn’t it be the other way round though? Once again New Labour faces an identity crisis supporting those the Tories always help anyway. In Birmingham New Labour started to support the academies and now Tories (with Lib Dem support) have taken them on like ducks to water so there will be no opposition from New Labour. It’s tragic.
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One thought on “Academies in Birmingham. Who will benefit?

  1. Luis

    I think HJHJ has to accept that the Government has a role in re-distributing tax renvuee to ensure all children are equally funded. (And some unequally if they have genuine special needs .)Ideally, this would be through a grant or voucher given by central government worth 60-80% of a notional national figure, with local authorities making a similar grant funded from local taxes. This then allows for local variation in cost of living, property costs etc.The state can then adopt a disinterested position in terms of school ownership and management, all schools would be independent and reliant on resources from parents, who would choose schools suitable for their children. Whether they were academically selective or not would be up to parents.If, as many on the left claim, parents don’t want academic selection, then there will be few academically selective schools, if they are wrong and I suspect they are we will see many more selective schools, but selctive probably on the basis of individual aptitude for different things.This way we get many more schools, which will be smaller and more varied. Because parents will have a sense of ownership because the funding is going through them and as such will be more likely to pressure the establishment they are giving what they now see as their money to, better performing schools.

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