Comments on: Manchester Academies http://manchestermule.com/article/manchester-academies News with a Kick Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:42:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jane Eades http://manchestermule.com/article/manchester-academies/comment-page-1#comment-1461 Jane Eades Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:20:05 +0000 http://themule.info/?p=1410#comment-1461 A couple of points. There are now just over 200 academies. In the 2009 GCSE results 32% of academies showed a drop in results over 2008 (of those with at least 2 years of results). 54% have GCSE results below the 30% 5 A*-C with E/M benchmark. The DCSF is now showing results for Science and Foreign Languages and it is clear that one way some academies are improving results is by vitually taking languages out of the curriculum in favour of, for example, BTECs, etc. Finally, there is no financial benefit to having an academy (other than selling land). The new schools building programme should not be confused with the Academies programme. Warwick Mansell has reported that very little of the sponsorship money has actually been paid (a maximum of £2million) and in many cases the sponsors do not have to pay any money at all. We are told that the Building Schools for the Future money is not dependent on academisation and several local authorities are in receipt of the money and have no academies, nor plans for any. A couple of points. There are now just over 200 academies. In the 2009 GCSE results 32% of academies showed a drop in results over 2008 (of those with at least 2 years of results). 54% have GCSE results below the 30% 5 A*-C with E/M benchmark.

The DCSF is now showing results for Science and Foreign Languages and it is clear that one way some academies are improving results is by vitually taking languages out of the curriculum in favour of, for example, BTECs, etc.

Finally, there is no financial benefit to having an academy (other than selling land). The new schools building programme should not be confused with the Academies programme. Warwick Mansell has reported that very little of the sponsorship money has actually been paid (a maximum of £2million) and in many cases the sponsors do not have to pay any money at all. We are told that the Building Schools for the Future money is not dependent on academisation and several local authorities are in receipt of the money and have no academies, nor plans for any.

]]> By: Parents and teachers fight Stretford school closures  —   MULE http://manchestermule.com/article/manchester-academies/comment-page-1#comment-1457 Parents and teachers fight Stretford school closures  —   MULE Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:24:41 +0000 http://themule.info/?p=1410#comment-1457 [...] read more about academy schools in Manchester, and the criticisms levelled against them, see this article by MULE’s Tim [...] [...] read more about academy schools in Manchester, and the criticisms levelled against them, see this article by MULE’s Tim [...]

]]> By: Betty http://manchestermule.com/article/manchester-academies/comment-page-1#comment-878 Betty Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:18:17 +0000 http://themule.info/?p=1410#comment-878 The academies are a disaster! Every time schools are converted there is a concerted attack on teacher's and other worker's employment rights. The academies are a disaster! Every time schools are converted there is a concerted attack on teacher’s and other worker’s employment rights.

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