General questions about Academies

What is the evidence of success?

Do academies serve their local community? Do they ‘cherry pick’ pupils?

Do academies exclude difficult pupils?

What about attendance at academies?

Do Academies receive more money than other schools?

The Academies programme represents the privatisation of education – with sponsors taking over from local authorities.

Who runs an Academy?

What role do Local Authorities play in setting up an Academy?

Are Local Authorities blackmailed into accepting Academies? Are they denied BSF funding unless they agree to open academies?

Does Education law apply to academies? Do parents, pupils and staff have protection in law? Aren’t academies secretive organisations – even the FOI Act does not apply to them?

Are Academies accountable? Do they have representative governing bodies?

Are sponsors allowed to make a profit out of state-funded education. Are there any checks on the suitability of sponsors?

Do Academies teach a broad and balanced curriculum?

Do academies teach Creationism?

Are Academies subject to the same kind of Ofsted inspection as maintained schools? Don’t Academies want to replace Ofsted inspections with peer inspections by other Academies?

Do Academies collaborate with other local schools?

Why involve sponsors in running Academies?

What about universities sponsoring Academies?

I have heard that fee paying independent schools are now sponsoring or even becoming Academies – is this true?

I understand there is a new Sponsorship Model.  Can you explain the process?

The Academies Programme is being eroded by bureaucracy.  Should the Department alter the Funding Agreements?

Are sponsors responsible for providing new buildings?

Why are we allowing the Local Authorities to become Sponsors of Academies?

Do all Academies open in new buildings?

Hasn't the government had trouble finding sponsors for Academies?

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