The Academy Success Story: Hit or Miss?

A five-year study into the government’s academy programme released by Price Waterhouse Cooper this November paints a mixed picture of academy success. Although it reported an overall improvement in all academies since 2003, it raised concerns about the number of permanent exclusions and financial inconsistencies.

Triumph
The government claims that turning an under performing school into an academy will improve its performance. Jim Knight, Minister for Schools argues that many academy sponsors are responsible for a new positive ethos in schools. Their belief in the child is improving results. In an article in the Guardian on Friday November 29th he said “Earlier this month, I visited North Liverpool Academy and it was one of the most inspiring schools I've ever visited.

"In one of the most deprived communities in the country, I saw first hand what a difference the academy programme makes to children’s lives."

Academies are not only meeting their mission of helping children in deprived communities let down for decades but also developing a truly comprehensive intake. That’s something to celebrate not decry.”

Myth
In a recent study Dr Terry Wrigley at the University of Edinburgh challenges the success story of academies. He argues that the Academies report does not take the changing population of the schools’ into consideration. He found that the proportion of children from socially deprived backgrounds has decreased compared to their predecessor schools. This is because when a school is turned into an academy a huge amount of money is initially invested. This attracts a different sort of pupil he argues. Children from more affluent families will apply to the school to take advantage of the better facilities. Three children apply for each academy place, and those with better results are chosen. The school demographic changes as more disruptive children are displaced by those from more affluent backgrounds.

“Despite the government's claims, and despite the vast expense, there has been no overall impact of academies on pupils' results, simply a change in the pupil population.” said Dr Wrigley

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Dr Wrigley's research analysed the relative improvement of academies in light of the changing population of the school. The map shows the improvement of GCSE results for academies according to his findings.


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