Lymm High set to become latest to submit academy bid (From This Is Cheshire)
Send us news, start your message Cheshire News and your send photos and videos to 80360
Lymm High set to become latest to submit academy bid
7:40am Wednesday 8th February 2012 in News
Lymm High School
LYMM High School is set to become the latest in Warrington to apply to become an academy.
Leaders at the school have decided to sever ties with Warrington Borough Council as it will be better off financially for doing so.
Kieran Walshe, chair of governors, said: “We have taken the first step towards Lymm High School becoming an academy because we think it is in the best interest of our students, and of the communities which the school serves.”
The move was announced on Tuesday with officials pinpointing extra cash as one motive behind the move.
Schools who convert receive around an extra £500,000 in funding, and can also be prioritised with money for capital projects by the Department for Education.
Such an advantage has previously been called a ‘bribe’ by Clr Sheila Woodyatt (CON Lymm),but she is backing the bid after receiving assurances that academies will be funded in line with maintained schools.
She said: "My original concern with academies was that they will be top slicing, but Nick Gibb (schools minister) assures me that is not the case.
"On that basis I'm very happy to support the academy at Lymm High because it will give us the autonomy we think will be best for the school."
Trade unions have also said that academies are divisive.
If converted the governing body would control admission policy and set the curriculum at Lymm High School.
And head teacher Angela Walsh believes there will be benefits including all children in Lymm having the opportunity to attend the Oughtrington Lane school.
She also says it will mean stronger links with partner primary schools.
Ms Walsh said: “We are now starting a period of consultation with all our stakeholders – including staff, professional associations, trades unions, students, parents, partner primary schools and other interested partners. We welcome everyone’s views on whether Lymm High School should become an academy.”
A final decision will made at a meeting of the governing body on March 14.
If the change is backed Lymm High School will follow Lysander High School in Padgate and Culcheth High School in converting.
Penketh High School and Great Sankey High School are also considering becoming an academy.
Warrington Borough Council has said it will continue to provide an effective school service, despite the potential exodus.
jscapper says...
8:38am Fri 10 Feb 12
They are relatively few and, if the coalition government is true to its word, the differences between mainstream schools and academies will soon be even smaller.
The list of freedoms gained through academy status includes:
freedom to adapt the national curriculum,
to vary teachers' pay and conditions,
and to vary the length of the school day/week/year.
Questions which you could consider asking:
* Will the academy make any changes to their admissions procedures? (crucial to stop academic or social selection)
* How will the ethos of the school be maintained? What changes are proposed to the current governing body? Are these changes going to help the school move forward, or will they lead to removal of key voices?
* What systems / partnerships will the school have to support the needs of the most vulnerable and challenging students? (academies – and local authority schools – are likely soon to have to bear the full cost of educating any students they exclude, rather than this being met by the LA as is currently the case – this could run up huge bills if they don’t have good systems in place)
* What impact will the change have on the school’s current partnership arrangeemnts with primary, secondary and special schools?
* How much will the conversion process cost, initially and per year in future? Is the “academy premium” enough to cover these costs?
* Will the school continue to recognise unions and respect the right of its staff to take industrial action?
* How will the school ensure that staff are supported and developed?
If the overwhelming evidence of those academies that have converted is anything to go by the following happens (evidence of a teacher from a new acadamy)
1) headteachers pay has rocketed.
2) teachers pay remains the same (but conditions such as changes to hours/days/time off within days etc has, up to now).
3) support staff pay has decreased.
This is a good place to start to get the other view
http://antiacademies
.org.uk/