NEU comments on Damian Hinds' call for more schools to become academies

Commenting on the Education Secretary’s call for more academies, and the Department for Education’s analysis of sponsored academies, Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:

“Figures from the Department for Education analysing the performance of sponsored academies confirms that, almost a decade after the drive for all schools in England to become academies began, there is no evidence to justify the millions of pounds spent on this flawed flagship Conservative education policy, nor the disruption that forced academisation has wrought on school communities. It is laughable, therefore, that Damian Hinds is calling for more schools to become academies.

“This analysis shows there is substantial variation in performance of secondary-sponsored academies and that while some perform well, there are some schools with results well below national average performance, even in the groups that have been academies for more than seven years. A similar mixed picture is also seen among sponsored primary academies.

“Numerous reports, including today’s damning assessment from the Public Accounts Committee, show that the academies programme is seriously failing.  It is time for the Secretary of State to admit that he is presiding over a flawed initiative which has damaged a generation of children and young people and wreaked havoc on our education system.”