Got £2 million quid? Wanna encourage a new generation of stock market experts in a business focussed school? Coz it's all about the kids, innit?

'Academies' (formerly City Academies) are schools that are privately run, publicly funded and sponsored by whoever can afford it.

The academies initiative was brought in as part of the government's obsession with 'choice' and addiction for private finance initiatives (PFI). The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) cite academies as '...a radically new type of independent state school, intended to transform education in areas where the status quo is simply not good enough.'[1] They are outside state, or rather local education authority (LEA) control.[2] From their conception in 2001 and the seminal academy in Bexley, academies are still under scrutiny for many reasons, from curriculum offerings to teaching standards.

The academies system is loosely based on US style 'Charter schools': independent schools which receive state funding.[3] An academy is, in theory, an 'all ability' school, established by sponsors from business, faith or voluntary groups, working in partnership with Government and local education authorities. Running costs are met in full by the DfES.[4] There have already been criticisms of the American model as being 'socially divisive'[5], profit driven and unaccountable, especially in the running of the Edison Charter schools[6].

To be able to sponsor an academy a prospective philanthropist needs to make a minimum donation of £2 million (or £1.5m for redeveloping a 'failing' school) towards the capital cost of the Academy. This sum can be put up by a team of sponsors[7].

Successful sponsors are often allowed to excercise a worryingly large amount of influence over how the school runs and what is taught (academies are not oblidged to follow the national curriculum). This has incurred the wrath of unions such as the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and Unison, who believe that privatisation will lead to problems in employment rights and also in accountability[8].

Current sponsors for schools include companies, such as Dixons (The Dixon's Technology College in Bradford), Capita (various schools) and the Vardy Foundation (various; particularly in the North East). Individual sponsors include Roger de Haan, CEO of Saga Holidays (The Marlowe Academy in Kent) and Vice-Chancellor of Nottingham University, Sir Harry Djanogly (Djanogly City Academy)[9]. Other sponsors include religious foundations, such as United Learning Trust and United Church Schools Trust, raising fears of science subjects being taught alongside 'creationism', and that some foundations are looking at ways around anti-gay discrimination laws[10].

Case Study, lessons in the free market: The Business Academy, Bexley

Proudly declaring its standing as '...the Government’s flagship Academy, pioneering the way for other publicly funded Independent schools in the future'[11], the Business Academy Bexley, with its science fiction-esque architecture was opened in September 2002, replacing Ofsted-failed Thamesmead Community College. It is one of the new 'all through' academies, providing education from 4 to 18, and currently has 1000 secondary students, 420 primary pupils and 90 infants in its neighbourhood nursery[12]. It claims to provide a 'continuity of education that is not available elsewhere in the state sector in the UK.'[13] The school has its own mini stock exchange[14][15], and Fridays are dedicated 'business days'[16].

Construction company Corus built the school under PFI[17] and AMG Security Systems provides CCTV system for the '...particularly deprived area with many social problems'[18]. Bell Technologies Ltd supply, integrate and maintain the cameras.

The school's funder is Sir David Garrard, ex-CEO of Minerva Property group, who put up the £2.4 million for the school. Garrand 'gave £200,000 to Labour...gave Tories £70,000 for a call centre...[and was] knighted in 2003 for charity work.'[19]. Garrard is also chair of the Garrard Education Trust. In 2004 the Trust donated £25,000 to the Police Foundation, of which Garrard is a trustee.[20] And after all that, the Business Academy has 'received a critical Ofsted report, which [Garrard] felt moved to challenge.'[21]

The academy system does not seem to be working. According to the Telegraph 'some academies have turned out to be worse than the schools they replaced. The Unity city academy in Middlesbrough, sponsored by the construction company Amey, has been judged by Ofsted '...to be a failing institution. It has run up debts of more than £1m and has had to be bailed out by the education department.'[22]

Campaigns

www.casenet.org.uk/ - The Campaign for State Education
www.education-otherwise.org - information and network for home educators
www.teachers.org.uk/topichome.php?id=44 - NUT Privatisation in Education campaign
www.unison.org.uk/positivelypublic/index.asp - Unison Positively Public campaign

References
[1] P3, 'Department for Education and Skills, Academies: Schools to Make a Difference Academies Sponsor Prospectus 2005', Department for Education and Skills (DfES), www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/academies/pdf/AcademySponsorProspectus2005.pdf?version=1

[2] Steven Hastings, 'Academies', in The Times Educational Supplement, 27/05/05

[3] Steven Hastings, 'Academies', in The Times Educational Supplement, 27/05/05

[4] Abridged from 'The Standards Site:What are Academies?', DfES , www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/academies/what_are_academies/?version=1 accessed 19/01/06

[5] P4, Michael White and Patrick Wintour, 'Unconfrontational tactic fails to create Labour rift on schools', in The Guardian, 08/12/05

[6] PP114 - 117, Joel Bakan, The Corporation, London: Constable & Robinson Ltd. See chapter 'Democracy Ltd.' for more information about privatisation.

[7] P5, 'Department for Education and Skills, Academies: Schools to Make a Difference Academies Sponsor Prospectus 2005', DfES, www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/academies/pdf/AcademySponsorProspectus2005.pdf?version=1, accessed 17/01/06

[8] There's an abundence of information on privatisation in education on the NUT website, see: www.nut.org.uk/topichome.php?id=44&PHPSESSID;=8405e8b09e9fb32da276d161754f22c8 for more details

[9] National Union of Teachers, Complete Academies Briefing, www.nut.org.uk/story.php?id=2262 24/11/05, accessed 16/01/06

[10] National Union of Teachers, Complete Academies Briefing, www.nut.org.uk/story.php?id=2262 24/11/05, accessed 16/01/06

[11] The Business Academy Bexley, www.thebusinessacademy.org/information.asp, accessed 17/01/06

[12] The Business Academy Bexley, www.thebusinessacademy.org/information.asp, accessed 17/01/06

[13] The Business Academy Bexley, www.thebusinessacademy.org/information.asp, accessed 17/01/06

[14] Adi Bloom, 'Speculate to Educate', The Times Educational Supplement, 13/09/02

[15] The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) collection of images of The Business Academy Bexley www.cabe.org.uk/library/casestudy.asp?id=265&show;=images&PARAMS;

[16] National Union of Teachers, Complete Academies Briefing, www.nut.org.uk/story.php?id=2262 24/11/05, accessed 16/01/06

[17] '100% Class, report on The Business Academy Construction' , Corus Group website, www.corusconstruction.com/en/news_and_events/advertisments/100_percent/100_class/, accessed 17/01/06

[18] AMG Security Systems www.amgsystems.co.uk/AMGwebpages/PDF/Case%20Study%20-%20Bexley%20.pdf, accessed 17/01/06

[19] P30 Michael Brown, 'PM's nominations', in The Independent (London), 08/12/05

[20] The Police Foundation Annual Report of the Trustees, 30th June 2004, www.police-foundation.org.uk/AnnualAccounts/ANNUAL%20REPORT%202004.pdf, accessed 17/01/06

[21] Keith Dovkants 'The Grizzly Bear, how he helped out Tony with a pet project and the small matter of a peerage on ice (at least for now); On the eve of the New Year's honours list, the curious case of London property mogul David Garrard...'in The Eve

[22] Geraldine Hackett, Education Correspondent 'How new school backers hit the golden route to a gong', in Sunday Times (London), 15/01/06