Who would have guessed that a policy that at first divided local authorities, communities and even neighbours could actually lead to closer working relationships and a learning journey that runs throughout a young person’s school life?
I had real difficulties with the whole ‘academise’ or not question. Deep down the Cortina Mark II model of academies – as developed by the current government – seemed to be inherently divisive (compared with the Cortina Mark I model, which felt like it was aimed at the most vulnerable communities to try and help improve them).
My governors, to their great credit, resisted going when academy status was offered to ‘outstanding’ schools only, in order to get together with other schools in the town in a show of solidarity. We also went ‘co-op’, which shows a clear message to our community that they are at the centre of any decisions taken and we recognise unions and so on.
However the academy rollercoaster seems to have hit the brakes a little bit for the moment. As of the beginning of this month 54% of all secondary schools have become academies but only 7% of primaries. Primary schools have obvious concerns about their capacity to complete all the new financial functions, amongst other things, and that is completely understandable.
So how does Mr Gove encourage them to take the leap? Force them after an Ofsted inspection? Probably not after Haringey. Sell the principle of the large academy chains? Hasn’t worked too well so far. The new route seems to be one that schools have been embracing for years – collaboration and partnership across primary and secondary. I use the word collaboration deliberately, even though the words that you may hear coming from government are about ‘taking over’.
Reaching out
We have been approached by some of the primary schools in our family to ‘sponsor’ their conversion and we are actively pursuing this. Why? For many reasons. Protection? To work together to ensure the resources that we have in secondary are used to add even more flavour to the primary curriculum and vice versa? Yes and yes! The protection and challenge that we can offer to our primary family seems to be one that will encourage more of them to consider conversion under their own steam rather than being forced. The challenge that they can offer us to improve our work around transition and our understanding of the learning journey from EYFS through will make our school a better place too.
I fully embrace that we must all do all that we can to ensure our young people are as well educated as possible and that this must include those with the ability/capacity to support others doing so. So we now move on to the ‘Cortina Mark III’ model of academy working! I have become of the mind-set that we must embrace this opportunity to work together in a more formal way. I do not subscribe to the top down approach that seems to be the current thinking from the DfE; and so we are viewing it as an opportunity to work alongside primary colleagues and to learn from them too. The accountability for results will of course ultimately sit with us but if anyone thinks that teachers don’t hold themselves to account every day for the progress of their young people then they don’t know teachers! The challenge of how to balance support against accountability will be about the positive, professional relationships that are at the core of everything we do in education. I have so much respect for the primary schools that have already contacted us to ask about ‘sponsorship’ because this takes a great deal of humility and strong moral purpose.
I have been fortunate to work in the primary sector, as well as the secondary, and I know how much I learned about differentiation, group work, nurturing independence and more. Any relationship, whether formally as a sponsor or not, will be about taking the best of all schools and making the most of them for the benefit of all young people. I feel this is the most natural and effective way to address the academy conundrum – and it looks like others do too.
Vic Goddard is head teacher at passmores academy – as seen on Channel 4’s ‘Educating Essex’ series
“Any relationship, whether formally as a sponsor or not, will be about taking the best of all schools and making the most of them for the benefit of all young people.”