Benefits of Academy Schools

Academies were introduced by the Labour government in 2000 in a bid to improve failing schools. The current government has encouraged more schools to apply for academy conversion and they have simplified the process of becoming an academy.

Academies are essentially independent schools that are state funded. Money that would go to local authorities to pay for the running of schools goes directly from central government to the academies themselves and they can spend this as they like.

The real benefit that an academy has is the freedom that they have compared with regular, state controlled schools. There are many areas where they can make their own decisions. Because they are outside the direct control of local authorities they have more say in how they operate.

If an academy wishes it can specialise in a certain area. For example, if an academy wants to specialise in sport, science, technology or IT, then they can. This has prompted many to start religion based academies. Although they can specialise wherever they wish they still have to teach English, Maths and Science. They can, therefore, put more resources towards their specialist subjects, with children spending more time on this.

Academies can choose their own curriculum to a large extent. Apart from having to teach English, Maths and Science they can essentially teach whatever subjects they like. They can teach additional subject that other schools do not and don’t have to teach all subjects that others do. Regular schools have their curriculum dictated to them much more than academies.

Individual academies have a choice of how to spend their money. They have a choice of what to pay teachers; they can put more of their budget towards teachers’ pay in an attempt to attract the best teachers if they wish. If there are certain things they feel are necessary, they can spend money on it. Regular schools do not have the same freedoms in this regard.

Academies can also raise money in other ways on top of the money given by central government. They get the same per child as local authorities get to put towards an individual school, but can raise additional funds if they wish. They can, for example, be sponsored by individuals or businesses. Some think this is a negative as a business’s needs becomes a priority instead of children’s education. However, it can mean children are better prepared for the working world. Businesses working with academies can encourage teaching that will genuinely help students once they get into the workplace, in turn improving children’s career prospects. And the main benefit of being able to raise additional funds is that larger budgets enable them to be more effective.

Another choice academies have is choosing their own term dates. They can alter them compared to the regular school calendar and structure the school day to suit them.

In some ways academies are a little like public schools in the state school sector. They are independent in many ways but cannot charge for entrance. Academies offer more choice for parents. Their children can go to a school they believe fits their needs. And more academies means more differences between schools and therefore more choice.

Andrew Marshall ©