Free schools versus academies

[Simona]

I am sure you have been following the debate about 'free schools' ...very much in the news today when Clegg decided he does now not agree with them and has done an 'unexpected' UTurn on govt policy
He is against 'unqualified' teachers...aren't we all?

I understand his children go to a free school...so not sure where all this has come from??

even Truss was on BBC singing the praises of free schools...how good they are...they are the govt 'flagship'...in demand and serving children and parents alike well.
A bit confusing this as she wants 'qualified' practitioners in EY but unqualified teachers in schools?
I wish she would apply the same principle to EY setting and make us 'free' to decide what is best for children

I do understand what free schools are but not sure about academies ...so if you can clarify it would be good

[Bumble Beez]

Academies...as far as I'm aware...are where a school is taken over, either forced to because of their Ofsted outcome or voluntarily, and the school then becomes attached to the umbrella of academies rather than the LA.

So when the school is pushed into this decision...it means they are just assigned to an academy, however if it a voluntary decision then the school board can choose which academy best fits their needs.

The school and head teacher still has control over the school (staffing, routines, policies etc) however the academy are their to give guidance and provide extra help in regards to the areas that the school needs to improve on.

The academies take a percentage of the finance, same as LA.
The academies arrange suitable teacher, TA and governor training.
They also have access to a huge range of 'experts' in different areas which means if the school is weak in a certain area they can provide additional staffing to ensure the school meets requirements.
The school is free to devise its own curriculum.
The school 'can', if they choose, offer their own terms...not stick to the rigid 6 week holidays etc...

I think there is a lot to consider when a school 'chooses' to become an academy, however with the uncertainty of LA support I think more school with make the jump to academy and choosing one that it suited to them, rather than waiting to be pushed.

Please someone correct me if I am wrong

Sarah x

[ninagee]

That's what I understand about academies.

Our school
'jumped' before they were 'pushed'. The governors had three presentations from sponsors and they chose the one that they thought would be best for the school.

It upset a lot of parents as we were not consulted at all. We found about it from an governor who handed out leaflets to parents afterschool on a Friday. The application was submitted to DfE the following Tuesday...

Nina

[Bumble Beez]

Ninagee...that's a shame it happened that way.
I understand that the parents MUST be consulted before the school becomes an academy and any concerns that are raised must be dealt with prior to the school switching.
From a parents point of view I would be happy with my boys school becoming an academy if I was consulted and that it would benefit the school and the families it serves.

Sarah x

[lilac_dragon]

I am sure you have been following the debate about 'free schools' ...very much in the news today when Clegg decided he does now not agree with them and has done an 'unexpected' UTurn on govt policy
He is against 'unqualified' teachers...aren't we all?

I understand his children go to a free school...so not sure where all this has come from??

even Truss was on BBC singing the praises of free schools...how good they are...they are the govt 'flagship'...in demand and serving children and parents alike well.
A bit confusing this as she wants 'qualified' practitioners in EY but unqualified teachers in schools?
I wish she would apply the same principle to EY setting and make us 'free' to decide what is best for children

I do understand what free schools are but not sure about academies ...so if you can clarify it would be good

I agree with Simona, especially the part about the "qualified practitioners in EY"
I know we teach the children through play, I know we attend courses and trainings etc, but I have NEVER referred to myself as a teacher, and don't want to!
If I wanted to be a teacher as such, I would have gone into that profession, not Childminding and I actually hate the fact that Ofsted will now base our inspection on our "Teaching" of the children! I'm NOT A TEACHER!!!!!

[lilac_dragon]

Sorry.
Got cross!

[Simona]

I agree with Simona, especially the part about the "qualified practitioners in EY"
I know we teach the children through play, I know we attend courses and trainings etc, but I have NEVER referred to myself as a teacher, and don't want to!
If I wanted to be a teacher as such, I would have gone into that profession, not Childminding and I actually hate the fact that Ofsted will now base our inspection on our "Teaching" of the children! I'm NOT A TEACHER!!!!!

Thanks for the clarifications...do I also understand that if a school is judged inadequate and put into 'special measures' someone appointed by the DfE will take over the control of the school and it becomes an academy???

Lilac_dragon...Truss is making a few contradictory statements at the moment as cms can read from the evidence she gave to the Education Select Committee last week...this is not helpful...in fact I wish she would concentrate on education and vacate the Childcare portfolio to someone who can give it 100%!!!

She is in favour of unqualified teachers but does want to improve the qualifications for the EY workforce...contradiction in itself considering, she also does not agree with EYPS having the QTS and she has refused to make NVQ 3 compulsory for CMs....I disagree with that but that is my personal view of course.

I have to admit that I am NOT against the proposal to improve qualifications for EY...for far too long EY providers and especially CMs have not been recognised for what we do

As prof Nutbrown reported in the research she carried out for the DfE school leavers have 2 choices 'hair or care'...childcare should not be seen as the easy option in my view for those not academic enough to continue with their studies

It was the EYFS 2008 that opened the public's eyes that care and education cannot be divided and therefore CMs became teachers ...or pedagogues which is the terms all the EY sector workers across the world use with great ease
We should be proud of what we do and if in the end we are called teachers I am none too unhappy about that as long as I can be an 'independent' teacher and free to do what I feel is best for the children in my care.

[Bumble Beez]

Thanks for the clarifications...do I also understand that if a school is judged inadequate and put into 'special measures' someone appointed by the DfE will take over the control of the school and it becomes an academy???

I assume that's how it works for schools in special measures...but I have no solid base for this.

I have to admit that I am NOT against the proposal to improve qualifications for EY...for far too long EY providers and especially CMs have not been recognised for what we do

I second that...I quite like being classed as a childcare 'professional' even tho others fail to acknowledge that!

Sarah x

[FloraDora]

There is no 'flow chart' dictating what exactly happens.
On a lot of occasions I have seen 'Acadamy vultures' swoop in to sort out mainly High Schools - especially in areas where there is also a political agenda.

On other occasions the LEA ( if it still exists) supports the school in putting an action plan together based on school improvement, suggestslinks with a school with a good grading in similar area/ catchment / deprivation/ Free school meals etc.. Sometimes a head from another school becomes 'executive head' and supports the school in its school improvement whilst still leading another school.

We have examples of all these situations in our town... All High Schools are acadamies, some forced, others chose.
One primary is a forced acadamy, others are part of a chosen working together group called a Co - operative, others are LEA run.

_________________________

Teachers. 'facilitate student learning' ......this is my understanding of the role of a teacher....formally it happens in schools, but can happen in all sorts of situations...Sunday school teacher...religous and spiritual teachers.....childminders.

The key factor is not the word teacher, but qualified.

In most cases someone is good at facilitating learning when they have had some sort of training specific to the group they are 'teaching'.

A qualified teacher, who has undergone specific training for their subject or age range should be employed in schools as there is much more to teaching than just standing in the classroom and delivering a lesson.

I would say that the level 3 training and the new qualification is specific to the age range that childminders are involved in.

All further education develops our reasoning and critical thinking skills, enables us to research and study, gives us experience in higher level thinking and how to organise our research, thoughts and discuss them with others or plan or present our findings.....THERE IS MUCH EVIDENCE OF THIS ON THIS FORUM.

The Early Years is an important foundation in children's lives ...therefore the adults (practitioners/teachers) that influence their development should be of a high calibre, trained to understand this stage to enable next steps to be appropriate.... But at the level necessary to do this role, in an informal, play based way.

Most of all, theses EY practioners ( teachers) should be considered to be as important as someone responsible for facilitating learning in say. ...physics to an A level student.

The a level teacher would probably flounder in a childminders setting, as would the childminder probably in an alevel class !
We shouldn't get bogged down with words ..

WE ARE ALL EQUAL..........but to be considered so...we have to be professional in whichever role we serve.