NEWS: Most Academy Leaders Unfazed by Schools Bill

As reported by The Guardian, a survey of trust CEOs reveals that key policies in England’s new schools bill are unlikely to change how academies operate

A majority of academy leaders in England say key policies in the government’s new schools bill will not affect how they manage their schools, according to a new survey of multi-academy trust chief executives.

The survey, which involved 120 leaders of about 1,000 academies in England, found that a majority said the bill would have no impact on their schools’ pay or curriculum, while a plurality said requiring new staff to have teaching qualifications would also be neutral.

The schools bill, introduced by education secretary Bridget Phillipson, reduces a number of privileges enjoyed by academies, such as exemptions from following the national curriculum or statutory pay scales imposed on local authority-maintained schools.

A government source said: “Contrary to the scaremongering from Conservative MPs and other opponents of modernisation, trust CEOs agree that there is nothing to fear from our sensible, pragmatic and commonsense measures to drive up school standards in every school.”

Asked about the requirement to use statutory scales as minimum thresholds for teacher pay, 79% of trust chief executives said it “would not affect” their schools while 6% said it would have “a positive impact”. Just 10% said it would have a negative impact.

Meanwhile, 68% said that implementing the national curriculum across all academies would have no impact, while 17% said it would be negative.

But several leaders said the bill was missing key components. One said: “The biggest issue is funding and [special educational needs and disabilities]. We all want to do our very best for our children and families but unless funding is fair, and covers the increased costs imposed by the government the situation simply worsens.”

The survey’s most hostile responses came in reaction to reforms to school inspections proposed by Ofsted, unrelated to the bill, introducing a new grading system. More than half of trust leaders said the changes would have a negative impact on their schools.