ComputerWorld article on a predicted IT spending spree by new academies

[GrumbleDook]

The other problem with Academy groups is that although it may seem like they have a lot spending power they are often having to tread a fine line on procurement. If it is too large then they have to go out to EU tenders and it gets expensive to do that ... quite often you will see the Academy doing the purchasing / procurement, but QA is done by the group.

What is the point in being able to save £30k on purchasing if it costs you £45k to do so?

[elsiegee40]

The question is begged, if I am am right, (and am not making headway on this), but if I am right on what will the Academies spend their new money on?

The question is, "What new money?"

As far as I'm aware there's no actual new money going to the latest round of Academy Schools. There's a one-off payment of £25k to cover the legal costs of converting and schools can keep what they don't spend of this sum (WOW!). Source: Academies Education - FAQ - Department for Education

Services provided by the LA include everything from HR & Payroll to rubbish collection, via SEN and behavioural support... and these will have to be paid for. While schools would presumably be able to buy back these services from the LA, you wonder whether they would become financially viable for the LA to provide should sufficient schools become academies. I think that some services may well become locally unavailable as a result of this.

[torledo]

The question is, "What new money?"

As far as I'm aware there's no actual new money going to the latest round of Academy Schools. There's a one-off payment of £25k to cover the legal costs of converting and schools can keep what they don't spend of this sum (WOW!). Source: Academies Education - FAQ - Department for Education

from the bbc article

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/10159448.stm

They will be given extra money, the government says.

This would be about 10% or so - money which was previously given to local authorities to provide services shared among local schools.

it says they will be given 'extra money'. i suppose the argument is that this isn't 'new money' as it would have previously been used by LA's to provide these shared services.

i think that just confirms the point that you and others are making about additional funds being eaten up paying for services that the LA were paid to deliver. I guess it depends how far an academy school can make that 10% go. could be a mixture of buying back some services and making some real savings by having choice on procuring others.....really don't know. how more expensive does it become to buy back services if LA's don't get the level of funds to provide these services for less the more schools become academies.....law of unintended consequences an' all that.

[spannerman2]

It does seem to vary dramatically from Academy to Academy and if they are linked to an Academy group or not.

The groups tend to go much more for tried and tested technology, where as the individual Academies seem to be looking at much more bluesky stuff.

I do believe that there will be an increase in ICT spend from Academies but in exactly what form I do not know.

..apologies for grasping at a lone supporter of my thesis,

that is, there WILL be more spending on ICT in the Academy model ..given that do we geeks just sit back and implement any b*****ks (as before 'gissa a job) or do we get a bit pro-active and use the experience to promote a) what has worked or b ) what we believe will work or do we just sit back and droid away?

[nicholab]

Tried and tested technology is what is require to work before you can build on blue sky it no good having cool stuff if you can't log on and take the register!

[beeswax]

Just came across this in today's Guardian -

Paul Luxmoore, Executive headteacher, Dane Court grammar school and King Ethelbert school, Broadstairs, Kent
I'm very excited about this opportunity. As headteacher of two Building Schools for the Future schools, due for completion in 2011, until now, I had no idea how I would pay the bill for the IT support services (totalling more than £300,000 for the two schools), which is mandatory at BSF schools. The financial freedom that comes with academy status could be the answer. I would miss working with my local authority, Kent county council, and the excellent support they provide. But I'd be stupid not to; it's manna from heaven for me, but a tragedy for local authorities.

The full article can be found here - Will school headteachers accept the offer to become academies? | Education | The Guardian

[torledo]

This will not be a re-run of the grant-maintained gold-rush because there's no new money on the table, just a slice of the dwindling local authority pie; even the disassembling of the DCSF logo is an eerie promise that there's no crock of gold where the rainbow used to stand. I worry that the scrabble for resources in these times of austerity will damage our new-found strength,

that sounds like a head who has their head screwed on. i'm certainly not getting any sense of pots of gold....there may be some windfalls but no free lunches for sure. any 'extra' will come as a cost elsewhere.

there were one or two comments about paying for services that they do not use....but it will be interesting to see how far the money that won't now be held back will go, once you start looking at pricing for services that may no longer be subsidised....we will see how much leftover there is for spannermans notion of dream ICT spends to become reality. how much is available will be variable and surely reflective of the priorities of the school leadership ?

[torledo]

I do believe that there will be an increase in ICT spend from Academies but in exactly what form I do not know.

maybe it just goes on providing a good service and adding to what's already being implemented, rather than blue skies.......the key thing is it doesn't look like there will be a pattern. Will presumably be no dictat that this much spend must be ringfenced for this ICT project or blue skies idea.

[russdev]

The Academies programme is interesting really in one day the government in effect has changed whole focus on what a Academy is. As pointed out you get 25K to cover admin costs and you get 10% back which la keep at moment but you will still spend that 10% as not being part of LA means you do not have access to SEN and ESOL services to name a few. So the question becomes can you save and get some of the services that would be done by LA at cheaper rate elsewhere etc.

Russell

[spannerman2]

. So the question becomes can you save and get some of the services that would be done by LA at cheaper rate elsewhere etc.

Russell

My feeling yet to be borne out is that indeed Russell is right, the whole notion of Academy is changed at a stroke and along with that is my experience that spending on LA sponosred and subsidised services for children's support will fall off a cliff..they will not be able to resist keeping the cash and buying things..shiny things..it's human nature.

Jeez I spent too much of my lump sum on something shiny..I knew I would

[nephilim]

The trouble is, when schools become academies, where do they get their year on year funds, and will it increase/decrease over time? I am sceptical about the whole thing, especially for Primary, Lower and Middle Schools!