AET academies chain wants to privatise all non-teaching jobs, including IT staff

[localzuk]

The Guardian are running a rather troubling story about the AET academy chain wishing to outsource everything from cleaners to curriculum and professional development in their schools, in partnership with PWC, expecting to pay £400m over 10 years for the privilege. Academy chain accused of 'privatisation by stealth' over plan to outsource jobs | Education | The Observer

 

It just seems like insanity to me, as it shows a fundamental misunderstanding as to what makes a good school. It ignores the daily "off job" tasks that all the non-teaching staff do every day. The helping with concerts, the accompanying trips and sports fixtures, things like spotting ways to save money and improve education etc...

 

Anyone think this is a good idea?

[elsiegee40]

It's all about profit In house services can't make a profit and pay shareholders. Outsourced ones can. Not that an acdemy chain should be outsourcing to their own business. I think they'd call it economies by centralising services

[flyinghaggis]

It's all about profit In house services can't make a profit and pay shareholders. Outsourced ones can.

 

Pretty much the way things seem to be going in most of the public sector. Teachers are at least in a position where they have strength in numbers and can get the unions behind them in a position to negotiate. Us non-teaching staff tend make for easy pickings for the vultures unfortunately.

Edited September 21, 2014 by flyinghaggis

[truebluesteve]

It's a terrible idea and has nothing to do with improving services or the quality of teaching. In fact I don't even think the trust mentions this in their quote to the Guardian - simply about getting "value for money" for the taxpayer. Now there's nothing wrong with doing that per se but shouldn't they be doing it already like the rest of us are.

 

Obviously the Secretary of State has to approve it and with an election just over the horizon I wonder if it will get through.

 

The only positive I can see in any of the article is that the trust haven't selected Crapita.

[localzuk]

They've not selected Capita, but they chose PwC who have no experience and have said they will get an outsource partner themselves...

[truebluesteve]

They've not selected Capita, but they chose PwC who have no experience and have said they will get an outsource partner themselves...

 

Another layer of management and the associated costs that go with it.