Benji1 Posted November 13, 2007 Posted November 13, 2007 I have noticed recently that the BSF web site no longer lists LA's after wave 6. I'm sure there used to be a long list on the site of every LA and what wave they are in. It's gone... On Sunday The observer ran a article http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,2209214,00.html that Lord Adonis The Schools Minister, stated: “Small schools have been successful in the US and they may have a part to play here in the future, if credible proposals are forthcomingâ€.and a report is due out tomorrow to prove this. I know it talks of "schools within schools" but is it just time before the decision is taken to stop the whole thing and review. Today in the press it appears the government are now investigating the academies http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-7072504,00.html Another report reveals that "Specialist schools programme had very little impact on exam results and was directed at schools with mostly better off families" http://education.guardian.co.uk/newschools/story/0,,2210064,00.html The other political parties are circling over possible labour back tracking http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7092340.stm Do you think these are signs that this bubble is about to burst ?
russdev Posted November 13, 2007 Posted November 13, 2007 As said while back there is real talk that may not be enough money for later stages of BSF. As said in past politics or money will stop bsf nothing else. Looks like both are there so hope for masses yet? Russell
russdev Posted November 13, 2007 Posted November 13, 2007 I have noticed recently that the BSF web site no longer lists LA's after wave 6. I'm sure there used to be a long list on the site of every LA and what wave they are in. It's gone... By way this is document looking for http://www.bsf.gov.uk/documents/LA_Project_by_Wave.xls Must admit the link to it has gone from bsf website.
GrumbleDook Posted November 13, 2007 Posted November 13, 2007 Academies are growing, but the problem with this is finding sponsors to cough up the first chunk of cash. The money required for the sponsorship has dropped over the years but with 'successful' schools joining as academies (sometimes as partners with a failing school) this side is unlikely to go within the next 5 years. BSF waves have been removed on the website but the timescales are being reviewed so this is not surprising. If the timescales are not being met then it is only right that they review it and give us the right timescales.
mattx Posted November 13, 2007 Posted November 13, 2007 Academies in my opinion are just a tarted up name for schools which cherry pick the relevant students which boost their status. I certainly hope the bubble bursts. I do not like the idea of having a business having even a small say about how a school is run. Let them run their business, and let the govs, teachers, heads & LAs run the schools. I have no idea how the government / governments are going to get the cash for the BSF plan [ specially the final stages ] - maybe they should look at Fat Cat directors and tax them accordingly or go after people who take their tax ' problems ' out of the country. I have no problems paying tax towards education - its a vital part of society, but I think its about time some of the brain dead morons at Westminster put their heads together and came up with another means of funding such huge developments. How about a 75% tax on Fat Cat Directors who take home more than £500,000 a year ?
GrumbleDook Posted November 13, 2007 Posted November 13, 2007 They just go and live in tax havens ... Ah ... sorry ... thinking of F1 stars.
mattx Posted November 13, 2007 Posted November 13, 2007 thinking of F1 stars. Indeed - although I think he does do some charity work. If not, he had better bloody start.
maniac Posted November 13, 2007 Posted November 13, 2007 I've never quite worked out what's in it for the business when their investing in the school? If the business is 'investing' in the school then this implies their getting some sort of return for their money, but what?
GrumbleDook Posted November 13, 2007 Posted November 13, 2007 Tax breaks, PR, targetting future markets. Oh ... there are some philanthropists out there too and some businesses already have pots that they are going to allocate to 'community work' and this can be routed to a variety of school projects. Unfortunately this draws away from smaller possible projects that could have been funded for many schools rather than just funding a single school. This is being slightly cynical and I have to admit that should we gain a sponsor for academy status I am not going to complain as I can see the positive things it would bring to my school ... and sod everyone else!!
mattx Posted November 13, 2007 Posted November 13, 2007 Tax breaks, PR, targetting future markets. Oh ... there are some philanthropists out there too and some businesses already have pots that they are going to allocate to 'community work' and this can be routed to a variety of school projects. Unfortunately this draws away from smaller possible projects that could have been funded for many schools rather than just funding a single school. This is being slightly cynical and I have to admit that should we gain a sponsor for academy status I am not going to complain as I can see the positive things it would bring to my school ... and sod everyone else!! Why is it cynical ? Its the truth. And whilst this school and others like it do well, and continue to do so, the other struggling schools suffer. The schools suffers, the students suffer, the teachers suffer, the community around the school suffers. You see the positive aspect - I do in the school where I work as its private, but being a gov of a local school near me I see the other side of the coin. And the gap is HUGE. It it continues you will see a type of 'north / south' divide within local communities. Shocking. But the real sad aspect of this if it continues, is education will have the same role as the NHS in the political circle. It will become yet another ping pong ball amoungst the pratts at Westminster who will 'use' it just for political gain and nothing more. Some say this is like it now, but I think the worse is yet to come.
GrumbleDook Posted November 13, 2007 Posted November 13, 2007 Education already *is* a massive political ball. It has been for years ... it is just in a strange position that at the moment a number of the large projects that Labour are driving forward are those started or proposed the Tories ... it is difficult to have it as a hugely accountable manifesto item if everyone has the same answer for the change to it. What you get left with is one group saying that the sums aren't right (which they aren't), the other saying that there is success but not fast enough but they are trying to be realistic based on what money is about ... and others saying 'stay independent' or 'don't believe the hype' only having a small voice (or saving up the arguements until we get closer to the next election!)
Benji1 Posted November 14, 2007 Author Posted November 14, 2007 Thanks for that link russdev . I couldn't find it anywhere
broc Posted November 16, 2007 Posted November 16, 2007 I've never quite worked out what's in it for the business when their investing in the school? If the business is 'investing' in the school then this implies their getting some sort of return for their money, but what? One way might be: Let's suppose you are a very rich corporate sponsor, who has set up a charitable trust. That charitable trust 'sponsors' an Academy & promises funds. (Note 'promises' does not mean pays hard cash upfront). Once you have control of the academy (built by the taxpayer), you deliver your sponsorship funding 'in kind' by using your corporate management services such as IT, HR, marketing etc etc to get the Academy running..... then a few years (or even months) down the line when your sponsorship funding runs out the school starts to pay your corporate management services for the services it provides. It couldn't happen, could it?
petectid Posted November 16, 2007 Posted November 16, 2007 The unfortunate aspect of academies is that they do no better than other state schools when inspected. So you have to ask the question; Is all this change worthwhile, has private investment improved the school? In quite a few cases the answer is no, do a search on Google for "academies fail inspection" you will find the results show quite a few academies not coming up to scratch, ie not really an improvement on what they replace.
djm968 Posted November 16, 2007 Posted November 16, 2007 How about a 75% tax on Fat Cat Directors who take home more than £500,000 a year ? Steady on Matt..... I am still waiting for my Swiss bank account to be approved and then I'm off with my £500K....
mattx Posted November 16, 2007 Posted November 16, 2007 The unfortunate aspect of academies is that they do no better than other state schools when inspected. So you have to ask the question; Is all this change worthwhile, has private investment improved the school? In quite a few cases the answer is no, do a search on Google for "academies fail inspection" you will find the results show quite a few academies not coming up to scratch, ie not really an improvement on what they replace. And the reason they do not come up to scratch is because they 'think' they don't have to try as they are academies. When you stop trying to run a school as a business and run it as a school then maybe things will improve. You would have thought after watching the Tories try and run the transport as a business they would have go the message...... Chucking large wards of cash at a problem does not make it better. If anything it makes it worse as people get the mind set that they can buy themselves out of trouble. Steady on Matt..... I am still waiting for my Swiss bank account to be approved and then I'm off with my £500K.... Any jobs comming up at your place ?
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