Not quite BSF but.....

[linuxgirlie]

Is this just another thing that will affect Network Managers and Technicians?

 

Schools told to improve or close - BBC - BBC NEWS | Education | Schools told to improve or close

 

When/if schools shutdown and merge into academy's they won't need as many ICT staff, so someone will lose out on the way.

 

Just wondering about any thoughts people had? It doesn't state a timeline, but they seem like they want it to go though pretty quickly, someone was quoting to me today they heard it is on this years exams, and the schools have 50 days? But that could just be rumours.

 

Jo

 

edit: Here is the list of schools: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7444059.stm

 

edit again: I have just been reading about this on other forums and wondering if they do rebuild the schools as academy wouldn't that be an easy way of getting outsourced ict in place? Maybe it is more like bsf than I first thought....bsf in sheep's clothing.

Edited June 10, 2008 by linuxgirlie

[ConTheITGuy]

edit again: I have just been reading about this on other forums and wondering if they do rebuild the schools as academy wouldn't that be an easy way of getting outsourced ict in place? Maybe it is more like bsf than I first thought....bsf in sheep's clothing.

 

I have been wondering this - but it is quite possible - probable in fact that an academy could arrive many years before BSF takes effect in a particular area. Now if the idea of outsourcing is to centralise ICT for a group of schools for cost saving purposes, would that negate the argument to outsource ICT for academies?

 

 

Andy

[CyberNerd]

It is BSF. The govt announced that it would be prioritising BSF money for failing schools. I think the advantage with this is that they can close the school, and sack all the failing teachers before re-opening a new school.

[donutcat]

Woo and Yay I'm on the list!

 

My school is on that list, and we are set to go academy in the next couple of years. We have had several meetings where information has been delivered to us regarding academy status and BSF and all that malarkay. As far as I have been made aware, the acedamy status is not only for failing schools, but also for those who are expected to do better than they are doing, if that makes sense. It is also a way of accessing the BSF money early, but will probably operate outside the LEP as it will be down to the academy board to decide one what happens with the school.

In terms of outsourcing IT, as it is not the standard BSF project, it is likely to be an academy decision, but where there are other schools in the area with BSf in place, they will be more than likely to go down that route. Here we will be the first to receive the funding, and are therefore more likely to go our own way.

This is all based on information given to us, quite what will happen will depend a lot on the academy sponsors, and the eventual academy board, and principal.

 

Lots of change, hopefully for the better, but the BSf worries are still present.

 

DC

[SteveT]

Let's see:

 

Kent still has Grammar schools. So, you cream off the highest achievers and supportive parents to the Grammar Schools then complain that the rest aren't doing so well!!!! Now, there's a surprise!

 

Other areas have schools with large numbers of pupils with special needs or no English when they arrive at 14 years. Major cities like Birmingham and Manchester. They don't do as well either. Another surprise!

 

In my own county the list includes schools that were earmarked for closure anyway so do you think this might have effected their results? Hmmmm.

 

I also note that this isn't new money but is being diverted from elsewhere in the budget.

 

WTF does the 30% come from? Has there been any research to enable anyone to say this is a reasonable target?

 

The cynicism of this Government is incredible.

Edited June 10, 2008 by SteveT
spelling

[GrumbleDook]

This list also fails to include schools that are in special measures already or on notice to improve from recent OFSTED, but above the 30% target (usually due to a very tailored curriculum so that students get English and Maths + a vocational course worth 4 GCSEs .. and not much else ... wait until they include science in the targets .. that will make it more interesting!) so the true number is actually higher. It also does include schools that are already assigned to BSF or Academies so any Govt funding that is supposedly 'new' money actually isn't for certain schools.

[skunk]

If you look at the CVA for a large number of these so called struggling schools, they are doing an astounding job with the students they teach. As a lot of these school were already slatted for closure/academy status, this is just an exercise in spin.

 

The government can now say they are helping 50% of struggling schools by giving them more money and the other 50% have already helped themselves, just look at their CVA scores. Ta-Da, now vote for us. Please.

[mcloum]

We're on that list too but we are predicted to beat the 30% barrier this year. And we are also 1 of the first schools in Hull to become an academy anyway lol I see this as a way to get rid of the failing teachers so they dont have the hassles/same issues in the new academys.

 

I never understood why they thought a new building with the same kids, same teachers would solve the failing results! madness!

[Grommit]

Theare are academies in that list as well so will they become "schools" ?

[GrumbleDook]

We're on that list too but we are predicted to beat the 30% barrier this year. And we are also 1 of the first schools in Hull to become an academy anyway lol I see this as a way to get rid of the failing teachers so they dont have the hassles/same issues in the new academys.

 

I never understood why they thought a new building with the same kids, same teachers would solve the failing results! madness!

 

It is really hard to get rid of staff, even when becoming an Academy. THe biggest thing is to change the leadership of the school and change how the school operates ... by also changing the pay and conditions this is often seen as a way of encouraging certain staff to leave / move on.

 

The change in environment is regarded as one of a number of catalysts for change.

 

Academies are not a quick change option. Most operate on a 10 year plan which may include a number of radical changes, from the school day and holidays, through to how the students learn.

 

A new Head (usually a proven Head from somewhere else) gets a lot more freedom with how the school operates. 2 year KS3 (year 7 is all about transition and skill building rather than banging your head against a brick wall about fitting in the subjects, let's get literacy / numeracy / ict / learning skills sorted first!) more vocational courses at KS4 ...

 

Of course there are massive mistakes in Academies ... a new environment is not always the best one and the design is usually done by architects, not teachers / SLT / students (you would be surprised how good some students are in sorting out the best learning / teaching environment!) ... the costs can be horrendous and a single wrong choice (solely wireless network or choice of VLE) can take years to overcome.

 

There are lots of other cynical things and lots more manglement speak that I can throw in but a new building is not a bad thing ... as long as people don't think it is the answer to everything ... but people have to be willing to change and adapt to fit in with new ideas.

[GrumbleDook]

Theare are academies in that list as well so will they become "schools" ?

 

Nah ... just a way of the Govt saying that they are putting more money into help the lowest scoring schools ... forgetting that the money is already allocated to many of them for PFI, BSF, Academies or other direct intervention.

[teejay]

Note they are siphoning the money for this from other areas, so expect BSF projects to be put on hold and don't be surprised if budgets in the good schools are reduced again

 

We already suffer from this, by being a large well performing school in one of the fractionally more well off catchment areas(still well below average) , we get completely stuffed.

[Guest Guest]

 

We already suffer from this, by being a large well performing school in one of the fractionally more well off catchment areas

 

Yep, same boat. We are the most underfunded schools in the borough. We are now well on our way to being one of the best schools in the northeast so how about the govt. give us the money to keep it like that!?!?!?!

[elsiegee40]

My daughter attends one of the top schools nationally - it's a grammar - the buildings are in a shocking state... very reminiscent of the Grammar I attended in the late 70s (especially if nobody had touched it for the last 30 years) and funding seems to be nil compared with the "under-performing" schools in Kent

[Dos_Box]

I had a service day today (a training day for county officers), and one session I chose was to be briefed about the Academy plans for Lancashire. I was pretty shocked to find out just what the 'sponsors' get out of it!

The sponsors (private business or individuals who stump up the 2mil per school asking price (there was even a buy one get one free fo these too!!)) get the school and grounds on a 120 year lease and can also choose the bulk of the governors.

One company who shall remain anonymous has purchased many, many schools (20+) and operates an entire support structure organisation for them. As the schools 'owners' have to become a charity they are supposed to be non-profit, but guess who get to sell them external services? Another problem was when I asked who academies were responsible to as they are removed from the LEA and run by central govt. The speaker had no answers apart from stating that they were still to have OFSTED inspections, but it seems that no one knows what to do with a failing academy!

I left the session feeling like my soul had been soiled.

[beeswax]

You might be interested in these -

 

newschools/story

 

egweekly/story

 

And some slightly older stuff to frighten the sandal-wearing muesli-crunching Guardian readership

 

Creationism

 

Creationism again

 

What goes around..

Edited June 11, 2008 by beeswax
Remebered other articles

[Finding_Scotty]

Funny, my school is on the list yet we're in the middle of BSF... does that make/solve any problems??

 

Found out too that the schools figure of 27% is actually a little inflated as the school needed to raise it's statistics and entered kids in for worthless half GCSE's....

[wesleyw]

There is a school I know of that did vocational GNVQ IT worth four gcse's however they are now cutting it to a double award 23% of the pupils got four GCSE grade C's but couldn't convert any other subject to a C grade.So the results at the school have suffered now it's a double award the chances are the schools results are going to hit rock bottom very soon.

 

Grammar schools by contrast tend to have a very good catchment but because on average they are smaller schools don't have the sort of funding lower scoring schools have I suppose in a way that is fair as it evens things up a little. Grammars tend to get voluntary aid from the more affluent parents too.

 

 

Wes

[ConTheITGuy]

I had a service day today (a trainign day for county officers), and one session I chose was to be briefed about the Academiy plans for Lancashire. I was pretty shocked to find out just what the 'sponsors' get out of it!

 

At least someone is getting some info then! Might I ask: the organisation who shall remain nameless - do they relate to Lancashire's plans? More specifically, Preston?

 

 

Andy

[broc]

Note they are siphoning the money for this from other areas, so expect BSF projects to be put on hold and don't be surprised if budgets in the good schools are reduced again

 

 

Much of the BSF funding is private finance, not Government. Any BSF new build or Academy is likely to be a PFI school, so the Govt pays next to nothing up front & the LA & school pays for 25 years afterwards out of their budgets.

 

Bundling ICT managed services with BSF allows the Govt to side-step finding the capital for ICT investment too.

 

So, the more PFI builds & Academies the Govt can lumber the LAs with, the less capital investment they have to make. It also means they can tie up tax revenue for years to come by commiting large sums of money to repay the financiers who funded the PFI/Academies, limiting future Govts ability to cut taxes

 

That is why it is so important to 'rubbish' as many schools as possible & then come up with a 'quick fix' solution of more Academies

[Finding_Scotty]

It doesn't state a timeline, but they seem like they want it to go though pretty quickly, someone was quoting to me today they heard it is on this years exams, and the schools have 50 days? But that could just be rumours.

 

Jo

 

I read that it was 3 years, so by 2011/12 if the results aren't above 30% requirement then it's bye bye school and hello academy.

 

What if the school reaches the target once in those 3 years tho? Technically they made it...

[SpuffMonkey]

I read that it was 3 years, so by 2011/12 if the results aren't above 30% requirement then it's bye bye school and hello academy.

 

What if the school reaches the target once in those 3 years tho? Technically they made it...

 

I'm not quite clear how relinquishing control of a school to a third party will improve results?

[dezt]

Just found this link from the Lancashire telegraph, it shows all 8 failing schools in the east lancashire area, i'm sure that Shuttleworth College has only just been built through BSF, why would you close a school that has just been built is a real waste of money, IMHO.

 

East Lancashire schools failing

[broc]

My understanding is that the baseline data for this witch-hunt was GCSE exam results 2007.... including Maths & English.

 

This was after the Govt eventually woke up to the fact that some schools were playing the 'numbers game' with 5 A*-C pass rates by enrolling students on a wide range of vocational courses etc that yielded 4x GCSE equivalent passes or similar scams like online ALAN tests.

 

You could get a student who qualified because they had passed GCSE Art & GNVQ Art and got 5 A* to C passes without maths, english or anything else. (Nothing against Art by the way, just picked that as an example).

 

A lot of schools suddenly found their 5 A* to C pass rates dropped from 70% to 30% or less moving them from being 'successful' to 'failing'

[beeswax]

Just found this link from the Lancashire telegraph, it shows all 8 failing schools in the east lancashire area, i'm sure that Shuttleworth College has only just been built through BSF, why would you close a school that has just been built is a real waste of money, IMHO.

 

East Lancashire schools failing

 

So that you can then reopen it as an academy run by a corporation/business/charity. It's happening in London where a brand new school is being given over to a venture capitalist. I believe that former cronies of Dame Shirley Porter are involved.