State school to Academy

[JPS]

Ok guys, just got wind here that our SMT are meeting with governors next week to discuss the application to become an academy, as an outstanding school it obviously helps considerably. I was wondering if there is anyone out there (non-teaching in particular) who has worked for a school which went from state to academy run? Was it a good experience? Are you better/worse off in regards to pay, pension, holidays, working hours etc. Any feedback would be interesting.

[Ex-MGSTech]

Bit early yet to know as its not the same as failing schools being thrown money like before, talk is of 10% extra funding but having to pay 20% VAT?

[localzuk]

Bit early yet to know as its not the same as failing schools being thrown money like before, talk is of 10% extra funding but having to pay 20% VAT?

 

Academies get a VAT Grant to top up their GAG so they get the equivalent purchasing power of a non-academy. So, as VAT is going up, the VAT Grant should also increase accordingly. Not taking the overall decrease in budgets due to govt. cost cutting.

 

Lots of information about the financial side of academies here The financial side of becoming an academy

[elsiegee40]

Speaking as a school governor who has already taken part in these discussions:

 

Should your school decide to convert (and to be part of round 1 and become an academy on 1st Sept you must apply by 25th June) it is entirely up to your school what they do with pay and conditions. Speaking for my school alone, BEFORE governor discussions opened it was made clear to all staff that there would be no changes to pay and conditions associated with conversion. (I cannot say what we decided in the end)

 

I would imagine most schools looking to convert by September 1st would do this, purely because union opposition would slow down conversion.

 

In the longer run, I cannot say what will happen at your school. I work in a private school and TBH that is what an academy is; a state funded private school. The private school where I work has all teachers on National payscales and paying into the Teacher's Pension Scheme. Non-teaching staff are not on national payscales.