[Education For Tomorrow: No 100, 2009]Academy watchPupil power: How children are joining adults to fight academiesWhat started as teacher-union opposition to the alleged privatisation of the state education system is increasingly being picked up across the country by local activists and parents — and now even by pupils. At least eight of the Government's new academy schools are under threat as local campaigns gather momentum. "Without the unions we wouldn't be winning, but without the parents there wouldn't be a campaign," says Pete Jackson, the campaigns officer of the Anti-Academies Alliance. Their biggest victory to date, he says, was the scrapping earlier this year of plans to turn Sinfin School in Derby into an academy sponsored by Derby College. "Things are moving our way as more information comes out about how children will be selected to attend the academy and, as time goes on, we can cite more evidence of the failure of the existing academies to make progress," he says . . . The campaign is affiliated to the TUC and funded by the National Union of Teachers, the NASUWT and Unison. Other organisations which pay to be affiliated include the University and College Union, the Fire Brigades Union, the Public and Commercial Services Union and the Musicians Union. Over the last few weeks, four schools in Tamworth, West Midlands and two in Basildon, Essex turned away pupils when the NUT and NASUWT staged one-day strikes. The unions have already taken action this year in Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Durham, Croydon and Newham . . . In Basildon, members of the NUT and NASUWT closed the two schools which are to be taken over by the Basildon Academies Trust for a day last month in protest at what they fear will be increased working hours and reduced holidays at the new school which is sponsored by Martin Finegold, the American hedge fund millionaire . . . So far, 133 academies have been opened and 80 more are in the pipeline for September. Whether the Government will get to its target of 400 could depend on how much priority it gives to them.' Liz Lightfoot, Independent, 11/06/2009 |