News

Commission highlights covert selection practices and a lack of transparency in some academies

Government policy
An investigation into the academies programme has found the schools may worsen social inequalities and reports a lack of transparency in how sponsors are chosen. Dorothy Lepkowska reports.

The academisation of the education system, started by Labour and accelerated rapidly by the coalition government, is a mixed bag of educational provision – as might have been expected.

There are some excellent academies, but as numerous Ofsted inspections have shown, there are also poor ones. Some demonstrate excellent teaching and learning, while others have been found to be lacking. 

While many strive to be truly inclusive others manipulate their admissions, taking a “low road” to school improvement by selecting more able pupils.

The findings from an investigation into the academies progress by the Academies Commission, convened last year by the Pearson think tank and the RSA, has much to commend it but offers no major surprises.

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