Academies: give us a say

The new government wants to make it easier for schools to become academies. Tell your MP to make sure that new rules don’t mean local communities have no voice when it comes to turning schools into academies

Academies work differently to other schools. They aren’t overseen by local councils and their sponsors can include big businesses, religious organisations, charities or universities, who get a say on which subjects are taught, and how. Sponsors also get everything the school owns, including its land and buildings. Academy governors aren’t elected and once a school becomes an Academy, there is no guaranteed way to go back.

These are big changes and the pupils, parents and teachers at a school should get a chance to have a say on whether their school decides to become an Academy. At the moment, the government is proposing new rules in the Academies Act, which would mean that governors at a school could make the decision without asking anyone else involved with the school. Current plans would mean the people whose lives will be most affected by their school changing into an academy wouldn’t have any way to make their voices heard.

Write to your MP in 2 minutes, telling them to support a better Academies Bill with proper consultation with the whole school community and ask them to sign the Early Day Motion.