Becoming an Academy:

A voice of experience

Steve Kenning PrincipalHarris City Academy Crystal Palace

Senior Leadership Experience

• Deputy Head of Shropshire LEA school when it became Grant Maintained (4years)

• Vice-Principal of a Devon LEA Community College (3 years)

• Headteacher of a Cornwall LEA Community School - became a Foundation School (10 years)

• Principal of an Academy (2 years)

Benefits of LA • support

• guidance

• represent and accountable to the local community

• equal and fair access to education

• many services provided

• Insurance/legal/personnel

• common structures across schools

• financial checks

• experience

The Drawbacks of LA’s

• bureaucracy

• slow decision making/cumbersome systems

• variable quality of support

• lack of freedom/constraints

• financial cost

• out of date educational advice

Reasons to consider becoming an Academy

• more autonomy

• more flexibility to be innovative

• financial freedom

• less bureaucracy

• quicker/easier decision making

• direct access to government

• creating a ‘brand/identity’

Concerns of becoming an Academy

• uncertainty over what issues will arise• role of partners/sponsors• finance• support systems• community links• unions• legal/personnel support• insurance• governance• staff terms and conditions• no real awareness of the benefits

widely held misconceptions About

Academies• do not work with community• selective• some students are left disadvantaged• not able to work with partners• sponsors dictate educational policy• not able to work in collaboration with local schools

• additional funding is given• schools no longer work with the local LA

The Harris federation

Key Reasons for success• strong systems of discipline/structures

• high levels of testing, assessment and target setting

• zero tolerance of poor/satisfactory teaching = high quality teaching

• high aspirations/expectations

Examination Performance 2009:Our best ever results

GCSE Results 99% passed 5 GCSEs with A*- C grades. 82.32% passed 5 GCSEs with A*- C grades (inc. English and Maths) (FFTd prediction 58%)

A Level Results 100% pass rate at A Level. 82% of grades were A-C, 52% A-B Vast majority of students progress on to University including Oxbridge.

• Our most recent Ofsted Inspection said of the Academy that:

• Students make outstanding progress and achieve substantially higher results than the national average.

• Students’ personal development is outstanding.• Students feel safe at the College.• Leadership and management are Outstanding.• Students study hard, achieve extremely well and behave

thoughtfully at all times.

The impact of the sponsor• leadership

• passion for education for the real world

• enterprise links and opportunities

• high expectations for academic success

• occasional visits

• Chair of Federation board

• Unusual perks

Harris Federation and Structure

• Harris Federation Board - each Chair of Governors sits on it

• Academy Board of Governors

• Central Federation support - Chief Executive, Financial Officer, IT Officer and team, Project Manager, English/Maths/Science consultants

As a Principal/Headteacher -

impressions of Academies• dynamic, fast moving• unrelenting pressure for results/high standards• high expectations• teaching staff see no difference• extremely committed and hard working staff• small, highly professional and experienced governing body• 24 hour support of an experienced former Principal - Chief Executive• strong supportive teaching and learning community - Federation• instant access to national information• freedom to lead and manage• LA funds allow support to be purchased when and if needed

Should you become an Academy?

or