Special School converting to an Academy - should I worry?

[Athena]

One of our local special schools is in the process of converting to an Academy school. I was considering it for DD, but I would like to know the implications of it becoming an Academy.

 

DD has a Statement.

 

As I understand it, Academies set their own admission criteria, but our LA have their own criteria for naming a SS on a Statement.

If anyone can point me in the direction of info on this or has experience of a special school that is an Academy, I would be very grateful!

[chris54]

To a large extent this is uncharted water. I don't think anyone has realy thought this one through.

This might help.

 

http://www.academyne...an-academy.html

[chris54]

http://www.education...cademies#faq9it

 

Quote.

 

"How will the characteristics of the special academy, including pupil numbers and types of needs the academy will provide for, be agreed?

Maintained special schools wishing to convert to academy status will not be able to change their characteristics, including the number of places for which they are funded and the types of special educational needs they provide for, as part of the conversion process. The number of pupil places for which the academy will be funded will be based on the number of places for which the special school is funded currently. Likewise, the types of special educational needs the special academy will provide for will be based on the types of needs provided for currently by the special school.

There will be scope to change the characteristics of the special academy in the future, so as to ensure that provision for children with special educational needs or disabilities remains flexible and responsive to local need and parent choice. In such instances, the Young People’s Learning Agency would consider the case for the change(s), with the final decision resting with the Secretary of State."

Edited March 29, 2012 by chris54

[Athena]

Thanks Chris, that's very helpful. I will have a read.

 

I think that I should name change to "Uncharted Water" as DD's secondary transfer will coincide with the introduction of the new SEN regime, which I presume means that all the old case law that I could previously rely on will be torn up and we will all have to start from scratch!

[Special_talent123]

this is what were explained to me, that special school that will become an academy will still be a special school. Basically academy for schools u have to bee at outstanding in each area to become one. i dont know how academies work though but when they are outstanding in areas of things they need to cover

[LancsLad]

I think the big question with academies is the emphasis of the management regime. I have worked in a mainstream secondary school which moved over to academy status. A lot of the initial drive was in taking failing schools out of traditional management structures and putting them into the control of specialist groups. In the early days there was a lot of success with this. What I have seen happen in my previous sector is that these groups have gone on to take control of a number of schools and save money by having an overarching management team. This has both advantages and disadvantages most of the advantages being financial as I see it.

 

I would look very carefully who is going to manage this school and what their motives are. There is in theory a lot of comparative money which comes with statemented children. I can easily see a scenario where a cluster of academy schools claim they provide expertise when in fact what they are doing is diluting out experienced support over a large number of children. This is a good way to save money but could easily lead to a bleeding dry of finance genuinely attatched to a childs needs in supporting private interests. I am not saying this is the case here but be very wary of it and ask lots of questions and ensure safeguards are in place.

[chris54]

It is the same for all academies, that there will be an agenda driving the change to academy status. It realy depends on where you stand as to how you view this change, if you view it as good or bad.

 

I can see a time in the future were academy school and free school are taken back under LA control because there doing such an poor job.

 

Its a shame politicians have to play games with our children's futures.

[Sally44]

I think the biggest thing you need to know from a Statemented child point of view, is WHO is legally responsible to fund the Statement?

 

If it is an LA maintained school, the LA has to fund the provision. I don't know what the answer is for Academies.

[chris54]

As it a special school all the children will be statemented.

Academies are funded direct from central government.

 

This is on the Education Department's web sit:-

 

LA services

The following items do not become the responsibility of the academy and continue to rest with the LA. These are:　

• home to school transport (including SEN)
  
• education psychology, SEN statementing and assessment
  
• monitoring of SEN provision, parent partnerships, etc.
  
• prosecution of parents for non-attendance
  
• individually assigned SEN resources for pupils with rare conditions needing expensive tailored provision (this is usually a top-up to formula funding)
  
• provision of pupil referral units or education otherwise for a pupil who is no longer registered at an academy.
  

LACSEG for special schools

 

For special schools converting to become academies, LACSEG will be calculated on the same basis as that for mainstream schools. However, some adjustments have been made to recognise the differences between special schools and mainstream schools. This will ensure the additional responsibilities special schools acquire on becoming academies, are reflected adequately in their funding.

[Special_talent123]

did i read correctly that they wont be getting the local authorities to send out transportation to schools. I were going on a bus to and from school although before i left the escort we had she pinned me to the wall outside of the reception building telling me off about to hit me

[chris54]

did i read correctly that they wont be getting the local authorities to send out transportation to schools. I were going on a bus to and from school although before i left the escort we had she pinned me to the wall outside of the reception building telling me off about to hit me

 

School transport remains the responsibility of the LA.

[Lynden]

My sons SLD primary school is converting in the next few months. They are bringing in the feeder SLD high school with the aim of providing the same outstanding provision they do in my sons school from 3-18. I completely trust the management that will be leading the academy and know that their focus is the children. It wont affect our childrens placements at all, they still continue to be funded by the LA and costs wont change. The LA will continue to provide transport for the children in the school.

 

Contrary to popular belief, the schools will not be substantially better off financially so money isn't a motivating factor in the decision to move (am on the board of Governors).

 

Lynne

[chris54]

I think some of the concern stems from storeys that academe's will cream off the best teachers and pupils.

Academies will not get more money from the government/council but they will be free to get support from other body's.

I do not support the fragmentation of the education system that we now see.

My own sons school is an Academy, It is made up of the amalgamation of two school one was historically never under council control, the other, our local school, was taken under its control about 3 years ago as it was failing. Since then it has turned around and this past year despite increasing its intake by something like 50% was oversubscribed.18month ago it became an academy. There are stories that the principal is empire building. They have a building program at the moment, one of the last to be funded under the previous government school building program. Out local school is being completely replaced with a new building. And the main site is having some new buildings.

The school (The Principal) is hoping to be one of the school selected to run a SEN unit as the council decentralise the SEN provision here. These units will be "Fully integrated into the whole school" as far as we know this means that there wont be a separate building or area for the SEN unit, that it will literally be within the main school. Some see this as good other don't.

 

Now I have drifted of topic.

 

We son goes to a mainstreams academy school, He has a statement, I cannot fault the provision that the school have put in place. It exceeded that stated in his statement.

So from my own very personal experience I can not fault academy schools.(At the present time).