The government’s plan for schools: What does this mean for Lancashire?

The government want all state schools to become academies by 2022 but in Lancashire only 33 out of 647 schools are currently academies.

In 2013, 4.2% of schools were academies. This has now risen to 5.1% but this is a long way off the government’s target.

Questions have been raised about whether changing to an academy actually improves schools. I spoke to 19-year-old Channique Sterling-Brown about what changed in her former school, Lightcliffe Academy, when it became an academy.

Lightcliffe Academy changed to an academy in July 2011. In 2014, OFSTED reported that the school was failing in all areas. The school was put into special measures and sponsored by another academy. Miss Sterling-Brown believes “the extra money and control of the curriculum” that the school gained from becoming an academy lead to its downfall.

Paul Coffey, former student of Darwen Vale, Darwen, believed that becoming an academy in 2014 saved his school.

87% of people who took part in a Twitter poll believed all schools should not become academies.

One user said: “They shouldn’t at all, it’s just a way of privatising the education system. Introducing ’em hasn’t proved to do much good so far.”

What do you think of the government’s plan? Leave a comment below.