Conversion of 400 “failing” primaries

0370 270 6000

Search Mobile

collapse

already registered?

Please sign in with your existing account details.

Email address

Password

need to register?

Register to access exclusive content, sign up to receive our updates and personalise your experience on brownejacobson.com.

Privacy statement - Terms and conditions

Forgotten your password?

collapseSign

Browne Jacobson home

Home

Insights

Blogs

Conversion of 400 “failing” primaries

12 September 2012

The Prime Minister has announced another drive to turn failing primary schools into academies. The campaign targets the 400 weakest primary schools in England with the intention that these will be academies by the end of 2013.

In its announcement, the Government reiterated its longstanding message that academies “raise standards”. The new target should also prove helpful to the Government in boosting the number of primary academies as take-up of academy conversion in the primary sector to date has been slow.

The Government’s eagerness to go “further, faster” does raise questions regarding possible legal challenge of such forced academisation. In particular, where schools previously classed as underperforming have since demonstrably improved standards, a decision to push a school into academy status could be viewed as irrational and unreasonable. Readers may recall the recent case of Henley Green Primary School in Coventry where the Government backed down following proposed judicial review of its decision to force academy status upon the school.

Related opinions

A level results: what this means for schools and higher education?

This year’s A Level results have been a resounding success and demonstrate the commitment and resilience of students, schools and school staff during these unprecedented times. However, there will inevitably be some students who are disappointed with the teacher assessed grade.

View blog

Allegations of abuse in schools, colleges and universities

The website “Everyone’s Invited” is a movement which is “committed to eradicating rape culture” and describes “rape culture” as “all the ways that different forms of aggressive and violent sexual behaviour are normalised, encouraged and even admired by society”. Find out more.

View blog

Lateral flow daily contact testing paused

Following last week’s Guardian article about the concerns over lateral flow daily testing for those identified as having been a close contact of a person testing positive for Covid-19, Public Health England (PHE) and NHS Test and Trace (NHSTT) have published a position statement to recommend that daily contact testing in schools will be paused.

View blog