Becoming an
Academy:
A voice of experience
Steve Kenning
Principal
Harris City Academy Crystal Palace
Senior Leadership
Experience
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Deputy Head of Shropshire LEA school when it
became Grant Maintained (4years)
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Vice-Principal of a Devon LEA Community
College (3 years)
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Headteacher of a Cornwall LEA Community
School - became a Foundation School (10
years)
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Principal of an Academy (2 years)
Benefits of LA
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support
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guidance
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represent and accountable to the local community
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equal and fair access to education
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many services provided
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Insurance/legal/personnel
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common structures across schools
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financial checks
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experience
The Drawbacks of LA’s
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bureaucracy
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slow decision making/cumbersome systems
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variable quality of support
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lack of freedom/constraints
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financial cost
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out of date educational advice
Reasons to consider
becoming an Academy
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more autonomy
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more flexibility to be innovative
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financial freedom
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less bureaucracy
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quicker/easier decision making
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direct access to government
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creating a ‘brand/identity’
Concerns of becoming an
Academy
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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
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do not work with community
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selective
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some students are left disadvantaged
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not able to work with partners
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sponsors dictate educational policy
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not able to work in collaboration with local
schools
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additional funding is given
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schools no longer work with the local LA
The Harris federation
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Key
Reasons
for
success
strong systems of discipline/structures
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high levels of testing, assessment and target setting
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zero tolerance of poor/satisfactory teaching = high quality
teaching
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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.
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Our most recent Ofsted Inspection said of the Academy that:
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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.
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The impact of the sponsor
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leadership
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passion for education for the real world
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enterprise links and opportunities
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high expectations for academic success
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occasional visits
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Chair of Federation board
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Unusual perks
Harris Federation and
Structure
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Harris Federation Board - each Chair of Governors sits
on it
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Academy Board of Governors
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Central Federation support - Chief Executive, Financial
Officer, IT Officer and team, Project Manager,
As a Principal/Headteacher impressions of Academies
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dynamic, fast moving
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unrelenting pressure for results/high standards
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high expectations
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teaching staff see no difference
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extremely committed and hard working staff
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small, highly professional and experienced governing body
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24 hour support of an experienced former Principal - Chief Executive
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strong supportive teaching and learning community - Federation
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instant access to national information
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freedom to lead and manage
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LA funds allow support to be purchased when and if needed
Should you become an
Academy?
or