The government finally plans to nationalise our state schools

By John Marriott Columnist

So the government has finally decided to nationalise our schools, because that’s what the chancellor’s announcement during his budget speech the other week actually means.

At least we now know where we stand. So, if an academy fails under the new system, the buck goes straight to the Secretary of State and not, as now, to the Local Education Authority (LEA), which, I assume, will simply wither away).

When are we going to stop messing about with education? We are dealing with human beings, not building motor cars, for goodness sake.

I note that the current secretary, like most of her cabinet colleagues, was educated privately. In the independent sector, business acumen and PR are part of the DNA of its member schools. “Sell yourself or go under”- and a few actually do!

Some of you may be aware of the goings on at an academy chain in Lincoln where the former Executive Head and his Director of Finance recently went on trial for fraud and were acquitted.

A week or so ago it was announced that a local secondary academy, the one I taught at for 23 years, is having to face redundancies because of some of its grants being cut.

Now it is planned also to remove parent representatives from governing bodies, what chance will the local community have to influence their schools?

Our state schools should be places where teaching takes place, unburdened by the need to make money or to attract sponsors. The time was when Heads and other senior staff were appointed on educational criteria and not for a facility in public relations.

I am not a fan of academies. Schools have for years been given a great deal of latitude in how they run their affairs, especially in a ‘light touch’ area like Lincolnshire. Before academies arrived on the scene there was always the LEA there to offer help and advice when things went wrong. That possible lifeline does not exist for an academy.

If all schools, especially primary schools, are compelled to become academies, many will be forced, because of a lack of business acumen, into chains, so, instead of LEAs, we will probably have privatised ‘LEAs’, monitored, if that is the right word, by one of the regional Schools Commissioners, who have recently been appointed to deal with the many academies already in existence.

Yes, we have one for the East Midlands and Humber Region. Her name is Jennifer Bexon-Smith, at least, that’s what Google tells me. Has anybody ever heard of her? Apparently she’s been in post since September 2014. She’ll certainly have her work cut out if all this takes place!

State schools should not have to sell themselves to the public. We should expect them to deliver an education which will equip our youngsters for life in this very turbulent 21st century.

Happiness and fulfilment should be more than just a shedload of GCSE’s or an ‘ology degree. It should impart kills that enable the recipient to play their part in building a vibrant economy.

Vocational education needs to have parity with academic education. Our state schools stand a much better chance of achieving this noble aim if they are subject to LOCAL democratic accountability and not just competing for a better position in the exam league tables, or trying to turn in a profit for their ‘owners’.

It would appear that the proposal hasn’t gone down well with councils around the country. Even the Chairman of the influential Tory 1922 Committee has expressed his concerns.

I just hope that someone will see sense and kick this ill-judged scheme into the long grass before irreparable damage is done to our state education system.

John was a councillor for thirty years, finally retiring in 2017. A schoolteacher by profession, he served on the North Hykeham Town Council (1987-2011), the North Kesteven District Council (1987-1999, 2001-2007) and the Lincolnshire County Council (2001-2017). He was also a County Council member of the former Lincolnshire Police Authority for eight years until standing down in 2009. In 1997 he was the Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Sleaford and North Hykeham. He is currently not a member of any political party.