ASCL response to the Secretary of State’s speech on academy conversation

ASCL response to the Secretary of State’s speech on academy conversation

No educational professional in the country is ‘happy with failure’

ASCL refutes the suggestion made by the Secretary of State that those who have not opted for academy conversion are ‘enemies of promise’.

In response to Michael Gove’s speech at the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Hatcham College, Brian Lightman (General Secretary) said:

‘It is not the act of academy conversion which raises standards in schools and ASCL strongly refutes the suggestion that all those who have not opted for conversion are ‘ideologues who are happy with failure’. There are many highly successful schools working with their local authority and partner schools; they are not the ”enemies of promise” but professionals dedicated to improving the lives of young people. The keys to school improvement are excellent teaching and leadership and a relentless determination to stamp out failure. Many ASCL members have decided that academy status will be the best route to that goal, many others have decided that they can best achieve this as LA maintained community schools. What really matters are the outcomes their students achieve rather than the type of school they go to.’

04/01/2012