PRESS RELEASE : Michael Gove welcomes independent schools’ contribution to academies [May 2011]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 13 May 2011.

Michael Gove today welcomed the contribution that independent schools can play in supporting or sponsoring academies. Speaking at the Wellington Academy, he also said that academies offer high quality training and professional development for their teachers.

658 schools are now academies. A third of all secondary schools are either already an academy, or on the way to becoming one. More than 40,000 teachers now work in academies.

Speaking about the role of independent schools he said:

Independence has made Britain’s private schools the best in the world. Greater independence will ensure more of Britain’s state schools become world class as well. That’s why it makes sense for private and public to work together.

Commenting on the benefits to teachers he will say:

There are still those who continue to criticise our policy of letting schools choose to become academies. They claim that academy status is a threat to staff pay and conditions. This is nonsense.

Academies, more than others, know how important it is to attract and keep good teachers. That is why they place a high premium on providing excellent development opportunities for staff.

It is time that the opponents of academies recognised that the landscape has changed. Every month more and more great professionals are teaching in academies, and despite scare stories, those teachers are getting a great deal.

Some of the benefits to teachers include:

• Average pay for full-time classroom teachers in academies is higher than that for maintained schools. £35,700 compared to £34,700. Teachers in academies also tend to be younger.
• Teachers in academies have more freedom over how they teach – as academies have freedom over the curriculum.
• Academies place a high premium on good training and development for their staff. Including:
  • training days at Oxbridge and other top universities
  • giving them access to MAs both in the UK and at Harvard
  • opportunities to work with successful businesses
  • learning from classroom observation, often in specially fitted classrooms designed to help observation
  • bonus awards, private medical cover, interest free loans for season tickets and bicycle purchase
  • working with teachers in other schools to share skills

He will say that unions in particular should welcome these opportunities. For years they have demanded better opportunities for staff development, and better pay. Academies are providing just that.