Privatising our children's minds: 1,500 more academies

[Caz]

Parents and anyone who has anything to do with children might like to check the following list of 1,567 primary and secondary schools and see whether children, parents and teachers are going to arrive back in school in September with an 'Academy' sign out the front, as this is as much debate as there is going to be. The Anti Academy Alliance is the very controlled opposition, completely ineffective as it is intended to be, now giving 'advice' and currently giving talks across the country on how to prevent these academies from going through. Rather co-incidental that they began this a few weeks ago, before the following list was released.

The new school curriculum going into schools behind everyone's back 'Opening Minds' was devised by the Royal Society of the Arts (patron the queen, president prince Phillip). This is being trialled at the RSA's own academy in Birmingham, where children are taken into the school at the age of 6 weeks. People from 'Future Leaders' are now implementing this in schools; 'Future Leaders' is funded by Ark.

Now don't foget, Ark Academies are connected to the Dutroux scandal (likened to the Jersey case, hence the silence on this), and ARK 'Absolute Return for Kids' is now mentoring head teachers in state schools, not just sponsoring academies, and is involved in international adoptions - a front for child trafficking - across Europe.

Maybe many in Britain are not aware of what Britian as the British Empire was capable of, but plently of us from the 'colonies' most certainly are. I strongly suggest people start paying some serious attention to this. This is, of course, the John Adam St Gang at work, Ark and Future Leaders is located at 15 Adam St, the 'Royal Society for the (dark/occult) Arts' is at 2-8 John Adam St.

Dcsf have also recently indicated an interest in having extended jurisdiction over children, to go beyond what they currently have, roughly normal school hours.

Go to the youtube videos for more on this:


Link



Link


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/10413492.stm

[Life]

And as the country sleeps our children are being set up for hell :

http://www.lifeinthemixtalk.com/?p=15211

[Caz]

With respect to the questions raised by Indymedia about the statement that ARK is connected to Dutroux, I have posted the following (second comment in the comments section) on Indymedia:

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/06/454599.html

[TonyGosling]

Auditors set to condemn Michael Gove over academies – again
National Audit Office to challenge ministers over expansion programme for academies

By David Hencke and Hui Shan Khoo | 5 November 2012
http://www.exaronews.com/articles/4687/auditors-condemn-michael-gove-o ver-academies-again

The [government] should continue to work towards putting into place a sustainable methodology for collecting data from academies

Amyas Morse, auditor general

Government auditors are preparing a damning report on education secretary Michael Gove’s huge expansion of academy schools in England.

Amyas Morse, auditor general and head of the National Audit Office (NAO), is challenging the government over what he sees as a lack of accountability for academies.

The NAO’s report, due later this month, will examine the expansion programme, and is expected to criticise the oversight of academies by the Department for Education. It is expected to reignite a clash between Gove and Margaret Hodge, chairwoman of the House of Commons public accounts committee.

[fish5133]

Academies are a self fufilling desire. Think it was in a Ofsted document I read that any school meeting the "Failing" criteria will automaticlly be directed down the Academy route. So all Ofsted need do is keep raisng the bar so that more schools fall into "failing"
My wifes school may well achieve that--not by poor teaching but by the fact that so many decent teachers are off with stress and depression that the kids education is constantly interrupted through part time supply teachers

[Iftikhar]

A civilisation is measured not by the rights it grants its majority but the privileges it allows its minorities.

Muslim community not only needs Mosques but also state funded Muslim schools for their bilingual children. They need to learn and be well versed in standard English to follow the national Curriculum and go for higher studies and research to serve humanity. They also need to learn and be well versed in Arabic, Urdu and other community languages to keep in touch with their cultural heritage and enjoy the beauty of their literature and poetry. A Muslim is a citizen of this tiny global village. He/she does not want to become notoriously monolingual Brit.

A good school is not just a knowledge factory or a conveyor belt for churning out exam passes - it is a community, a family. A community is held together by common values and principles.

There are hundreds of state and church schools where Muslim children are in majority. In my opinion, all such schools may be opted out as MusliAcademies. Bilingual Muslim children need bilingual Muslim teachers as role models during their developmental periods. There is no place for a non-Muslim child or a teacher in a Muslim school.

[Caz]

[TonyGosling]

Europe’s biggest arms firm BAE takes on failing academyJohn Dickens | Apr 24, 2015
Europe's biggest arms firm BAE takes on failing academy
http://schoolsweek.co.uk/europes-biggest-arms-firm-takes-on-failing-ac ademy/

- Furness Academy in special measures since March 2012
– Campaigners uneasy about curriculum changes ’to suit needs’
The government has chosen an arms manufacturer as its preferred sponsor to turn around a failing academy in the north of England.

BAE Systems – Europe’s biggest arms company, turning over £15.4bn last year – is set to take over Furness Academy in Barrow, Cumbria, in September.

It has set up a trust to run the school under its submarine-building arm, which is based in the town.

The company will build new nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, should the UK’s Trident programme get the go-ahead next year.

BAE Systems Marine Submarines Academy Trust will be tasked with turning around the troubled school that has been in special measures since March 2012.

Despite a subsequent Ofsted inspection in May 2013 and five monitoring visits, inspectors say it is still not improving enough.

Submarine4

Tony Johns, the managing director of BAE Systems Submarines, said in a statement: “We have for a long time supported local education at primary, secondary and college level, and see this positive step as an extension to our commitment in helping Furness Academy provide its students with the best possible education.”

The trust is now going through due diligence before a consultation with stakeholders, parents and staff. It is expected that a funding agreement will be signed ready for the trust to take over in September.

If agreed, the trust will become the academy’s sole sponsor, taking over from the University of Cumbria, Furness College and Barrow Sixth Form College, and will provide “strategic direction” in areas including leadership, business management and back office expertise.

A spokesperson said the company could not provide further details of the sponsorship while it was in due diligence.

Campaigners are uneasy at a school being run by a company that “profits from selling arms to some of the world’s most oppressive dictators”.

Sam Robinson, university coordinator for the Campaign against Arms Trade, said: “The idea [BAE] could soon be playing a significant role in running one of our schools is deeply worrying.

“It . . . gives them direct access to potential future employees and often allows them to influence the curriculum to suit their employment needs.”

BAE said it did not want to respond to the comments but Mallen Baker a writer, speaker and strategic adviser for corporate social responsibility, said it was a popular concept for companies to invest in the education of their local community.

“Employers recognise that the quality of local recruits is influenced hugely by their quality of education,” he told Schools Week. “Companies that invest in the local community will also get higher loyalty rates.

“With BAE there is an additional factor – they deal with a controversial product.

Submarine2
A Successor submarine which is being developed at BAE’s Barrow site and could hold the UK’s Trident nuclear missiles if the programme gets the go ahead

“But armament is essential for the defence of the country and we believe in the right for our countries to defend themselves.

“There are no reasons why it shouldn’t be able to show itself as a good citizen as other companies do. The only people to make that decision are the school and the local community.”

Barrow-in-Furness Labour MP John Woodcock said the takeover was “really exciting” news for the town. Anne Attwood, chief executive of current sponsor Furness College, has also been reported as saying having BAE as its sole sponsor will be good for the students and community.

The Guardian reported in 2007 that BAE, while under investigation after allegations of corruption, had offered £400,000 to sponsor the academy.

While it did not go on to be a sponsor, the academy’s annual accounts show BAE makes an annual donation, which could be as much as £40,000.

Ted Creighton, chair of governors, told parents of the sponsorship switch in a letter last week.

Mr Creighton, who is also BAE’s head of learning and organisation development, said no one from the school was available to comment because Ofsted inspectors were visiting this week.

New UTCs also linked with arms firms

A number of university technical colleges (UTCs) set to open in September have also partnered with military and arms firms.

P2-Cartoon

BAE is listed as a partner at Humber UTC, in c***, where it will work to design and deliver projects for students.

The arms firm is also one of the partner companies at Medway UTC, in Chatham, Kent, which will specialise in construction and engineering.

Medway’s website says that BAE will support the design of its curriculum and be involved in governance.

South Wiltshire UTC, which specialises in science and engineering, will open in Salisbury in September. Its supporters include QinetiQ, which provides defence technology, and Chemring, which makes munitions, including explosives and tear gas.

Guidance for UTC sponsors state that they can help construct the curriculum to reflect the needs of their particular sector and build close links with students who will be potential employees.

Rolls-Royce, which reportedly made $5.6bn from arms sales in 2012-13, is a co-sponsor of the Cabot Learning Federation, alongside the University of the West of England. They sponsor 12 academies in the south west of England.

Editor’s Comment

While the election campaign rages on, schools are mostly getting back to business after the Easter break. Exam deadlines loom, as do summer fetes, school trips and summer plays.

For some school leaders, decisions must be made now that affect their school’s future.

Take Furness Academy, featured on the cover, and currently in the process of transferring to the sponsorship of BAE. The school has struggled for a long time. BAE is offering strategic support and a fresh start. It is a business embedded within the community. On the other hand, it creates objects that are instruments of war. Which aspect wins out? Which ought to?

In Telford, four schools are being transferred from one sponsor to another, while AET – the largest academy chain in England – has shed eight schools.

Each process of change involves nervous questions: Must we rename the school? What about the uniforms? Will all staff keep their jobs?

This emerging ‘transfer market’ in schools is both exciting and deeply challenging. Exciting because it gives poorly performing schools a shot at future success. Challenging because questions will always arise about the ‘appropriateness’ of sponsors and their plans.

The election is indeed important but these future-changing decisions are crucial too, that’s why we will keep covering them along with the campaign highlights, too.

[Iftikhar]

Bilingual Muslims children have a right, as much as any other faith group, to be taught their culture, languages and faith alongside a mainstream curriculum. More faith schools will be opened under sweeping reforms of the education system in England. There is a dire need for the growth of state funded Muslim schools to meet the growing needs and demands of the Muslim parents and children. Now the time has come that parents and community should take over the running of their local schools. Parent-run schools will give the diversity, the choice and the competition that the wealthy have in the private sector.

There are hundreds of state primary and secondary schools where Muslim pupils are in majority. In my opinion all such schools may be opted out to become Muslim Academies. This mean the Muslim children will get a decent education. Muslim schools turned out balanced citizens, more tolerant of others and less likely to succumb to criminality or extremism. Muslim schools give young people confidence in who they are and an understanding of Islam’s teaching of tolerance and respect which prepares them for a positive and fulfilling role in society.

[TonyGosling]

Schools Portal
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It is a guide to some of the companies, lobbyists and think tanks involved in the privatisation of schools.
The opening up of schools to private companies has been described as ‘the largest market opportunity’ since healthcare was privatised. 'Let's all go forth. Let's all make hay,' as one private equity investor said at a 2015 UK education investment conference.
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The 'global education reform movement', or GERM as it has become known by critics, is pushing radical changes on school systems around the world.
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To imagine the changes envisaged by the corporate education industry requires that you put aside the notion that a publicly funded education will remain something delivered in a school by teachers and provided by the state.
The role of states in providing education is changing, with government's opening up schools to the market and corporate providers. Schools are being forced to compete in this market.
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‘The world is in the early stages of a historic transformation in how students learn, teachers teach, and schools and school systems are organised’, according to two advocates of this ‘revolution’, John Chubb and Terry Moe of the US conservative Hoover Institution. Their 2009 book, Liberating Learning, details how technology will deliver this transformation through: its ‘seeping-in’ to existing schools; virtual schooling; new education providers; data systems designed to monitor teacher performance; and its ‘slow but inexorable undermining of the political power of the teachers unions’. The UK's arch-reformer, former education secretary, Michael Gove describes Liberating Learning as an ‘excellent book’.
Such radical reforms have been subject to little public debate and have no democratic mandate. They are also largely unsupported by evidence that they raise standards in schools. Why then have such reforms taken hold? What part are lobbying and influence campaigns playing in persuading governments to adopt this particular reform agenda? And how are the changes being sold to citizens, teachers and parents?
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