The Perse School
  • Parent Login
  • Pupil and Staff Login
  • Calendar
  • Sports Fixtures
  • Term dates
  • Search
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Explore
    • Admissions
    • Academic
    • Beyond Classroom
    • School Life
    • People
    • Admissions
    • Academic
    • Beyond Classroom
    • School Life
    • People
    • Admissions
    • Academic
    • Beyond Classroom
    • School Life
    • People
    • Admissions
    • Academic
    • Beyond Classroom
    • Sixth Form Life
    • People
    • The Perse Today
    • Summer School
    • Contact
    • Job Vacancies
    • Policies and Inspection
    • Events
    • Keep in Touch
    • Support Us
    • Get Involved
    • Notable Alumni
    • Head's Blog
    • News Stories
    • Parent Login
    • Pupil and Staff Login
    • Calendar
    • Sports Fixtures
    • Term dates

Academies – not a one size fits all solution

← Previous
Next →

Politicians love telling independent school heads what to do, and the latest central command is that we should all sponsor failing state schools to become academies.  Independent School DNA is apparently the ‘magic bullet’ which will solve the ills of underperforming schools, and drive up educational standards.  Such an approach is simplistic and patronising and I can see why it irritates many state school heads.

The sharing of best practice between schools is to be encouraged.  However, this is a far cry from the suggestion that one type of school knows best.  The Perse has nearly 400 years’ experience of educating talented children in an academically selective environment but this does not equip us with the expertise to teach mixed ability students in a challenging social setting.  We can and do help where our experience is relevant, for example in gifted and talented programmes, and through our primary partnership programme.  However to go beyond this and suggest some universal independent school solution to the problems of the maintained sector would be wrong.  Schools underachieve for complex reasons; some to do with leadership and management, and some to do with the challenging nature of the communities they serve.  Brand association between a leading independent school and an academy may create media headlines and a temporary feel good factor.  However, real solutions to educational underachievement require more fundamental changes including different approaches to parenting, more positive role models for youngsters, and the establishment of good study habits and high expectations from an early age.

Independent schools are successful in part because of their independence.  We have the freedom to ignore government dictats and concentrate on what works best in our individual situations.  We have the flexibility and resources to respond to the needs of parents and pupils.  We can think outside the bureaucratic box and innovate in imaginative and relevant ways.  The very part of our DNA that could be most useful to the state is our independence, but the ‘I’ word is not popular in Whitehall.  Academies may be free of local authority control, but they are still on the Westminster leash.   Moreover academies and free schools, created by Acts of Parliament can be removed by the same measure with a change of government.  This is exactly what happened with Grant Maintained Schools in the 1990s which were the last Conservative government’s experiment with quasi independence.  True independence insulates schools from the policy upheaval of changing governments and the educational disruption that goes with it.

In trying to push independent schools into sponsoring academies, government should appreciate that in challenging economic times many independent school parents are under great financial pressure.  Such parents already pay for a state education they don’t use through taxation, and to ask them to pay again through higher independent school fees to finance academy sponsorship is a big ask.  Independent schools have a duty to serve their communities, but they must also look after the needs of their fee paying parents and pupils.

 

 

Categories

Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Google+
  • Email

Join the
conversation

Your details

Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Latest Posts

18 Nov 2020

A Personal Perspective on Public Exams in a Pandemic

5 Sep 2020

Learning Covid Lessons

18 Nov 2019

The do’s and don’ts of university interviews

Read moreSee more

Blog Archive

2020

November
1
September
1

2019

November
1
September
2
March
2
February
1
January
1

2018

October
1
July
1
April
1
February
1
January
1

2017

November
1
September
1
March
4
January
1

2016

November
1
October
1
September
1
June
1
January
1

2015

October
1
May
2
February
2
January
2

2014

December
4
November
3
October
1
September
3
August
1
June
1
May
1
April
1
March
3
February
1
January
3

2013

December
2
November
3
October
2
September
4
August
3
July
1
June
3
May
4
April
2
March
3
February
3
January
5

2012

December
2
November
4
October
6
September
7
August
4
July
3
June
3
May
5
April
3
March
4
February
4
January
5

2011

December
3
November
2
Return to startReturn to start

The Perse Pelican
Head: Francesca Heftman
92 Glebe Road
Cambridge
CB1 7TD

T +44 (0) 1223 403940

The Perse Prep
Head: James Piper
Trumpington Road
Cambridge
CB2 8EX

T +44 (0) 1223 403920

The Perse Upper
Head: Ed Elliott
Hills Road
Cambridge
CB2 8QF

T +44 (0) 1223 403800

  • Contact
  • Job Vacancies
  • Our Vision, Values and Aims
  • Term Dates
  • Inspection Report
  • Governors
  • Perse Studio
  • Policies
  • Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
  • Privacy Notices
  • Disclaimer
  • Website Terms of Use
pelican@perse.co.uk
prep@perse.co.uk
schooloffice@perse.co.uk
Twitter Facebook YouTube Instagram

© The Perse School 2021. All Rights reserved.
Crafted by The District and Chameleon Studios

 
Toggle the navigation
 
The Perse School
Parent Login Calendar Site Search
  • Homepage
  • About us 
    • The Perse Today 
      • Our vision, values and aims 
        • Sustainability 
      • Philosophy 
      • Outreach and Community Partnerships 
      • Governors 
      • Perse in Cambridge 
      • Rooted in History 
        • Timeline 
      • Expanding our Facilities 
    • Summer School 
    • Contact 
      • Open Events 
      • Request Prospectus 
      • Book a Tour 
    • Job Vacancies 
  • Pelican 
    • Admissions 
      • Request Prospectus 
      • Open Morning 
      • Book a Tour 
      • 360 Tour 
      • How to Register 
      • Fees 
    • Academic 
      • Curriculum 
        • Nursery and Reception 
        • Years 1 and 2 
    • Beyond Classroom 
      • Club Pelican 
    • School Life 
      • Home from Home 
      • The School Day 
      • Pelican Behaviour 
      • Newsletter 
    • People 
      • Staff List 
      • Meet a few of our Pelican staff 
      • Parents’ Association 
  • Prep 
    • Admissions 
      • View Prospectus 
      • Visiting the Prep 
        • Open Morning 
        • Book a Tour 
        • Taster Morning 
        • Activity Morning 
        • Pre-Test Service 
      • Prep 360 Virtual Tour 
      • How to Register 
      • Fees 
      • Bus Services 
    • Academic 
      • Curriculum 
      • Subjects 
      • Assessment 
      • Learning Support 
    • Beyond Classroom 
      • Clubs 
      • Drama + Music 
      • Sport 
    • School Life 
      • Well-being 
      • The School Day 
        • Timetable 
        • Bus Services 
      • The House System 
      • School Council 
      • Newsletter 
    • People 
      • Staff List 
      • Meet a few of our Prep Staff 
      • Parents’ Association 
  • Upper 
    • Admissions 
      • View Prospectus 
      • Open Days 
      • Visiting the Upper 
        • Book a Tour 
        • Taster Morning 
      • 360 Tour 
      • How to Register 
      • Fees 
        • Help with Fees 
      • Scholarships 
      • Joining Us 
        • Linking Project 
        • Bus Services 
    • Academic 
      • Curriculum 
      • Subjects 
      • Independent Research 
      • Enrichment 
      • Exam Results 
      • Learning Support 
    • Beyond Classroom 
      • Clubs + Societies 
        • The 42 Society 
      • Drama + Dance 
      • Music 
      • Outdoor Pursuits 
      • Sport 
      • Peter Hall Performing Arts Centre 
    • School Life 
      • Well-being 
      • The School Day 
        • Timetable 
        • Bus Services 
      • The House System 
      • Student Council 
    • People 
      • Staff List 
      • Meet the Staff 
  • 6th Form 
    • Admissions 
      • View Prospectus 
      • Visiting the Sixth Form 
        • Book a Tour 
        • Open Evening 
      • 360 Tour 
      • How to Register 
        • International Students 
      • Fees 
        • Help with Fees 
      • Scholarships 
      • Joining Us 
        • Bus Services 
    • Academic 
      • Curriculum 
      • Subjects 
      • Independent Research 
      • Enrichment 
      • Learning Support 
      • Exam Results 
      • University 
        • University destinations 
    • Beyond Classroom 
      • Clubs + Societies 
        • The 42 
      • Drama + dance 
      • Music 
      • Outdoor Pursuits 
      • Sport 
    • Sixth Form Life 
      • Well-being 
      • The Sixth Form Day 
        • Timetable 
        • Bus Services 
      • Student Council 
    • People 
      • Staff list 
      • Meet the Staff 
  • Alumni 
    • Events 
    • Keep in Touch 
      • OP News 
      • E-Newsletter 
        • Perse Profiles 
        • Into The Archive 
        • Recent Events 
      • Find a Friend 
      • Update Form 
      • Contact Us 
      • Memorabilia 
      • E-Communications 
    • Support Us 
      • Make a Gift 
      • Bursaries 
      • 2021 Leavers’ Gift 
      • Outreach 
      • Legacies 
      • Donor Recognition 
    • Get Involved 
      • Year Group Reps 
      • Networking & Careers 
      • 42 Society Lectures 
    • Notable Alumni 
  • News 
  • Head's Blog
  • Contact
  • Calendar
  • Sport Fixtures
  • Term Dates
  • Close Menu  Close Menu
  • Parent Login
  • Pupil + Staff Login
  • Close Menu  Close Menu
  • Twitter
  • Facebook