Please Don't Force All Schools to Become Academies

Forcing schools to become academies centralises the decision making power, taking it away from local authorities and makes schools cater to the needs of industry. Academies are underperforming compared to schools run by local authorities, and results frequently skew the figures by adding vocational qualifications.. A number of academies are already failing. Greater pressure can be exercised by academies on their teaching staff, forcing them to work weekends and holidays without the right to unionise. Pupils are not safer either, often ignored in 'study centres' or on exclusion if they don't conform. We urge you to reconsider this dangerously undemocratic move.