Future of academies

07 Oct 2008

 There's a fair bit of speculation in today's media that the reshuffle of Lord Adonis spells the end for City Academies. I don't see it myself. The Academies programme is now able to survive without its creator. There are 140 open and will be 340 by September 2010.

 Moreover the Conservatives have committed to creating 1000 Academies, so I am sure Labour will not wish to be outdone.

 Providing they continue to show they are achieving an improvement in standards, they will continue. 

Indeed, I understand from those close to Lord Adonis that he feels the Academies no longer depend on him for survival.

 However what may be missed in government is the conduit that he provided to the business community and to the independent schools sector. He was effective at creating a consensus for change that stood outside party politics. 

 Mind you, Labour and the Conservatives are really not that far apart on schools' policies these days, so maybe even that won't matter so much. 

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