Sunday 10 February 2008

Oxford Anti-Academy Alliance launches Academy Watch

Following the County Council announcement that, despite a lack of public support, a city academy is to be established in place of Peers school, the Oxford Anti-Academy Alliance is launching an 'Academy Watch' to monitor the performance of the academy and its impact on schooling in the area.

For this purpose, the Alliance has requested, under the Freedom of Information Act, data from Peers school and the Oxford Community school on a set of indicators relating to attainment levels, social make-up, democratic control and accountability.

It has also itemised a list of promises made by the County Council and the sponsors during the informal consultation, against which the academy's performance will be measured. Details of the performance indicators and the promises made are presented in the Academy Watch Manifesto (to be linked shortly)

"There is no evidence that academies deliver improved education, and the fact that Oxford University doesn't want to have its name linked to an academy says it all"

"Given that this thing has been forced upon us, we need to hold the sponsors to their promises as the children's education cannot be compromised, so it is vital that we monitor the impact on children at the academy as well as on children in neighbouring schools."

Ian Jones, from the Oxford Anti-Academy Alliance

Website link: http://academywatch.wordpress.com/