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Budget sets out academies plan and longer school day Budget sets out academies plan and longer school day
(35 minutes later)
Chancellor George Osborne has used his Budget speech to say all schools in England will become academies and for an extension to the school day. Chancellor George Osborne has used his Budget speech to say all schools in England will become academies and extend the school day.
Schools must become academies by 2020 or have an academy order in place, so they are committed to convert by 2022. Schools must become academies by 2020 or have official plans to do so by 2022, he told MPs.
And new funding will enable a quarter of secondary schools to offer extra activities like sport and art. The proceeds of a sugar tax on fizzy drinks will boost sport in primary schools, while secondaries will get funds for after-school activities.
Mr Osborne's eighth Budget also includes £4bn in extra spending cuts and transport investment announcements. There will also be a new focus on school performance in northern England.
For any school that fails to have an academy plan in place, the government will take on radical new powers to intervene and ensure conversion takes place. Mr Osborne said: "Providing schooling is the single most important thing we can do to help children from a disadvantaged background to succeed."
It was also the single most important thing that could be done to boost the long term success of the country, he added.
Therefore, he pledged to "set schools free" from local bureaucracy and to do it "in this Parliament".
Academy status
By 2020 all schools must have converted or be in the process of converting to academy status.
Any that failed to do so would be forced under radical new powers to be adopted by the government.
Academy status, introduced by a Labour government, was originally reserved for schools in urgent need of improvement, but since 2010 schools have been encouraged to convert and have been given extra funding for doing so.Academy status, introduced by a Labour government, was originally reserved for schools in urgent need of improvement, but since 2010 schools have been encouraged to convert and have been given extra funding for doing so.
Currently, 2,075 out of 3,381 secondary schools are academies, while 2,440 of 16,766 primary schools have academy status.Currently, 2,075 out of 3,381 secondary schools are academies, while 2,440 of 16,766 primary schools have academy status.
After-hours activity
Malcolm Trobe, interim general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said it was important to make sure that the system worked "as effectively as possible to the benefit of every young person".Malcolm Trobe, interim general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said it was important to make sure that the system worked "as effectively as possible to the benefit of every young person".
"Whatever the type of school, two of the essential ingredients for success are sufficient funding and teacher supply."Whatever the type of school, two of the essential ingredients for success are sufficient funding and teacher supply.
"Unfortunately, schools currently face real-terms cuts and a recruitment crisis. The government must ensure its vision for full academisation is backed up by the resources that schools and young people need.""Unfortunately, schools currently face real-terms cuts and a recruitment crisis. The government must ensure its vision for full academisation is backed up by the resources that schools and young people need."
Mr Trobe also said there were a number of issues around the idea of a longer school day that made it "complicated".Mr Trobe also said there were a number of issues around the idea of a longer school day that made it "complicated".
"Lots of schools do a lot of high-quality after-hours activity, including revision classes sometimes in the school holidays," he said."Lots of schools do a lot of high-quality after-hours activity, including revision classes sometimes in the school holidays," he said.
"It's going to be quite complex to define the difference between those activities that schools are already laying on for pupils and any additional activities which come out of the Chancellor's Budget statement."It's going to be quite complex to define the difference between those activities that schools are already laying on for pupils and any additional activities which come out of the Chancellor's Budget statement.
"We also believe it's highly divisive to have these funded activities available in 25% of schools - potentially youngsters in some schools would be in an advantageous position over others.""We also believe it's highly divisive to have these funded activities available in 25% of schools - potentially youngsters in some schools would be in an advantageous position over others."
Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said the focus should be on school to school collaboration.Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said the focus should be on school to school collaboration.
"We have no problem with academies; we just don't believe they are a panacea. We think the emphasis should be on school to school collaboration, without such concern about the exact legal vehicle."We have no problem with academies; we just don't believe they are a panacea. We think the emphasis should be on school to school collaboration, without such concern about the exact legal vehicle.
"We hope that local authorities will reinvent themselves to offer services that schools can buy into. It would make sense to us to allow some local authorities to establish academy chains.""We hope that local authorities will reinvent themselves to offer services that schools can buy into. It would make sense to us to allow some local authorities to establish academy chains."
He said any extra funding for activities would be welcomed.
"The idea that most schools shut at 3.30 in the afternoon is itself pretty outdated, but we have no problem with extra money to help them in the activities they offer.
"Any expansion of hours must be properly funded, as school budgets are extremely tight. There's not a lot of evidence internationally linking a longer academic day to higher standards, but extracurricular activity is usually valuable."
Political author and vice-chancellor of Buckingham University Sir Anthony Seldon said: "The government is to be congratulated on the announcement today which recognises that sport, the arts and character are integral to what education is all about.Political author and vice-chancellor of Buckingham University Sir Anthony Seldon said: "The government is to be congratulated on the announcement today which recognises that sport, the arts and character are integral to what education is all about.
"Governments for years had narrowed down the curriculum to tests and exams based on memory.""Governments for years had narrowed down the curriculum to tests and exams based on memory."
'Best start''Best start'
Mr Osborne said Wednesday's Budget would "put the next generation first", with a "bold plan to make sure that every child gets the best start in life". Mr Osborne said a review would consider whether maths should be compulsory until the age of 18.
"It is simply unacceptable that Britain continues to sit too low down the global league tables for education," he said. And an extra £500m would be made available to ensure a "fair funding formula" for schools - aimed at addressing imbalances in the system - is up and running by the end of the Parliament.
"So I'm going to get on with finishing the job we started five years ago, to drive up standards and set schools free from the shackles of local bureaucracy. He said Wednesday's Budget would "put the next generation first", with a "bold plan to make sure that every child gets the best start in life".
"I also want to support secondary schools that want to offer their pupils longer school days with more extracurricular activities like sport and art. So we'll fund longer school days for at least 25% of all secondary schools.
"Now is the time us to make the bold decisions and the big investments that will help the next generation, and that is what my Budget will do."
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - where education is a devolved matter - each have their own systems.Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - where education is a devolved matter - each have their own systems.
In Wales, school governing bodies set their own start and finish times - although local authorities can override them.In Wales, school governing bodies set their own start and finish times - although local authorities can override them.
In Northern Ireland, the law states that the school day must be at least three hours for pupils under eight, and four and a half hours for pupils over eight.In Northern Ireland, the law states that the school day must be at least three hours for pupils under eight, and four and a half hours for pupils over eight.
In Scotland, education authorities set hours, but the school week is commonly 25 hours for primary schools and 27.5 hours for secondary schools. Scottish councils were banned from cutting the length of the school day to save money in December.In Scotland, education authorities set hours, but the school week is commonly 25 hours for primary schools and 27.5 hours for secondary schools. Scottish councils were banned from cutting the length of the school day to save money in December.