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If we sell school places overseas, full-blown privatisation won't be far off If we sell school places overseas, full-blown privatisation won't be far off
(3 months later)
On first sight, Thursday's leaked No 10 memo suggesting that places at free schools and academies might be sold to overseas pupils almost looked liked a spoof story. But anyone familiar with the world of Gove/Cameron education policy could immediately see that this bizarrely named "education exports industrial strategy" is probably a deadly serious plan being fermented for a future Tory government.On first sight, Thursday's leaked No 10 memo suggesting that places at free schools and academies might be sold to overseas pupils almost looked liked a spoof story. But anyone familiar with the world of Gove/Cameron education policy could immediately see that this bizarrely named "education exports industrial strategy" is probably a deadly serious plan being fermented for a future Tory government.
Initial responses rightly focused on how these pupils would be admitted to academies and free schools. Forget the old-fashioned notion of distance criteria – some sort of mega-selection would be inevitable with a global catchment area. And what would happen to the local children who would then get displaced, especially those from the most deprived backgrounds who Michael Gove claims his pet free schools are intended to benefit?Initial responses rightly focused on how these pupils would be admitted to academies and free schools. Forget the old-fashioned notion of distance criteria – some sort of mega-selection would be inevitable with a global catchment area. And what would happen to the local children who would then get displaced, especially those from the most deprived backgrounds who Michael Gove claims his pet free schools are intended to benefit?
It would be a reckless plan, even at a time of sufficient school places. But at the moment we have parents all over the country who are unable to get any place for their child. Quite how they would feel seeing places in a much sought-after local school being "exported" abroad is anyone's guess.It would be a reckless plan, even at a time of sufficient school places. But at the moment we have parents all over the country who are unable to get any place for their child. Quite how they would feel seeing places in a much sought-after local school being "exported" abroad is anyone's guess.
But the real story here is surely that full-blown privatisation, the evaporation of state responsibility – and from the Tory point of view state funding – for the delivery of public education, is being seriously contemplated in No 10. Other milestones are already in place: performance-related pay for teachers is on its way. Around half the country's secondaries are now academies, reluctant primaries are being forced down the same route and the 2011 Education Act decreed that if a new school is needed, it can only be a free school or an academy.But the real story here is surely that full-blown privatisation, the evaporation of state responsibility – and from the Tory point of view state funding – for the delivery of public education, is being seriously contemplated in No 10. Other milestones are already in place: performance-related pay for teachers is on its way. Around half the country's secondaries are now academies, reluctant primaries are being forced down the same route and the 2011 Education Act decreed that if a new school is needed, it can only be a free school or an academy.
Once schools are out of the maintained sector, only governed by a commercial contract with the secretary of state (the basis on which "independent" state schools are set up), it is only a short step to a new procurement process, which allows multinational for-profit chains to enter this market. And the point about schools run for profit is that they do what they say on the tin – seek to make a profit. So the first stop may be wealthy foreign pupils seeking access to selective, oversubscribed academies, but where would that stop. Co-payments? Fees for domestic families?Once schools are out of the maintained sector, only governed by a commercial contract with the secretary of state (the basis on which "independent" state schools are set up), it is only a short step to a new procurement process, which allows multinational for-profit chains to enter this market. And the point about schools run for profit is that they do what they say on the tin – seek to make a profit. So the first stop may be wealthy foreign pupils seeking access to selective, oversubscribed academies, but where would that stop. Co-payments? Fees for domestic families?
The risks associated with this piece of dogma are high. Profit-making schools have a very mixed record in nearly every country where they have already been tried, notably Sweden, the US and Chile. Quality is often poor. If they fail they are swiftly closed down or reopened under new management – hardly a culture conducive to fostering sustained improvement.The risks associated with this piece of dogma are high. Profit-making schools have a very mixed record in nearly every country where they have already been tried, notably Sweden, the US and Chile. Quality is often poor. If they fail they are swiftly closed down or reopened under new management – hardly a culture conducive to fostering sustained improvement.
Where they do succeed it is often because they have managed to admit the pupils who are easiest to teach and lose those who are a drag on results. And what better way to enhance your intake than by widening the pool of applicants to include the entire world.Where they do succeed it is often because they have managed to admit the pupils who are easiest to teach and lose those who are a drag on results. And what better way to enhance your intake than by widening the pool of applicants to include the entire world.
As usual there is a lot of hot air from the Lib Dems, who are briefing that they will resist this plan. Don't believe their phoney outrage. Every single legislative change since 2010 has further enabled what the leaked memo describes as the "domestic market for education businesses" – formerly known as the English school system – and the Liberal Democrats have supported every one of those changes.As usual there is a lot of hot air from the Lib Dems, who are briefing that they will resist this plan. Don't believe their phoney outrage. Every single legislative change since 2010 has further enabled what the leaked memo describes as the "domestic market for education businesses" – formerly known as the English school system – and the Liberal Democrats have supported every one of those changes.
Labour has at least come out against for-profit schools. State education isn't just about nurturing and developing young people; it is also about inclusion, social cohesion and community. Profit, fees and international students jumping the queue to bolster the profits of global corporate interests have no place in this world.Labour has at least come out against for-profit schools. State education isn't just about nurturing and developing young people; it is also about inclusion, social cohesion and community. Profit, fees and international students jumping the queue to bolster the profits of global corporate interests have no place in this world.
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