Becoming an Academy: A voice of experience Steve Kenning Principal Harris Ci

1. Becoming an Academy:A voice of experienceSteve Kenning PrincipalHarris City Academy Crystal Palace

2. Senior Leadership Experience • Deputy Head of Shropshire LEA school when it became Grant Maintained (4years) • Vice-Principal of a Devon LEA Community College (3 years) • Headteacher of a Cornwall LEA Community School - became a Foundation School (10 years) • Principal of an Academy (2 years)

3. Benefits of LA • support • guidance • represent and accountable to the local community • equal and fair access to education • many services provided • Insurance/legal/personnel • common structures across schools • financial checks • experience

4. The Drawbacks of LA’s • bureaucracy • slow decision making/cumbersome systems • variable quality of support • lack of freedom/constraints • financial cost • out of date educational advice

5. Reasons to consider becoming an Academy • more autonomy • more flexibility to be innovative • financial freedom • less bureaucracy • quicker/easier decision making • direct access to government • creating a ‘brand/identity’

6. Concerns of becoming an Academy • uncertainty over what issues will arise • role of partners/sponsors • finance • support systems • community links • unions • legal/personnel support • insurance • governance • staff terms and conditions • no real awareness of the benefits

7. widely held misconceptions About Academies • do not work with community • selective • some students are left disadvantaged • not able to work with partners • sponsors dictate educational policy • not able to work in collaboration with local schools • additional funding is given • schools no longer work with the local LA

8. The Harris federation

9. Key Reasons for success • strong systems of discipline/structures • high levels of testing, assessment and target setting • zero tolerance of poor/satisfactory teaching = high quality teaching • high aspirations/expectations

10. Examination Performance 2009: Our best ever results GCSE Results 99% passed 5 GCSEs with A*- C grades. 82.32% passed 5 GCSEs with A*- C grades (inc. English and Maths) (FFTd prediction 58%) A Level Results 100% pass rate at A Level. 82% of grades were A-C, 52% A-B Vast majority of students progress on to University including Oxbridge.

11. Our most recent Ofsted Inspection said of the Academy that: • Students make outstanding progress and achieve substantially higher results than the national average. • Students’ personal development is outstanding. • Students feel safe at the College. • Leadership and management are Outstanding. • Students study hard, achieve extremely well and behave thoughtfully at all times.

12. The impact of the sponsor • leadership • passion for education for the real world • enterprise links and opportunities • high expectations for academic success • occasional visits • Chair of Federation board • Unusual perks

13. Harris Federation and Structure • Harris Federation Board - each Chair of Governors sits on it • Academy Board of Governors • Central Federation support - Chief Executive, Financial Officer, IT Officer and team, Project Manager, English/Maths/Science consultants

14. As a Principal/Headteacher - impressions of Academies • dynamic, fast moving • unrelenting pressure for results/high standards • high expectations • teaching staff see no difference • extremely committed and hard working staff • small, highly professional and experienced governing body • 24 hour support of an experienced former Principal - Chief Executive • strong supportive teaching and learning community - Federation • instant access to national information • freedom to lead and manage • LA funds allow support to be purchased when and if needed

15. Should you become an Academy? or