This week in Parliament involves “ping-pong”: legislation is sent back and forth from the Commons and Lords as the two Houses try and agree before the session ends. It is also the run-up to the “Queen’s Speech”. Both serve to concentrate MPs minds on best possible outcomes.
Personally I am in favour of academy schools – they often work well and good sponsors can transform underperforming schools. Some Heads and Governing Bodies relish the additional freedom that is gained. I also recognise that there are areas of the country where the local education authority is not a patch on West Sussex and schools need the extra impetus and support they can provide. There are also some counties in which the number of academies has reached a tipping point in which it is simply uneconomic to continue with a county structure.
However there is a lot to be said where possible to support choice and variety. There were genuine concerns about a compulsory change of structure from County-control to Academy status for our local schools. It is to the Government’s credit that they have listened. The decision on whether our local Good and Outstanding schools convert to become academies will, I am pleased to say, continue to be one that will be taken by the schools themselves on the basis of what works best for their students and this area.
PS For many residents the recent hot weather has proved a mixed blessing as it brings with it an unenviable choice of stifling heat or open windows and disturbed nights from aircraft noise. The Gatwick Arrivals Review is still open for responses (until 16th May) with full details on the website. Meanwhile whatever the current concerns on aircraft noise a second runway would make the situation incomparably worse. It appears that Heathrow will be endorsing all the conditions suggested by the Davies Commission – which included a ban on night flights. If so this would be a major positive in helping to secure airport expansion at Heathrow and I will be coming back to it in future weeks.