Academy Success Could Overload Universities
A recent forecast suggested the educational benefits of a child attending an academy over a state school can result in improved GCSE results leading to better jobs. This benefit has been estimated at £100k in additional income during their working lives, but there has also been criticism the forecast is as an over simplification.
A few years ago floundering schools were offered a lifeline in the form of gaining academy status. Run by local philanthropists, or managed under the wing of a local outstanding school or educational institution, the objective was to steer the ailing school to greater things. Some succeeded, others failed.
Academies in Scotland have long been associated with schools of excellence. Academy status is now open for outstanding schools to gain operational freedom from local educational authorities. But the prior association of academies with disaster recovery programmes for failing schools now sends a confused message. The distinction between the two roles begs the question, which academy is the good school and which a recovering one? Clearly the objective is that both categories should eventually excel but it is so far from working out that way.
The outstanding school seeking freedom from the restrictive educational and operational bureaucracy could benefit hugely. The report claims this category of academy could influence the ultimate earnings potential of a child put at £100k over their working life. It is clearly difficult to calculate this figure set so far into the future of a rapidly changing economy and some criticism suggests the figure is unrealistic in quoting potential long term income. Professor Alan Smithers, Director of the Centre for Education and Employment at the University of Buckingham said the Government’s predictions were flawed “It cannot be represented in these crude quantative terms.”
A converse argument is how do we tell a child from a failing school they have been penalised by £100k? A key measure of educational success is a child that goes on to university. If the percentage of children going to university rises from the success of the academies we would have a similar abundance of graduates seeking jobs. Supply and demand issues would result in many accepting lower order jobs and perhaps never achieving their full potential – as is the current state of play. The prevailing economic situation and the shift of selected sectors overseas have reduced the number of graduates able to use their degree expertise vocationally. If this vicious circle continues many children will be put off university and could then loose the incentive to excel at school.
Education is a long term strategy. We need to improve the schooling process to recover our standing in the world markets. Similarly we need to invest in universities to capture and nurture improved academic achievement. Maybe the manufacturing base will have moved East in the meantime but our innovation and design capability in science and engineering should be emphasised. We need to approach the educational issues form both ends of the learning spectrum.
