PM Tony Blair is to announce a major expansion in England of the city academies programme, which aims to improve schools in disadvantaged areas.
PM Tony Blair has announced a major expansion in England of the city academies programme, which aims to improve schools in disadvantaged areas.
In a speech in Birmingham, Mr Blair will say he wants 400 academies, double the present target for the year 2010.
In a speech in Birmingham, Mr Blair said he wanted 400 academies, double the present target for the year 2010.
The academies are independent of local authorities and part private-funded.
The academies are independent of local authorities and part private-funded.
Mr Blair is also expected to want 100 of the equally controversial new trust schools to be planned by next spring. Changes in exams are also mooted.
Mr Blair also wants 100 of the equally controversial new trust schools to be planned by next spring. There is a £10,000 incentive for early adopters.
Baccalaureate
Baccalaureate
The government is expected to promote the International Baccalaureate as an alternative to A-levels in the state sector.
Mr Blair was appearing at the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust annual conference, in a speech marking 10 years since he vowed to make "education, education, and education" his priorities.
This comes as the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) is piloting plans to make A-levels more challenging for the brighter students.
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE six main subjects studied over two years from literature, a second language, individuals and societies, experimental sciences, mathematics and computer sciences and the arts three to higher level (240 teaching hours) three at standard level (150 hours)plus three compulsory sections: 4,000-word essay on a topic of the student's interest; theory of knowledge; and creativity, action, service He praised academies as an "integral part" of education that bring "more choice and higher standards".
Mr Blair is to appear at the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust annual conference, in a speech marking 10 years since he vowed to make "education, education, and education" his priorities.
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE six main subjects studied over two years from literature, a second language, individuals and societies, experimental sciences, mathematics and computer sciences and the arts three to higher level (240 teaching hours) three at standard level (150 hours)plus three compulsory sections: 4,000-word essay on a topic of the student's interest; theory of knowledge; and creativity, action, service He is expected to praise academies as an "integral part" of education that bring "more choice and higher standards".
City academies and trust schools are at the core of Mr Blair's education policy and both have proved controversial.
City academies and trust schools are at the core of Mr Blair's education policy and both have proved controversial.
City academies started opening in 2002.
City academies started opening in 2002.
To become an academy, a school must raise up to £2m from private sponsors. In return, the government pays the rest of the start-up costs, typically £25m.
To become an academy, a school must raise up to £2m from private sponsors. In return, the government pays the rest of the start-up costs, typically £25m.
Critics are concerned that the outside sponsors - for example, businesses, faith groups and charities - have too much control over the school governance.
Critics are concerned that the outside sponsors - for example, businesses, faith groups and charities - have too much control over the school governance.
The current target is for 200 to be established or agreed by 2010. The government is halfway towards this.
The current target is for 200 to be established or agreed by 2010. The government is halfway towards this.
No new date was put on the aspiration of having 400.
Trust schools were enabled in the Education and Inspections Act, with some Labour backbenchers fearing they would lead to a two-tier education system.
Trust schools were enabled in the Education and Inspections Act, with some Labour backbenchers fearing they would lead to a two-tier education system.
Under the new legislation parents, businesses and voluntary groups can run trust schools.
Under the new legislation parents, businesses and voluntary groups can run trust schools.
The trusts will take control of their own buildings and land, directly employ their own staff, and will set and manage their own admissions criteria, while remaining state maintained schools.
The trusts will take control of their own buildings and land, directly employ their own staff, and will set and manage their own admissions criteria, while remaining state maintained schools.
Expertise
Expertise
Schools Minister Andrew Adonis is confirming the latest list of potential partners: Unilever, the Co-operative Group and College, Exeter University, Laing O'Rourke, Essex University, Sunderland University, the University of Wolverhampton and the University of the West of England.
Schools Minister Andrew Adonis confirmed the latest list of potential partners: Unilever, the Co-operative Group and College, Exeter University, Laing O'Rourke, Essex University, Sunderland University, the University of Wolverhampton and the University of the West of England.
"It shows the range of potential partners that can bring expertise to the table to help schools develop," he says.
"It shows the range of potential partners that can bring expertise to the table to help schools develop," he said.
He will announce plans for a wave of "early adopter" trust schools which will be eligible to apply for up to £10,000 to help with set-up costs.
He announced plans for a wave of "early adopter" trust schools which would be eligible to apply for up to £10,000 to help with set-up costs.
There are now 30 "pathfinder" projects embracing more than 50 schools.
There are now 30 "pathfinder" projects embracing more than 50 schools.
'Obsessed'
The general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, Mary Bousted, said: "The government should stop its obsession with academies before it does any further damage.
The general secretary of the NASUWT teachers' union, Chris Keates, was quick to condemn the proposals for more academies as "beyond belief".
"ATL fails to see how academies and trust schools will address the twin evilsof pupil under-achievement and inequality of opportunity.
The trust schools target was equally unacceptable.
"Trusts are a solution in search of a problem. We can't see what academiesand trusts can do, that foundation schools cannot."
"So much for the government's principle that trusts would only be established where there was a strong local case for doing so."
Encouraging schools to adopt the International Baccalaureate brought into question whether Number 10 was aware of the work in the Department for Education and Skills to create "a coherent, modern and inclusive post-14 curriculum", she said.
"It is becoming increasingly evident that Number 10 is bewitched by the independent sector and is seeking to mimic its most unattractive feature - elitism."
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