WATCH: Nick Gibb denies DfE is struggling to find academy sponsors

Schools minister defends academies programme in Parliament despite schools being forced to close because no sponsor can be found
20th March 2018, 5:20pm

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WATCH: Nick Gibb denies DfE is struggling to find academy sponsors

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School standards minister Nick Gibb was heckled by MPs as he denied that the Department for Education was “struggling” to secure sponsors for academies.

Evidence appears to contradict the minister’s words, with large numbers of under-performing schools being left to languish - or even being forced to close - after sponsors could not be found.

Tes revealed last year that dozens of “inadequate” schools had been left without a match 12 months after being ordered to convert into an academy.

Academy system under attack

This was despite the 2016 Education and Adoption Act stating that all maintained schools that Ofsted judges “inadequate” must become a sponsored academy.

And no schools had been turned into academies as a result of falling into the new category of “coasting schools”, which was introduced by the same law, despite a 2015 Tory manifesto pledge that all coasting secondary schools would be converted.

Watch Mr Gibb responding to a question from Labour MP Heidi Alexander during yesterday’s Education Questions:

Mr Gibb’s comments were widely criticised on Twitter:

I nearly fell off my chair when he said that

RSCs are pressurising reluctant MATs to take on SNOW
Dfe are throwing cash at anyone who might step up

Big Q is why should a MAT take on a troubled school that will most likely be a drain on their resources and finances?

- Andy Jolley (@ajjolley) March 20, 2018

 

The Minister for Exclamation Marks, Subordinate Conjunctions and 8 times 9, is now Minister of Invisible Sponsors. #GreatMan #LuckyToHaveASchoolsMinisterLikeHim #Progress #IntellectualRigour

- Michael Rosen (@MichaelRosenYes) March 20, 2018

 

For me the key phrase is ‘suitable sponsor’. I’m not sure there are enough of those out there

- Julia Skinner (@TheHeadsOffice) March 19, 2018

 

 

If the school is in a strong financial position then MATs will be clamouring. Otherwise it’s most likely only the desperate chancers will take on schools in difficult circumstances and this is not what those schools need.

- Chris Sainsbury (@sainsbo1967) March 20, 2018

 

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