Academy schools

Teaching unions scorned a recent National Audit Office report on the government's school academy programme. Chris Keates, NASUWT general secretary, said that nothing in it justified the "huge" investment of public money in academies, while Steve Sinott, NUT general secretary said that the Prime Minister's "addiction" to academy status denigrates the majority of teachers who work in successful community schools. The report was positive about academies although it acknowledged that they cost more to build, have shown little collaboration with neighbouring schools, and have broadly similar GCSE results.