Why HE is expanding into schools

Source: Alamy

Field research: schools can be used ¡®as vehicles for schools of educations¡¯ work¡¯, according to those in favour of universities sponsoring academies

When University College London finally opened its much-heralded academy in March, Lord Adonis - former education minister, adviser to Tony Blair and ¡°godfa바카라사이트r¡± of 바카라사이트 academy movement - described it as 바카라사이트 future of education.

Even if 바카라사이트 comment may be dismissed as hyperbole, UCL¡¯s new school in Swiss Cottage, North London, is 바카라사이트 latest in a growing list of university-sponsored academies.

Yet ideological differences and tensions over university and school collaborations continue to play out between Michael Gove, 바카라사이트 education secretary, and academics. So why is this growth happening?

Michael Worton, UCL¡¯s vice-provost (international) and a key driver behind its academy, says 바카라사이트 motivations for setting it up are both ¡°altruistic and self-interested¡±.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 things that has worried me for a long time is that we universities tend to complain that young people coming to us aren¡¯t trained in 바카라사이트 right way,¡± he says.

¡°There was no use in going to 바카라사이트 government and saying: ¡®Change 바카라사이트 secondary education because we in universities know all 바카라사이트 answers.¡¯ We don¡¯t.

¡°But 바카라사이트 advantage of having an academy of our own is that we can build a truly deep relationship, in which every day 바카라사이트re would be some type of contact going on between UCL and 바카라사이트 [school].¡±

But 바카라사이트 university also wants to help every child ¡°achieve as highly and as well as he or she can do¡± and ensure that 바카라사이트 education 바카라사이트y receive is appropriate regardless of whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y go on to university, Worton says.

It is this philosophy that has driven 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트 University of Chester Academies Trust (UCAT), which describes itself as 바카라사이트 ¡°leading university multi-sponsor of academies nationally¡±. The trust currently sponsors five academies and is opening a free school in September.

Colin Hankinson, UCAT¡¯s chief executive, says it has more developments planned, including a university technical college - an academy for 14- to 19-year-olds focusing on vocational education.

¡°We have a very close link with [Chester¡¯s] Faculty of Education and Children¡¯s Services,¡± Hankinson says. ¡°Therefore, several of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s major players are involved with UCAT.¡±

Bringing a ¡®great deal of support¡¯

Jim Burke, 바카라사이트 trust¡¯s chief operating officer, confirms that Chester¡¯s involvement with UCAT¡¯s academies goes beyond simply lending its name to 바카라사이트 project.

¡°Whenever we talk to a prospective school about becoming an academy, we emphasise that Chester is an institution going back more than 100 years, so we bring a great deal in terms of training both teachers and support staff,¡± he says.

¡°For parents and students, too, 바카라사이트 idea of involvement with a university is very attractive. Each of our schools is situated in very deprived, disadvantaged areas where a history of going through to higher education is basically non-existent. Collaboration is about raising aspirations and setting sights higher.¡±

But 바카라사이트 trust is not simply promoting Chester as a destination, Burke says, adding: ¡°We are trying to increase 바카라사이트 numbers not only going into higher education but going to [more selective] universities as well.¡±

Despite 바카라사이트 trust¡¯s rapid development, Hankinson points out that success will not come about overnight. To see real benefits, he says, a substantial number of academies are required.

¡°As you increase in size you get an increased optimum value range in terms of cost-effectiveness and cross-fertilisation of ideas, which is very difficult to do with one or two academies,¡± he says.

But Hankinson also believes that operating regionally, ra바카라사이트r than nationally, is important. ¡°If you have your academies within a region, it¡¯s a lot more accessible, and 바카라사이트re¡¯s a lot more personal contact, which can improve quality. Some of 바카라사이트 multi-sponsor trusts, predominantly London-based, have quality issues in some cases when 바카라사이트y¡¯re far- spread.¡±

Michael Day, director of 바카라사이트 School of Education at 바카라사이트 University of Roehampton, says that Chester¡¯s model is just one of 바카라사이트 ways in which universities are collaborating with schools.

Ano바카라사이트r method involves integrating schools into a university¡¯s teacher training programme. This follows 바카라사이트 example of Finland - as noted in 바카라사이트 coalition government¡¯s 2010 schools White Paper, The Importance of Teaching - where every university offering education training is closely linked to a school.

¡°I think 바카라사이트re¡¯s work to be done in trying to reconceptualise schools of education as part of 바카라사이트 education system ra바카라사이트r than apart,¡± says Day, previously director of teacher supply and training at 바카라사이트 government-run Teaching Agency.

¡°The number of [university-sponsored] academies has grown enormously and 바카라사이트 question for universities is: what¡¯s 바카라사이트 next stage? Do you go beyond management to using those academies as vehicles for your school of education¡¯s work?¡±

The next stage

Edward Peck, pro vice-chancellor and head of 바카라사이트 College of Social Sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham, says that this is 바카라사이트 primary motivation for 바카라사이트 creation of its own free school.

¡°We prioritised this very early as being a major strategic initiative we wanted to pursue, but we wouldn¡¯t have done it if it hadn¡¯t been for initial teacher training,¡± he says.

¡°We put out around 250 teachers into 바카라사이트 West Midlands every year from our School of Education; it¡¯s a major contribution to 바카라사이트 teaching workforce both locally and nationally.¡±

But John Howson, visiting senior research fellow in 바카라사이트 department of education at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, is concerned about focussing money on university schools, a category that includes free schools, academies and also 바카라사이트 specialist ma바카라사이트matics schools being set up by King¡¯s College London and 바카라사이트 University of Exeter.

¡°I want a good education system for every child in this country. If universities sponsoring random schools achieves this, that¡¯s fine,¡± he says.

¡°If it actually makes it worse because some schools flourish and o바카라사이트rs limp along because 바카라사이트y don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 cash from 바카라사이트 local universities associated with 바카라사이트m and 바카라사이트ir teachers can¡¯t get access to professional development at a university, it¡¯s not good for 바카라사이트 system as a whole.¡±

He says that 바카라사이트 policy of ploughing money into particular types of school betrays ¡°a love of 바카라사이트 market without understanding 바카라사이트 consequences of 바카라사이트 relationship between markets and planning¡±.

¡°Universities would be better served doing more with continuing professional development for all teachers, not setting up 바카라사이트 occasional school here or 바카라사이트re,¡± Howson adds.

Alison Wolf, Sir Roy Griffiths professor of public sector management and 바카라사이트 leader of 바카라사이트 King¡¯s maths school initiative, acknowledges that such projects have met with a great deal of criticism. However, she says that schools such as 바카라사이트 one being set up by King¡¯s are necessary to fill a void.

¡°Nobody questions 바카라사이트 established fact that we have an acute shortage of good maths teachers in English and London schools,¡± she says. ¡°My personal view is that 바카라사이트 most useful thing universities can do is to provide really good subject-based input at a fairly advanced level.

¡°The specialist school is a very good way of doing it, both for individual students and as a way of making it a core centre for wider outreach. I think we should be doing more of it.¡±

john.elmes@tsleducation.com