MPs to vote on Academies Bill

July 26 2010

Professionals teaching in England will be keeping a close eye on Parliament as MPs vote on the Academies Bill.

Under the proposed legislation, all schools will be given the opportunity to opt out of local authority control, in a move that is intended to improve standards by giving head teachers greater control.

Around 2,000 schools have expressed an interest in becoming an academy, but it has not yet been revealed how many have officially applied to go through with the change, reports BBC News.

Some schools are expected to gain academy status from September, with those deemed "outstanding" by Ofsted being fast-tracked for the switch.

People teaching in academies in England would have their school set their terms and conditions, while the educational establishment will be able to design its own curriculum as long as it is deemed to be "broad and balanced".

Earlier this month, the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers called for an independent review of National Curriculum tests, stating they are not reliable enough and do not improve standards.

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