‘Unviable’ high performing schools at risk of academisation

Despite the government’s U-turn on academisation, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has maintained that some outstanding local authority schools could still be forced to covert to academies, if the are deemed as ‘unviable’.

In a statement to MPs, Morgan said: “Because of the pace of academisation in some areas it will become increasingly difficult for local authorities to offer schools the necessary support. We will therefore seek provisions to convert schools in the lowest performing and unviable local authorities to academy status.

“In some circumstances that might involve the conversion of good and outstanding schools when they have not chosen to do so themselves. We will consult on these arrangements, including the thresholds for performance and unviability.”