§ Baroness Sharp of Guildfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether city academies which take over inner city secondary schools are subject to transfer of undertakings protection of employment rules in relation to staff employment. [HL3765]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills, (Baroness Ashton of Upholland)Yes. Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 (TUPE) has applied in all the open academies directly replacing predecessor schools.
§ Baroness Sharp of Guildfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Which city acadamies' establishments have been agreed to date, and what is the respective contributions to their cost, including land values, from (a) sponsors; and (b) the public sector. [HL3766]
§ Baroness Ashton of UphollandTo date 26 academy projects have funding agreements in place with the Secretary of State. Details of these academies and the capital costs of each are set out in the table below. Academies' recurrent funding is comparable with funding for maintained schools, with similar characteristics, within the LEAs in which they are situated. LEAs, or in some cases church authorities, provide the land on which academies are established, at no cost to the academy.
7WA
£ Sponsors provide funding of up to £2 million towards the initial capital costs. Academy: Name Capital Contribution in: Sponsors Capital Contribution in: DfES Open Academies The Business Academy, Bexley inc. primary wing 2,450,000 35,866,940 Greig City Academy, Haringey 2,000,000 14,479,000 Unity City Academy, Middlesbrough 2,000,000 18,590,000 Capital City Academy, Brent 2,000,000 25,516,105 The City Academy, Bristol 2,599,000 25,067,644 The West London Academy, Ealing 2,000,000 27,726,458 Manchester Academy 2,000,000 13,291,971 The King's Academy, Middlesbrough 2,000,000 20,301,106 Djanogly City Academy, Nottingham 0 21,236,359 City of London (Southwark) Academy 2,000,000 31,685,332 The Academy at Peckham, Southwark 2,000,000 26,219,539 The Walsall City Academy 2,500,000 15,721,463 Academies in Implementation London Academy, Barnet 1,500,000 29,898,939 Mossbourne Community Academy, Hackney 2,150,000 25,823,726 Stockley Academy, Hillingdon 2,000,000 23,809,685 Lambeth Academy, Lambeth 2,000,000 25,450,000 Northampton Academy 2,000,000 25,359,196 Trinity Academy, Doncaster 2,000,000 22,769,433 Harefield Academy, Hillingdon 1,500,000 23,852,463 Marlowe Academy, Kent 2,462,000 24,978,111 Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College Academy, Lewisham 704,500 6,340,500
£ Sponsors provide funding of up to £2 million towards the initial capital costs. Academy: Name Capital Contribution in: Sponsors Capital Contribution in: DfES Haberdashers' Aske's Knights Academy, Lewisham 295,500 38,109,500 Academy of St Francis of Assisi, Liverpool 2,000,000 16,196,030 David Young Community Academy, Leeds 2,357,397 18,348,993 Sandwell Academy, Sandwell 2,000,000 24,156,066 Grace Academy, Solihull 2,000,000 26,881,398
§ Baroness Sharp of Guildfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether "ownership" of a city academy by a sponsor implies ownership of the land and buildings and other assets; and if so whether sponsors will retain ownership and development rights on the assets in the event of the subsequent failure of the academy. [HL3767]
§ Baroness Ashton of UphollandOwnership of any existing buildings or land required for the establishment of an academy is transferred from the current owner, usually the local education authority, to the academy trust before an academy opens. The academy trust is a charitable trust set up by the sponsor which is responsible for the building and running of the academy. Should the academy close, ownership of the land and buildings would revert to the previous owner.
§ Baroness Sharp of Guildfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
What qualifications are sought from sponsors of city academies to ensure that they are qualified to set the terms and conditions for the employment of teachers. [HL3768]
§ Baroness Ashton of UphollandAcademies are replacing schools which have failed to provide an adequate education for pupils over a long period, often despite a number of attempts to turn them around. The private, voluntary and faith sector sponsors of academies bring with them a wide range of skills, experience and success. Academies have the freedom to set terms and conditions for their staff and we back sponsors to make a success of academies where all else has failed.
§ Baroness Sharp of Guildfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
What safeguards are in place to ensure that sponsors of city academies serve the best interests of the pupils, bearing in mind the role and influence of sponsors in these academies. [HL3769]
§ Baroness Ashton of UphollandMost academies are replacing schools which have failed to provide an adequate education for their pupils. All trustees of an academy are bound by charitable law to act in the best interests of the academy. The funding agreement for each academy sets out the framework under which the academy operates, including having admissions arrangements which comply with the code of practice8WA and teaching the national curriculum core subjects. The funding agreement also sets out a range of interventions that the Secretary of State can implement where an academy is in breach of its funding agreement or where he has concerns about its management or performance.
Academies are also inspected by Ofsted in the fifth or sixth term after they open and thereafter on the same basis as other maintained schools.