What is the ‘A-Factor’? A look at the Academy Brand
You can brand a product; you can brand a company – but what about academies? IN:TUITION asked Ian Cleland, Chief Executive of the Ormiston Academies Trust for his view of what it means to be an academy. With 16 academies under their wing, Ormiston are one of the largest academy sponsors in the country.
 If you were asked to define the Google or Apple brand, you might use words like global, pioneering and innovative. As an exciting and growing initiative, academies deserve a similarly strong identity. The academies movement has been changing the face of the British education system for the past decade and, under current government plans, the movement is set to expand significantly with the option to convert to academy status being open to more and more schools. But what is the academy vision that schools are buying into? What is the brand?
The sponsored academies movement has distinguished itself by transforming educational opportunities for the most deprived communities across the country. The movement used to be identified with transforming failing schools. The danger is that with the move towards converters and other types of academy such as Free Schools, UTC’s, SEN and Studio Schools, that the brand could be diluted or damaged. However, if the academies brand is clearly set out, and those who seek to convert are committed to the associated principles, this risk can be averted.
Ian sees the academy brand as having certain core characteristics.
Freedom to innovate
Innovation is one of the most well-known and publicised features of academies. Academy freedoms to innovate extend to the curriculum, the school day and staffing. Academies are able to define their unique offering of subjects and the way in which they are delivered. This means that schools looking at converting to academy status must acknowledge the need for an attitude shift towards new ideas and different approaches to the curriculum, benefiting students who obtain this academy experience. Academy status must not be perceived or considered as being simply ‘more of the same’. Academies are very different from maintained schools and there is an expectation to see this marked distinction.
Inclusivity
Academies are generally not able to pick and choose their students through selection criteria. They can, and do exclude students, but it is more common for academies to have Inclusion Centres to help troubled students deal with the issues they are facing and work with them to enable a return to class. In this sense, academies recognise that poorly behaved students cannot simply be excluded, as this merely moves the problem elsewhere and may exacerbate it.
Transformation of learning
The delivery of the curriculum within the academy brand is about engaging students, mentoring and guiding them. This style and approach differs from that of traditional teaching as classes in academies actively encourage and develop opportunities for students to learn independently; often in a personalised manner, where stage and not age is the key criteria.
Engaging parents
Academies should seek to engage with parents and involve them on an on-going basis, in order that they understand the environment in which students are being taught, how the curriculum is being developed, and academy governance is structured. Strong parental involvement also engages them in the learning process, and therefore if a student is underachieving, parents can actively support the process to aid their child’s improvement.
Use of new technologies
Implicit within the academy brand is the need to bring ICT into mainstream learning. ICT in academies cannot be restricted to the occasional course, but rather integrated into the curriculum as a whole and used to enhance student opportunities to learn and develop. Many of today’s students are intuitively wired into new technology and this must be harnessed to maximise its effectiveness in their learning, ultimately broadening their horizons.
Distributed leadership
In order to work towards a more cohesive academy unit, the academy brand should acknowledge that there is shared leadership and a greater delegation of authority and responsibility. A ‘top down’ approach to leadership should not be taken; rather, it should be inclusive and acknowledge the benefits and value that distributed leadership can bring. Staff, student voice and student representation on the governing body can have a tremendous impact on student perceptions and learning.
Curriculum
The freedom to innovate has allowed the academies brand to be recognised as taking a forward-thinking approach to curriculum development. For example, many academies start their GCSE curriculum from Year 9 with pathways being made available into post-16 study. Many academies are also looking at addressing the national problem of transition between year 6 and year 7, by creating a stronger framework between primary and secondary education and better transition to help mitigate a fall-off in performance.
School organisation
The organisation of an academy reflects what it stands for and is the realisation of its vision. There are many different options that set an academy’s organisation of learning apart, for example mixed ability classes, mixed settings, block timetables and vertical tutoring. Aspects such as these ensure progression and send out strong messages to parents, staff and students.
Adding value
Ultimately the academy brand is about different approaches to adding value to help enhance students’ learning experiences and enable them to achieve. Academies are about a high quality and unique learning experience and not just improved results.
All of the points raised here share the consistent theme of developing teaching and learning and improving day-to-day practices. Approaching academy conversion with these points in mind can help continue to transform education in the UK.
IN:TUITION was speaking to Ian Cleland, Chief Executive of Ormiston Academies Trust
For more information on any of the articles or to find out more about what PKF can do for your academy please contact the PKF academies team on 0207 065 0377 or email education@uk.pkf.com
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