Student profile
Matthew
Chosen Options: Graphics, Physical Education
Career Aspirations: to become a fireman
Next Step: Matthew hopes to study a Public Services course at Runshaw College.
After extensive research and consideration the governing body at Albany Science College has decided that in order to best serve the needs of our pupils and local community, now and in the future, the school should apply to for Academy status. As part of this process we would like to consult with, and hear from, all of our stakeholders, i.e. anyone who has an interest in or is connected with the school such as parent, carers, local residents etc. Details of how you can find out more about Academy status and get answers to any questions you might have are at the bottom of this page. Your views and input are important parts of the conversion process so please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Becoming an Academy allows schools greater freedoms and independence and for this reason only highly successful schools such as Albany have the option to convert. We would become a ‘converter Academy’ a high performing school that has chosen to become an Academy. These are not to be confused with the earlier ‘sponsor Academies’, underperforming schools that had to convert in an effort to raise standards and worked alongside sponsors in order to do this.
Academies are able to create more flexible and personalised curricula and timetables enabling the diverse needs of all pupils to be catered for more effectively. Academies also have access to more resources as funds that would usually be retained by the Local Authority are passed directly to the Academy, allowing the staff and governors to decide how best they can be used to support the pupils.
I have outlined below a few key pieces of information regarding the impact of converting to an Academy:-
• Pay and conditions for all staff would remain the same;
• The school will be funded directly and we will receive the funding that the Local Authority has traditionally retained for central services;
• There would be greater independence;
• There would be no change to the uniform for current pupils;
• The school does not need a sponsor and the governing body would continue to work to ensure the best outcomes for all of our pupils.
In short the pupils would continue to be taught by the same staff in the same school with the same high standards and values but we would be better resourced and have greater freedom to provide the best possible education for our pupils.
Academy status will not affect the standards and values that have made Albany the caring and successful school that is it today; it will however help to safeguard these qualities for the future.
Further information regarding Academies is available on the Department for Education website
www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/academies
For specific questions, queries or comments please contact the school on
Academy@albanysciencecollege.co.uk
Academy update
On Monday 6th February we were delighted to be informed by the Department for Education that our application to convert to an Academy on 1st September 2012 had been approved. Between now and September the first we will be putting in place the necessary structures to allow this transfer to take place and thereby secure the continued success of Albany and all of our pupils and staff. As mentioned before there is a dedicated email address for any Academy related questions or comments.
