Key Point Summary - Sutton Trust Survey

The Sutton Trust commissioned a major teachers survey, called the Teacher Voice Omnibus Survey 2010 on Governmental Education Reforms.  The report has just become available and here we present a few highlights on teachers views of reforms involving Academies and Free Schools.  We will add more in due course.

Some of the reforms include expansion of Academies.  Legally, Free Schools are academies.  In addition to not being accountable to the Local Authority, other changes to Academies include:

• ability to set their own pay and conditions for staff
• freedoms around delivery of curriculum
• ability to change the length of school days and terms

Teachers are unsure if these changes will allow them to focus more time on improving acheivement at all, and teachers strongly feel that if there are benefits, they will benefit the more priviledged rather than the less privileged.  They also strongly feel that these freedoms will lead to greater, not lesser, social segregation.

On the question of whether the changes would allow more time to focus on improving achievement, teachers were very divided

On the question of whether or not those who were more privileged would be more likely to benefit as compared to those who are less privileged

On the question of whether the changes will lead to greater social segregations between local schools

Another major reform are free schools.  In addition to the above reasons for expansion of the Academies program, some additional reasons for introducing free schools include the notions that they will

• provide a better education for less privileged children in the local area
• drive up education standards through increased competition 

Teachers do not think free schools will provide a better education for less privileged children, nor that they will drive up educational standards by creating competition.  Teachers strongly feel that free schools will increase social segregation. 

On the question of free schools providing better education for less privileged children in the local area

• 63% of teachers disagree or strongly disagree
• 7% agreed or strongly agree

On the statement that free schools would drive up education standards in the area

• 67% disagree or strongly disagree
• • Rises to 74% for senior teachers
• 8% agree or strongly agree

On the statement of free schools increasing social segregation

• 66% agree or strongly agree
• 8% disagree or strongly disagree

Teachers were asked to what degree they agree with the statement that the government’s reforms have the potential to improve outcomes for less privileged children.

• 67% disagree or strongly disagree
• 8% agree or strongly agree