ACADEMIES 'NOT ALTERING TERM TIMES'
Many academies are making changes to their curriculum and teachers' pay, but few are opting to alter the length of the school day or term times, according to Government research.
It reveals that the majority of schools believe that the changes they have made after becoming an academy have helped to improve pupils' results.
The study, published by the Department for Education, is based on a survey of 720 academies in England.
It found that just over half (55%) have changed their curriculum, while a further 24% intend to make alterations.
But just a "small proportion" - 14% - have adjusted or plan to adjust the length of their school day, while less than one in 10 (9%) are changing their term times.
Academies have long had the freedom to set their own hours and terms times, such as opening earlier and closing later, and this is being extended to other state schools.
Education Secretary Michael Gove has previously called for longer school days and terms, warning that the current system is out of date.
But the proposals have proved controversial, with one poll suggesting that many parents believe allowing schools to set their own term times will make it tougher for families with children at more than one school to arrange childcare and family activities.
Around 84% of those questioned are already linking staff pay to their performance in the classroom, the survey found.
Ministers are introducing major reforms of teachers' pay for all state schools, including those under local council control.
Under the plans, due to come into effect from this autumn, in the first five years of a teachers' career, increases to their salary will be tied to how successful they are at their job, rather than their length of service. The move has been opposed by a number of teaching unions.
The survey also revealed that around one in six (16%) academy schools have hired unqualified teachers, with 5% of academies using unqualified teachers who are not working towards Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).
It found that around two-thirds of academies believe that the changes they have made to their school have improved attainment, and this is particularly the case for those that are sponsored.
Over half of the sponsored academies surveyed said that they had seen a rise in first choice applications from families hoping for a place since gaining academy status.
A DfE spokesman said: "Academies take power away from politicians and bureaucrats and hand it to the heads and teachers who know their pupils best. This survey shows how academies are embracing their new freedoms in order to drive up standards and improve opportunities for their pupils.
"Previously failing schools are more in demand since becoming academies and the vast majority of academy heads feel their results have improved overall. Freed from council control, academies are also more likely to collaborate with other local schools to share their expertise and improve attainment."
