Barnfield Chief Executive Pete Birkett welcomed the plans, which include the possibility of parents with children at struggling or failing schools being allowed to vote on who controlled those schools.
In September 2007 Barnfield broke new ground when it became the first Further Education College in the country to sponsor two underperforming secondary schools in Luton, create a federation and turn them around in just two years. From a position of special measures, GCSE results at Barnfield West and Barnfield South academies have tripled and Ofsted recently graded Leadership & Management, Governance and the capacity to improve as “outstanding” in both academies.
Pete Birkett said: “Our two academies have made great progress over a relatively short period of time and this new accreditation system will pave the way for further Federations like ours to ultimately drive up standards and results across the whole country.
“In addition to the new accreditation system, giving parents a strong voice to determine who should lead their local school is welcome.
“Every parent wants the very best for their children and it is only right that they have a say in how the schools are run. I believe that every education and training organisation in the country should be excellent and this initiative can only help drive this ambition.
“Our federation approach has demonstrated that sharing outstanding educational practice drives up standards at previously failing schools. The forming of more federations throughout the country should therefore be welcomed and actively encouraged.”
