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Clean Politics > Published by Shamik Das, July 29th 2010 at 3:35 pm

June 2: ‘Over 1,000’ schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158

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Michael Gove’s boast that “over 1,000 schools” had applied for academy freedoms have been exposed as wildly off target with the revelation that just over 150 had in fact done so. Also queried in the wake of the figures is the education secretary’s justification for rushing through the academies bill, telling the Today programme last week that “hundreds” of schools were anxious to convert.

Michael-Gove-dunces-capThe overestimation of the number of schools applying for academy freedoms follows Gove’s litany of errors over the announcement of the Building Schools for the Future scrappage, described as “intolerable” and “astonishing” by Labour MPs, and a “regrettable error” by the man himself.

Shadow education secretary and Labour leadership candidate Ed Balls today seized on Gove’s latest blunder:

“Michael Gove railroaded the Academies Bill through Parliament in a way that’s only normally done for emergencies like anti-terrorism legislation. He said this was because hundreds of schools wanted to become Academies, over a thousand schools had applied and many of them wanted to open in September.

“Now barely ten per cent of that number, around 100, have even applied for Academy status and none of them will convert in September, Michael Gove must explain why he rushed this Bill and misleadingly claimed that more than one thousand schools had applied. It seems to me that the real reason for the rush was to avoid proper scrutiny for a deeply flawed piece of legislation.”

In a DfE press release in early June, Gove had originally claimed:

“The response has been overwhelming. In just one week, over 1100 schools have applied. Of these, 626 are outstanding schools, including over 250 primary schools, nearly 300 secondary schools (over half of all the outstanding secondary schools in the country) and over 50 special schools.”

On June 2nd, the DfE said the total number of schools who have applied for academy freedoms was 1,114: 488 non-outstanding schools and 626 ‘outstanding’ schools, of which 273 were primary schools and 299 secondary schools; now, however, the figure is 158 – 110 secondaries and 46 primary.

Balls today added:

“Michael Gove must now publish the criteria he is using to decide which schools will be granted Academy status and which won’t. He said outstanding schools would be ‘pre-approved’, but we already know that at least one of them has been rejected.

“Just like the chaotic announcement on school building cuts it seems that arbitrary decisions about schools are being made by Mr Gove and his Department. This is what happens when local councils and local communities are cut out of the picture and decisions about hundreds of individual schools are made at the centre by Ministers.”

  • http://twitter.com/stefanstern/status/19830476968 stefanstern

    RT Outrageous – June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 – http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ

  • http://twitter.com/jamierob_/status/19830509849 Jamie Robertson

    RT @stefanstern: RT Outrageous – June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 – http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ

  • http://twitter.com/katforrester/status/19830617012 Katrina Forrester

    RT @leftfootfwd: June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 – http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ #ConDemNation

  • Liz McShane

    I am not surprised that The Tories can’t get their sums right. I remember in the run up to the General Election 2010 that some of their statistics were out by a factor of 10! I think some remedial mathematics refresher classes are needed very urgently!

  • http://twitter.com/tess1959/status/19830624736 Teresa

    RT @leftfootfwd: June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 – http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ #ConDemNation

  • http://twitter.com/abelardinelli/status/19830659885 Alex Belardinelli

    RT @leftfootfwd: June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 – http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ #ConDemNation

  • http://twitter.com/politic_animal/status/19830668463 Political Animal

    RT @leftfootfwd June 2: 'Over 1k' schools apply fr academy status; July 23: Down to 158 http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ <Case for rushed Bill crumbles.

  • http://twitter.com/turbohat/status/19830774183 Darryl Ellson

    Surely not? Mr Gove telling lies? "1000 applications is really 158" http://bit.ly/9kPuGL

  • Tom Royal

    Ha. Gove claimed that over 1,000 schools had applied to become academies – but in reality, 158. http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ (via @politic_animal)

  • http://twitter.com/twitphoenix/status/19831550078 twitphoenix

    RT @tweetminster: June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ – Left Foot Forward

  • http://twitter.com/phelim/status/19831596589 Phelim Brady

    RT @tweetminster: June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ – Left Foot Forward

  • http://twitter.com/holzhar/status/19831619332 H Harris

    RT @tomroyal: Ha. Gove claimed that over 1,000 schools had applied to become academies – but in reality, 158. http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ (via …

  • http://twitter.com/verbalid/status/19831717215 Nick Copland

    RT @tweetminster: June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ – Left Foot Forward

  • http://twitter.com/ever_optimistic/status/19831727906 Martin Robson

    @tweetminster RT June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ via Left Foot Forward #BSF

  • http://twitter.com/liammckee/status/19831971315 Liam McKee

    "@leftover: June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 – http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ #ConDemNation"

  • http://twitter.com/hanlemic/status/19831970381 Michael Hanley

    RT @politic_animal: RT @leftfootfwd June 2: 'Over 1k' schools apply fr academy status; July 23: Down to 158 http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ <Cas …

  • http://twitter.com/humphreycushion/status/19832356876 Humphrey Cushion

    #Gove you are on detention!! : http://bit.ly/dtLRL5 Write "thousands" of times: "I must not tell lies and mislead the House"

  • http://twitter.com/richdavidson/status/19832396532 richdavidson

    RT @tweetminster: June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ – Left Foot Forward

  • http://twitter.com/leonjward/status/19832640799 Leon Ward

    RT @humphreycushion: #Gove you are on detention!! : http://bit.ly/dtLRL5 Write "thousands" of times: "I must not tell lies and mislead the House"

  • http://twitter.com/daxhalo/status/19832646463 Hany Gohary

    RT @tomroyal: Ha. Gove claimed that over 1,000 schools had applied to become academies – but in reality, 158. http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ (via …

  • http://twitter.com/anpa2001/status/19833259120 R Gordon

    June 2: ‘Over 1,000’ schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 – not that great then, Michael… http://bit.ly/9kPuGL

  • http://twitter.com/drkmj/status/19833510580 DrKMJ

    June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 – http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ #ConDemNation via @leftfootfwd

  • http://twitter.com/yorkierosie/status/19834773688 yorkierosie

    RT @humphreycushion: #Gove you are on detention!! : http://bit.ly/dtLRL5 Write "thousands" of times: "I must not tell lies and mislead t …

  • http://twitter.com/davidebaines/status/19835408165 David Baines

    RT @leftfootfwd: June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 – http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ #ConDemNation

  • http://twitter.com/sinnaluvva/status/19835417184 Malcolm Evison

    June 2: ‘Over 1,000’ schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 | Left Foot Forward: http://bit.ly/aft7ws via @addthis

  • http://twitter.com/teresasmisc/status/19835416711 Teresa Cairns

    RT @leftfootfwd: June 2: ‘Over 1,000’ schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 http://bit.ly/9kPuGL

  • http://twitter.com/sinnaluvva/status/19835433231 Malcolm Evison

    RT @humphreycushion: #Gove you are on detention!! : http://bit.ly/dtLRL5 Write "thousands" of times: "I must not tell lies and mislead the House"

  • http://twitter.com/andy_s_64/status/19835478578 Andy Sutherland

    RT @tweetminster: June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ – Left Foot Forward

  • http://twitter.com/wubeyonekenobi/status/19835642521 Colin Waude

    RT @humphreycushion: #Gove you are on detention!! : http://bit.ly/dtLRL5 Write "thousands" of times: "I must not tell lies and mislead t …

  • http://twitter.com/dr_nick_online/status/19836412652 Nick Winstone Cooper

    RT @stefanstern: RT Outrageous – June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 – http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ

  • http://twitter.com/mittfh/status/19836414429 Ben Norwood

    RT @tweetminster: June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ – Left Foot Forward

  • http://twitter.com/issy/status/19837354018 Issy

    RT @stefanstern: RT Outrageous – June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 – http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ

  • http://twitter.com/john_hickey_fry/status/19838173867 John Hickey-Fry

    RT @leftfootfwd: June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 – http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ #ConDemNation

  • http://twitter.com/naushabahkhan/status/19839667824 Naushabah Khan

    RT @leftfootfwd: June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 – http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ #ConDemNation

  • http://hubpages.com/profile/ktarcus Kevin

    He is politician he lies

  • http://twitter.com/liamster/status/19842206126 Liamster

    RT @tweetminster: June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ – Left Foot Forward

  • http://twitter.com/tonyparkin/status/19842272428 Tony Parkin

    RT @alanmills405: Gove’s boast “over 1,000 schools” apply for academy freedoms exposed-just over 150 have done so. http://bit.ly/dtLRL5

  • http://twitter.com/beaubilly10/status/19848453306 fljf

    RT @humphreycushion: #Gove you are on detention!! : http://bit.ly/dtLRL5 Write "thousands" of times: "I must not tell lies and mislead the House"

  • http://twitter.com/blissedoutjo/status/19848833772 Jo C

    http://j.mp/db6Tlg Gove is a big fat liar! Actually he was quoting no of schools who'd rang 4 info pack-v different 2 applying.

  • http://twitter.com/blissedoutjo/status/19848892922 Jo C

    http://j.mp/db6Tlg any sensible head teacher would want the info 2 find out what the academies bill was all about & how it'd effect them

  • http://twitter.com/kate_butler/status/19848895521 KATE BUTLER

    RT @blissedoutjo: http://j.mp/db6Tlg Gove is a big fat liar! Actually he was quoting no of schools who'd rang 4 info pack-v different 2 …

  • http://twitter.com/itsmotherswork/status/19856233916 Rachael

    RT @alanmills405: Gove’s boast “over 1,000 schools” apply 4 academy freedoms exposed-just over 150 had in fact done so. http://bit.ly/dtLRL5 Clegg/Gove lies

  • http://twitter.com/benewright/status/19856507402 Ben Wright

    RT @stefanstern Outrageous – June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 – http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ #yam

  • Mr. Sensible

    What an absolute shambles this whole thing is turning out to be.

    I cannot believe that BSF is being scrapped for this academies program in the first place, but now Gove has hiped up the amount of interest in it…

  • http://twitter.com/nateadams/status/19889911605 Nate Adams

    RT @tweetminster: June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ – Left Foot Forward

  • Mr. Sensible

    I read in the paper today that governing bodies need time to weigh up the options.

    In which case, why on Earth railroad the bill through?

  • http://www.unfittogovern.info/2010/07/another-blunder-for-gove-has-trouble-with-his-figures/ Another Blunder for Gove – has trouble with his figures | Unfit To Govern

    [...] reading here: Guardian  Left Foot Forward  Paul Waugh :academies bill, ed balls, education, Michael Gove, politics, uk [...]

  • http://twitter.com/lukejcr/status/19922617583 lukejcr

    #CrazyGove hashtag well deserved… http://bit.ly/aiLRu4

  • Gez

    see tory mp stated apart from slashing police and replacing them with volunteers the same should be done for teaching assistants

    sack those teaching assistants and get them back as volunteers

  • http://twitter.com/bucks_nut/status/20021910472 BuckinghamshireNUT

    RT @humphreycushion: #Gove you are on detention!! : http://bit.ly/dtLRL5 Write "thousands" of times: "I must not tell lies and mislead t …

  • http://twitter.com/bipolarbearmd/status/20055003909 TheBiPolarBearMD

    June 2: ‘Over 1,000’ schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158… http://bit.ly/9kPuGL

  • http://twitter.com/mrnorthice/status/20242687581 Steve Wins

    RT @stefanstern: RT Outrageous – June 2: 'Over 1,000' schools apply for academy status; July 23: Down to 158 – http://bit.ly/dz7WXZ

  • http://raincoatoptimism.wordpress.com/2010/09/21/400-academy-schools-by-2011-convincing/ 400 academy schools by 2011: convincing? « Raincoat Optimism

    [...] This is probably a conservative estimate to save face, but it is still well shy of the 1,000 Gove claimed had applied. [...]