The Great City Academy Fraud

(Hardback)

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Description

This highly controversial and compelling book exposes the government's city academies project: the ways in which companies and rich individuals have been persuaded to sponsor academies, their real reasons for sponsoring them, the lies that have been told in support of the academies project, and the disastrous effect it will have on Britain's schools. It brings together existing research, by the author and others, and adds new research, to build up a picture of a deeply flawed idea, which is educationally disastrous and inherently corrupt. In his provocative yet fascinating tour de force, Francis Beckett pulls the plug on the most high-profile educational scam for decades.

Reviews

Title mention in the Tribune, September 2007
"Francis Beckett has written a carefully researched little book" -- Trident - Nuclear Proliferation the British Way
Article mentioning the book, Islington Tribune, 2007 -- Mark Blunden, Islington Tribune
"It should certainly be required reading for all parents in Camden and Islington, where several academies are looming ... The book is a racy and, if it weren't such a serious subject, at times a comic look at what has happened since the Tories wound up their CTC programme after establishing only 15 schools." -- Fiona Millar, Islington Tribune
'This devestating new book has done a great service to all of us who are intent on defending and extending comprehensive state education, by exposing the right wing pedigree, corruption and educational vandalism of one central aspect of the drive by Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to force schools to prepare children more closely for their economic roles under capitalism: city academies.' 'In writing The Creat City Academy Fraud, Francis Beckett has provided an invaluable weapon for our side to use in these battles, and for doing this he certainly deserves our thanks.' - Ken Muller, Socialist Review -- Ken Muller
"The Great City Academy Fraud is a wide-ranging critique of the Government's flagship schools programme...The rhetoric is compelling...[it] is lucid and clear in its writing." Miss Victoria Elliot, ESClate 15 May 2009 -- Miss Victoria Elliot * ESCalate *
"Set out with boldness and lucidity ... Francis Beckett's powerful polemic The Great City Academy Fraud, a book which every British parent should read." The Morning Star * Morning Star, The *
"It is impossible to commend this elegantly written book highly enough. It's packed with killer quotes and facts. I have the rather desecrating habit of turning the corners of pages down if they have a particularly important item. Almost every other page is now dog-eared." Hank Roberts, The Teacher, 01/07/07 -- Hank Roberts * Teacher Magazine *
'Francis Beckett has penned a joyfully political book, a sustained polemic against government bluff and blunder which should be required reading throughout the land.' - Melissa Benn, The Guardian -- Melissa Benn * The Guardian *

Author Bio

Francis Beckett is a writer and journalist. From 1997 to 2005 he was education correspondent of the New Statesman, and provided the main critique of New Labour education policy in the magazine. He also writes on education for the Guardian, the Daily Express and the TES. He is the author of eight books including The Blairs and their Court and Aneurin Bevan.