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‘Indentured autonomy’ : Headteachers and academisation policy in Northern England
Thompson, Greg Lingard, Bob Ball, Stephen J.
Thompson, Greg
Lingard, Bob
Ball, Stephen J.
Abstract
The academisation of schooling in Northern England is an example of a new mode of educational governance that promises greater autonomy for schools and school leaders. A common claim regarding the benefits of academisation is that it will improve student outcomes by delivering greater autonomy for Headteachers. In this paper, six Headteachers from Northern England, who had decided to academise their schools for various reasons, reflect on this promised autonomy. We develop the concept of ‘indentured autonomy’ (an outcome of negotiating autonomy, continued precariousness and cruel optimism) to explain how these Headteachers’ initial optimism for the academies programme has given way to the concern that they are probably less autonomous now than what they were previously. Paradoxically, these HTs still express a desire for autonomy, even as they reflect that the promised autonomy has not delivered what they had hoped.
Keywords
school autonomy, academy schools, responsibilisation
Date
2021
Type
Journal article
Journal
Journal of Educational Administration and History
Book
Volume
53
Issue
3-4
Page Range
215-232
Article Number
ACU Department
Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education (ILSTE)
Faculty of Education and Arts
Faculty of Education and Arts
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as green open access
License
File Access
Open
Controlled
Controlled