Becky Francis reflected on the findings of Chain Effects for Schools Week.

Since its inception in 2000, the size of the academies programme has increased dramatically. Five years ago there were about 200 academies, today there are well over 4,000. With Nicky Morgan’s post-election pledge to turn many “coasting” schools into academies, the new government shows no sign of slowing down their expansion.

However, there has been little independent attention to the impact of sponsor academies in realising their intended purpose of transforming the educational outcomes of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Our latest report with the Sutton Trust, Chain Effects 2015, which written by (lead author) Merryn Hutchings, Philip Kirby and me, looks at how well academies are doing in providing for their disadvantaged pupils.

Read her full article here. Read the Schools Week news report on Chain Effects here.