Sir, As heads of schools involved in the “sponsorship” or support of academies, we thought it would be helpful to add our views to the ongoing debate concerning the establishment of academies in the maintained sector.

In our case, “sponsorship” involves academic and administrative leadership and governance. We anticipate close relationships between our schools and our related academies where both can gain from co-operative ventures and by sharing good practice. Many of us already have positive experience of such co-operation across sectors. We do not think that we have all the answers, but we do feel that the success within our sector suggests that we have something to offer in helping the establishment and development of the new academies. Good education should, in our view, be as widely available as possible, and if this leads to increased competition for us we should welcome it, as all good organisations improve quickest when faced with strong competitors.

While our sponsorship is not, in most cases, financial (this would not be allowed by many of our charitable schemes), it does involve commitment from senior managers and governors, all of whom learn much of value from the process — including an understanding of some of the more frustrating elements of bureaucracy, although the Department for Children, Schools and Families does its best to simplify this. Those involved are very enthusiastic and their value to their own schools has been significantly enhanced.

We feel strongly that the academies initiative is an area where the independent sector can make a real contribution to raising educational standards nationwide, and we encourage all our fellow heads in the sector and their governing bodies to consider supporting an academy if they are not already so involved. Where this is not possible — and we understand that not all schools will have the capacity or the desire to follow our example — we urge all schools in our sector to welcome the development of the academy programme. It is a programme which is giving to heads of academies some of the added freedoms which we enjoy in the independent sector: if we believe in independence and feel that this helps us to tailor the provision within our own schools to the particular needs of our students, then we should surely rejoice when it is extended to others.

Graham Able

Master, Dulwich College

Charles Bush

Headmaster, Oundle School

Priscilla Chadwick

Principal, Berkhamsted Collegiate School

Richard Harman

Headmaster, Uppingham School

Tim Hastie-Smith

Headmaster, Dean Close School

Tim Haynes

Headmaster, Tonbridge School

Barnaby Lennon

Head Master, Harrow School

Nicholas Sampson

Master, Marlborough College

Anthony Seldon

Master, Wellington College

Stephen Wright

Head Master, Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood

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