Moves to academies prompted Walsall Serco axe

Thursday 28th July 2011, 5:00PM BST.

The decision to axe the multi-million pound contract between Walsall Council and Serco was expected due to more and more schools seeking independence, education leaders said today.

Rising numbers of primaries and secondaries becoming academies prompted the move to axe the firm which employs around 400 people in non-teaching roles.

Brownhills Technology College headteacher Helen Keenan said today: “I am not surprised at all. It is nothing to do with Serco but to schools becoming more independent, which is what the Government wants.

“Times have moved on and I don’t think a privatised company is the way forward for state education. The biggest factor in school successes is support from other schools.”

Council leader Mike Bird added: “Sixty per cent of our schools are saying we want to become academies and want to do our own thing.

“They will still be able to buy in services from Serco, but can make their own choice. The way the Government is moving now, local authorities will not be as involved in education.

To read our stories in full, log in to the premium 24 website.

View more: Education news, Schools news, Walsall news, Walsall Council news.