The National Union of Teachers (NUT) has commented on the findings from the 'SSAT and Reform survey of academies Plan A+ 2014: The Unfinished Revolution' document, stating "parents should be extremely alarmed".

Christine Blower, general secretary of the NUT - which is the UK's largest teachers' union - said the fact that the survey found over of a third of the academies employ unqualified teachers was an issue. She explained that all pupils have the right to be taught at a state-funded school by a fully qualified professional teacher.

Other findings from the report show that almost two-thirds of academies reported no change in their relationship with the local authority after switching status. 

Ms Blower said: "The NUT has campaigned for the coherence of school days and school terms in the interest of schools and families. This report vindicates that position given that a minority of academies have made changes."

The NUT said these findings support the union's view that councils can provide vital services to a wide range of local schools with an economy of scale that simply cannot be achieved by schools acting in isolation or run by an academy provider.

In addition, the group said those academies that had continued a relationship with the council welcomed the "support and collaboration" that is available when operating from within a close-knit family of schools supported by their local authority.
 
Reform and the education body SSAT's survey quizzed the largest body of academies to date. A fifth of the UK's academies responded, which represented a broad cross-section of the academy population, and more than half of these respondents said the main motivation for changing status was the increased autonomy. However, fewer than half of the academies have exercised this freedom to change the school day or the curriculum.

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