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letsdothis2 ago

Interesting document from ATL, a UK teachers and lecturers union, about private companies muscling in on the education system: https://www.atl.org.uk/Images/ATL%20Privateers%20Brochure.pdf

ARK (Absolute Return for Kids)

Prior to its entry into the country, ARK had no previous experience of running education services in the UK.

ARK trustee Jennifer Moses was due to work as adviser to Gordon Brown in 2009 but had to give up days before starting the post when her husband, Ron Beller, lost more than £29 million due to the crash of his hedge fund, Peloton Brothers, in the credit crunch. She is described as a “libertarian who supports private money in [the] state education system”. (Daily Mail, 5 Mar 2008)

GEMS (Global Education Management Systems) Education

GEMS Education originally intended to be one of the leading chains of UK independent schools acquiring a chain of 13 schools. It had to sell Kingswood College in Lancashire because the Grade 1 listed building was simply too expensive to run profitably, according to The assignment report. GEMS Education intends to be a ‘major player’ in running the coalition government’s new free schools programme. Speaking at a conference in London former chief executive, Anders Hultin, stated that “the profit motive is essential for such projects to work”. He believes success is dependent upon being given autonomy from local authority control. He also said he felt England would eventually reconcile itself to privatisation in education when it saw the results. (Times educational supplement, 21 May 2010)