The teacher becomes a technician, not a guide. And the culture; once shaped by relationships, community and shared purpose, is flattened into compliance.
The stopwatch has returned, now disguised as a mark-book, a spreadsheet, a performance dashboard. The language of education is managerial: “impact,” “delivery,” “outcomes.” The rhythm of learning is replaced by the rhythm of reporting. And the teacher, once a custodian of curiosity, becomes a data handler in a system designed for audit, not understanding.
To truly change a culture, one must go beyond systems and staff attitudes. One must also change the environment; physically, emotionally and philosophically. That means rethinking the purpose of education, the metrics of success and the role of community, in shaping learning. It means moving away from performative compliance and toward meaningful engagement.
It also means acknowledging that culture is not built overnight. It is shaped by trust, continuity and shared purpose. When academisation is imposed rather than co-created, it risks becoming a symbolic gesture; an architectural facelift masking deeper fractures.
If culture is to change, it must be cultivated, not commanded. It must involve those at every level; teachers, students, parents, support staff—not just those in boardrooms or policy offices. Otherwise, the academy becomes a stage set for reform, while the real work of education remains backstage, under-resourced and unheard.
What happens when efficiency replaces empathy? When a stopwatch is exchanged for a mark-book?
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One can also observe the similarity with the current problems with the NHS within the UK, empathy is removed for the insertion of the mark-book.
