Liberal Democrat update on the campaign

Worthing High School Academy Bid – UPDATE

by Press Officer on June 29, 2012

Worthing Liberal Democrats are today calling on all Worthing School Boards of Governors to hold their regular meetings in public.  The call follows the current controversy over the proposed conversion of Worthing High Trust School to an academy which was approved by the school governors behind closed doors.

Parents and teachers were refused entry to listen to the proceedings at the Board of Governors meeting held on Wednesday May 30th where governors voted to move to Academy status.

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Front page news Worthing Herald

Teachers look set to strike

Published on Thursday 28 June 2012 13:00

TEACHERS at Worthing High look set to strike next month over the academy plans.

Votes are still to be counted from the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, but more than 50 per cent of the school’s teachers are members of the NUT.

Dave Thomas, secretary for West Sussex NUT, said the majority of teachers had voted in favour of industrial action.

For the full story, read the Worthing Herald today, Thursday, June 28.

Governors' meeting change of venue

The planned full Governors' meeting schedule or this evening at Worthing High School was inexplicably moved to the Nsure head office on Rowlands Road. If the Governors thought this was yet another way of evading our protests and running away from parents with real objections to their plans, they were mistaken. We followed them to Rowlands Road and made some noise.

It is deeply worrying that the meeting, concerning the management of OUR maintained public service school is being held on the premises of this private business. Welcome to the Nsure Academy?

Strike threat over school's academy plans

The Argus, 27th June 2012                                        Ben James

Teachers will go on strike before the end of the summer term if school bosses don’t reconsider a controversial move to academy status.

Ninety-seven per cent of Worthing High School’s most represented union have voted in favour of industrial action if bosses don’t open up a democratic debate into the move.

Dave Thomas, of the National Union of Teachers, claims that despite the overwhelming majority of staff opposing the plans the school is not listening to them.

In a statement, he said: “We have reached a critical stage. Leaving aside the students and parents, the staff of any school are its greatest resource. The governors should listen to them.”
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Public meeting 26th June update

Thanks everyone who came to our fourth public meeting last night. We remain resolutely opposed to WHS proposal to convert to an academy - we have been offered no clear evidence of how this will benefit our children or raise standards at the school. And we are now focussed on overturning the governors' decision to press ahead with the conversion application on the basis that the 'consultation' has not been the full, meaningful and democratic process that we have the right to, as stakeholders.

Please join us in demonstrating tomorrow, Thursday 28th June, outside the school for the governors' next full meeting. We will be meeting there at 5.30 pm. Our messages are clear: 'RSVP to our invitation', 'Stop ignoring us', 'Talk with us', 'No Academy at WHS'. All welcome. We expect this to be another good natured, vibrant protest. Hope you can make it for half an hour!

Public meeting 26th June

Public meeting this Tuesday, 26th June, 7.30 pm, at Manor Sports Ground, Cricket Club, Broadwater. Entrance by car from Georgia Avenue - there's a car park next to the cricket club.

Please spread the word. Looking forward seeing lots of you there to update you on the campaign and share ideas for our next steps...

More excellent letters in the local press

Two more excellent, intelligent, well argued letters in The Herald: 'Perfectly expressed' by Elizabeth French, 14th June 2012 'Silence is deafening' by Peter Thompson, 21st June 2012 We salute you.

Schools forge new relationships with local authorities

An interesting article today by Fiona Millar. http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/jun/18/schools-local-education-authority-control

Campaign coverage goes national!

The Independent, Tuesday 19th June Andy McSmith

Don't dish it out if you can't take it

It seems to be an agreed social convention these days that members of the public can abuse politicians, but that politicians must not answer back. Theresa Wyatt, who teaches at Angmering School in West Sussex, fired off an angry letter to Tim Loughton, Tory MP for nearby Worthing and a junior education minister, about academy schools. She wrote: "It is too easy for you obviously, as an MP, to lie to everyone in order to get what you want and damn what the people and communities want." She was not expecting him to reply in kind, but he did, with a brief note saying: "Given such a display of ignorance, arrogance and sheer unadulterated prejudice, thank God you are not teaching children in my constituency."

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http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/diary/diary-i-want-supreme-power-boris-johnson-opens-up-on-ambitions-7858855.html"

MP's 'rude' reply blasted by teacher

The Argus, Monday 18th June 2012    Ben James

A TEACHER has branded her MP “ignorant” and “unprofessional” after he sent a scathing personal response to an email opposing academy schools.
Theresa Wyatt, who works at Angmering School, contacted East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton, to challenge his claim that there is no opposition to Worthing High School’s proposed move to academy status.
Part of her email read: “It has been proven not to work already. Please take on board the real situation, it is too easy for you obviously, as an MP, to lie to everyone in order to get what you want and damn what the people and communities want.”

The Conservative politician, who responded with just one sentence, said: “Given such a display of ignorance, arrogance and sheer unadulterated prejudice thank God you are not teaching children in my constituency.”
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We handed out flyers to Worthing parents today at the close of the wonderful Children's Parade at Steyne Gardens - many parents welcomed the opportunity to talk parent to parent with us about their concerns around the academisation of our local schools. Many more took away our flyers to read some of the arguments against WHS converting to an academy. Hurray for democracy!

Perhaps in response to reading our flyer - welcome to those of you that are visiting our blog for the first time. And welcome also to all the new 'likers' on our facebook page! We look forward to more of you getting involved in the campaign.

Good response from students as we handed out flyers to them at the end of school today. Some asked questions, some expressed their opposition. Let's hope some of the flyers make it home to parents and carers...

And we will be campaigning and handing out flyers again tomorrow at the end of the Children's Parade. Meeting at 11.45 am at the North entrance of the gardens (Warwick Street end). Please all come and lend a hand - we need all hands on deck - weather permitting.

Perfectly expressed

Excellent letter in Worthing Herald, in response to last week's letter by T Hodgson, 'Hollow feeling of inevitability'.

Letter to Tim Loughton

Dear Tim Loughton

I am protesting in the strongest possible terms about the proposal to make Worthing High School an Academy. You have stated that you have received no opposition to this measure. Well, you have now! There is a petition that has gathered over 450 signatures in a short space of time which should go some way to showing that there is strong local opposition to the scheme.

Similarly, there is no proof that becoming an Academy will benefit the local children academically; no other Worthing schools are currently academies and the nearest one that has become an Academy is Sir Robert Woodard in Lancing. This academy has recently been put in Ofsted special measures, three years after becoming an academy. By any measure, this is not good for local children.

In addition, regarding teacher's pay and conditions; the proposals cite freedom from national agreements as a benefit of conversion and yet the head has moved to assure staff that these will not be changed. If there is no intention to change these why is it a key factor in the decision to convert? I'm sure you would agree that any instability in this area undermines the teachers, affects morale and impacts badly on the pupils.

Meanwhile, the point about enabling Worthing High School to be finacially better off if they convert to Academy status is clearly nonsense. The amount of money retained by the local authority for services rendered is a minuscule proportion of the school's overall budget. Inevitably, this saving will have to be reinvested to replace those services no longer provided by the local authority.

Please ask yourself this question and answer it honestly. Who has the greater buying power? The Local Authority with more than 250 maintained schools, and established infrastructure or Worthing High's governing body, inexperienced in such matters and in an undeveloped and uncharted market? It is claimed “collaboration” with other local schools will help. Which schools? No other Worthing school has applied for Academy status. In any business model, it is accepted that mistakes will be made in the early stages. I do not want to see expensive mistakes made with local children's education.

Also, I found the following quote:
“The Government is clear that becoming an academy should not bring about a financial advantage or disadvantage to a school.”
Source: Department for Education, Feb 2012

So by your own admission, saying that the school will be financially better off is impossible.

I know that you are bound to vote with the Government, however misguided they are, but I should like to point out that you are supposed to work for the people of  Worthing who you currently represent and would beg you to search your conscience about this matter. Can you honestly say that you would be happy for any children that you have to attend a school under these measures? As a parent myself, I know that you would want the best for your child and this is a long way from being the best for any Worthing child.

Please, please think again and never again say that you have not received any opposition to this silly proposal

Yours sincerely

REBECCA SIMMONS

CHINGFORD: Schools to form academy trust despite consultation fears

Article by Joe Curtis on http://www.guardian-series.co.uk (13 June 2012)


"TWO secondary schools look set to controversially merge despite concerns over a lack of consultation with parents.

Chingford Foundation School and Rush Croft Sports College hope to form a single academy trust in September.

This would mean the schools would move out of council control, unite under one governing body and could share facilities and staff.

But the National Union of Teachers (NUT) said parents of children at Rush Croft in Rushcroft Road were not properly consulted on the move and could take further action in an attempt to halt the process.


Rinaldo Frezzato, Waltham Forest NUT representative, said: "We are concerned about the lack of consultation and we will be challenging that.
"There's the possibility of industrial action on the horizon if they do not consult parents.""


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Striking against academies

Article from http://www.socialistparty.org.uk (13 June 2012)


"On 31 May NUT members at Alperton Community school in Brent went on strike against proposals to turn their school into an academy. Hank Roberts spoke to the Socialist from the picket line:


"The school governors have voted to support an academy but staff have rejected this in a ballot with a two-thirds majority against. Schools minister Gove wants to privatise our schools so they can be run for profit, not to provide education for all."
"


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More strikes for school teachers

Article on http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk (13 June 2012)


"Teachers at The Kimberley School are planning more strike action because a compromise has not been reached over plans for academy status.

The National Teachers Union has planned three more days industrial action next week and say there will be more thereafter until the school is ‘willing to negotiate’.

NUT regional officer Nick Raine said the union met with the chair of governors and the headteacher at the school, but a compromise was not reached leaving him ‘forced to escalate the campaign’.

Mr Raine – who joined teachers on the picket line for the second time Wednesday and Thursday this week, said: “We went to a meeting with management to come to a compromoise but they said their position had not changed.

“Members are unanymous they wanted more action.”

Union members are concerned their pay and conditions will change, school policies will change and are worried an academy chain could take over the school if it gets into financial difficulty."




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Campaign Update

After a productive and well attended meeting last night the campaign is invigorated and moving forward.


Next steps are to continue collecting petition signatures and also to hand out leaflets setting out the objections to parents and prospective parents.  We will be in Worthing Town Centre on Saturday enjoying the Children's Parade and talking to parents.


Feel free to come and help or come and have a chat if you still have questions about the campaign.  We will be in Steyne Gardens at the end of the Parade.





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Next Meeting is set for 7.30 Tuesday 26 June - Worthing Cricket Club, Manor Recreation Ground, see you there!

Letter from WHS parent to Head Teacher

Reaction to the vote of conversion to Academy for Worthing High School.

I joined the parent forum as I am a parent of 5 children, 2 of which attend Worthing High school in years 10 and 8 and 3 younger ones all at local schools. I was unable to make the school meeting and wanted to find out about what conversion to an academy would actually mean for my children’s education.

We (the suspended parents forum) worked together effectively collating information and discussing both pro’s and con’s of the proposed move to Academy status. Our objectives in our terms of reference were agreed with the school:

·         Creates an additional open forum with parents/carers to establish an additional way to canvas opinions and facilitate and encourage parent voice.

·         Improves communication and liaison between Worthing High School and parent/carer

·         Enables parental engagement in development of our school.

·         Enhances parental engagement in developing future plans for the school including what, why and who.

·         Helps to create a shared vision for the future development of our school.

·         Enhances the transition process for parents both upon joining and leaving the school.

·         Acts as a consultation group to communicate between parents/carers and the school.

·         Reports and makes recommendations to the school Governing Body.

Ultimately our aim is to access and provide information for parents to enable them to make an informed decision.

There was a leak of some sensitive information to the press to from a parent who attended a one off meeting, they were not a regular forum member. We were then suspended as a result of the information leak. This means the forum (the voice of parents, children and locals) is currently unable to make contact with parents/carers through the website or by any other means, making us redundant to the process and unable to share information with the people we are representing. We were basically shut down and unjustly treated even having our correspondence censored/ edited (beyond recognition on occasions) before being sent to parents and governors.

Initially our main concern was the speed at which this was moving and the lack of open dialogue which is what I believed a consultation to be!

I have spoken to other head teachers in the area who are looking at information regarding Academy status, but they believe it would be foolish to go it alone and be the first. Why rush the process when they believe it is not necessary at this point in time. The move is being rushed through and we do not feel a proper consultation has taken place, except maybe between Mrs Beer (head teacher) and the Governors.

We also found that an alarming majority of teaching staff are against the conversion to Academy status. From all the parties involved there is a lack of confidence in the reliability of the leadership of the school acting in a trustworthy responsive manner. At this point in time I believe it would be wrong to change to an Academy status for all, but foremost our children and their teachers.

Corianda Sweetman  (frustrated) Suspended Parent Forum member.

Protest Posters

Click on the image below to print out posters to show your support.

Protests continue as anger mounts over Coventry school 'forced to become academy'

Article by Les Reid on http://www.coventrytelegraph.net (12 June 2012)


"GOVERNMENT plans to force a Coventry primary school to become an academy have been condemned as “arrogant”, as protests mount.

Coventry City Council deputy leader George Duggins also described the move – now subject to an unprecedented High Court challenge by the council – as “appalling” and “playing with youngsters’ education”.

Referring to the government’s recent U-turns on taxing hot pasties and caravans, he said: “They want to tell us how to run education in our city when they can’t even get pasties and caravans right.”

Labour councillor Duggins, currently in charge with council leader John Mutton on holiday, ratcheted up the “hands off our schools” rhetoric against education secretary Michael Gove’s plans for Henley Green Primary School.

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Vibrant anti-academy lobby as teachers ballot to strike

Article on http://www.socialistworker.co.uk (12 June 2012)


"Around 60 parents, staff, pupils and local people attended a loud and lively lobby of a governors’ meeting at Worthing High School in West Sussex last week.
The protest was organised by the Worthing High Academy Action Group, formed in opposition to the school’s intention to convert to academy status.
Protesters chanted continuously for two hours outside the governors’ meeting and drove their cars in and out of the school car park hooting their horns.
Parents parked their cars outside the school covered in anti-academy messages. Pupils tied purple ribbons to gates and fences.
The school’s head, Alison Beer, has pushed hard to parents and pupils the supposed benefits of conversion in a “consultation” process."




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Public Meeting Tuesday June 12 at 7.30

Our next Public meeting will be on Tuesday June 12 at 7.30 at the Worthing Cricket Club, Manor Sports Ground.  We will be planning the next steps in our campaign. Please bring ideas and tell your friends to come along.



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BRGS teachers to ballot for strike action over academy plans

Article by Nafessa Shan in The Bolton News (8 June 2012)


"STAFF are preparing to ballot for industrial action as a top East Lancashire school has revealed it is pushing ahead with plans to become an academy.

Around 40 teachers will be voting to take action to fight Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School’s moves to open as an academy by October.

Unions leaders were instructed to fight the plan after governors agreed to apply to formally the Department for Education to change the school from foundation to academy status."


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The hollow feeling of inevitability...

Letter in Worthing Herald (8 June 2012)

"I READ with sadness, and yet with that hollow feeling of inevitability, the decision of the board of governors of Worthing High School to proceed with an application for academy status.

It is quite clear that this decision had already been taken some time ago, and that the so-called consultation was merely a charade.

Why did the head or governors not wish to actually engage with those opposed to the plan despite several invitations to do so?

The list of objections to becoming an academy is so long that it could fill up the entire letters page, and yet not one of them was properly addressed by those who made the decision.

And those objections are not theoretical ones, but ones based on the previous experience of schools which have already become academies.

In announcing the result of the vote, which read more like a company CEO report rather than one from a head teacher, Alison Beer stated that “Now that we are able to move ahead with our application and will soon have a much clearer idea of our funding position, we will then be able to give details of our financial plans.

“There will be an annual financial report available to you so that you are able to feel fully informed regarding our financial position”.

So, if it wasn’t clear before, it is now – finances are the most important thing, and the school will become a fully-fledged “business”. So what happens if the school gets into difficulties, even if it is through no fault of its own through an unforeseen event, when there is no local authority backup?"

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Parents hit out at Worthing High academy move claim

Article by Ben James in The Argus (8 June 2012)


"Parents have hit out at an MP’s claim that there have been “very few objections” to their school’s planned move to become an academy.

Governors at Worthing High School last week voted in favour of converting the school into an academy.

East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton said that he was “glad”, adding that only one constituent had approached him in opposition to the move.

He added: “I gather that very few objections were received by the school during the consultation period.”

However, parents have said that his claim could not be further from the truth, adding that they have already collected a 500-signature petition against the plans."




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Schools' dilemma: To be or not to be an academy

Article on thisisnottingham.co.uk (June 6 2012)


"SWITCHING to academy status is a decision many head teachers have been faced with over the last three years.
And it isn't a quick or easy choice. It involves a long consultation process and can be the subject of heated debate.

A case in progress is Kimberley School. The school's governors have voted to pursue academy status, but opposition has arisen from parents, councillors and staff.

Teachers who are members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) went on strike over the proposed change and further strikes are planned for June 13 and 14.

Now the Hands Off Our School campaign group has become the voice for people against the academy bid."




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No money in academy status these days

Article in Fran Abrams The Guardian (4 June 2012)


"Schools that thought academy status would bring in extra cash are now getting a terrible shock

There's still a smell of new carpet in the special-needs block at Balcarras school in Cheltenham, and the staff look rather pleased with themselves. "Its hard to believe we fitted everything into the space we used to have," says Louise Young, the academy's deputy head of individual learning. "The kids love it, too."

But elsewhere in the newly converted academy, a "development plan" featuring extra post-16 classrooms and a dance studio is gathering dust. Some carpets may be new, but there's no doubt the shine has come off the academy dream at Balcarras.

From September, the school's budget will be cut by more than £400,000 – the equivalent of nine teachers. Its head, Chris Healy, admits he looks back wistfully on the halcyon early days of 2011, when the newly converted school was basking in the glow of a promise of around half a million pounds extra in the bank each year."

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Parents angry after Axholme Academy brings in second new uniform in two years

Article on thisisscunthorpe.co.uk (June 2 2012)


"Parents are angry at the cost of a new compulsory uniform.
After paying £200 on the old outfit at the start of the school year, the new uniform, to be rolled out at Axholme Academy in September, will see all students wearing a blue trim blazer with school emblem, white shirt, black trousers or skirt and black shoes.

Before the new school term, parents will have to spend up to £67 to buy the compulsory items of clothing through the school uniform supplier.

That is in addition to the non-logo wear, which can be bought from supermarkets.

The change of uniform comes after the privately-run school, in Crowle, switched from being run by the local authority as North Axholme College."




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Strike action has been averted at a Tyneside secondary school after governors decided it will not become an academy

Article on Politics.co.uk (1 June 2012)


"NUT members at Boldon School, South Tyneside, had been preparing to walk out for three days in the week following half term.

They were opposed to proposals by the school to move towards academy status and made the difficult decision to vote in favour of strike action in a ballot, in an effort to prevent a conversion.
NUT representatives worked closely with colleagues from the NASUWT, which also has members at the school, to voice members’ concerns and opposition to the proposals put forward by the school’s management.
The governing body of Boldon School met yesterday evening (May 31st) and decided not to proceed to the next stage towards conversion. The NUT has now called off its planned strike action.
Jill McManus, Secretary of South Tyneside NUT, said: “The campaign was a real team effort. We had 100% support for action from NUT members and we campaigned together with the NASUWT and our local Public Services Alliance.

“A key part of the campaign was our work with governors, providing support for those who opposed academy status by giving them the facts and evidence they needed to strengthen their arguments and challenge pro-academy opinions."




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