Top Tory accuses Michael Gove of 'bully boy tactics' over academies

• Nicholas Watt, chief political correspondent
• guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 28 November 2012

Michael Gove has been accused by one of the Tories' most senior figures in local government of resorting to "bully boy tactics" to drum up support for his flagship academies and to undermine traditional schools.

In a scathing letter to the education secretary, the leader of Lancashire county council says it is "incredulous" that he fails to acknowledge improvements in schools still under the control of local education authorities.

Geoff Driver, a Conservative who represents Preston North on the county council, turned on Gove in a five-page letter after the education secretary said in a letter to Lancashire MPs that its schools were under-performing. His letter followed a warning in July by Dr Elizabeth Sidwell, the schools commissioner for England, that primary schools in the county would thrive as academies "rather than staying under the control of the local authority, which clearly isn't working".

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Our petition up for discussion at WSCC

We're pleased that the Chairman of the Children and Young People’s Services Select Committee has agreed that our recent West Sussex petition should be considered at the meeting of the Committee to be held on 17 January 2013.

Gove admits eight academies are on notice over failures

Richard Garner, The Independent, 25th April 2012

The Education Secretary is accused of failing to put safeguards in place to check standards

Labour demanded urgent action to ensure proper oversight of Britain's growing number of academies yesterday as it emerged that the Government has issued warning notices to eight of the schools that they are under-performing.

Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, told MPs that his department has has sent "pre-warning" letters to the academies, stating that they must improve standards or face formal demands for action.

His disclosure, to the influential Commons select committee on education, came as he faced criticism for failing to put in adequate safeguards to check on the performance of academies – which are no longer subject to scrutiny by local authorities.

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BREAKING: School governors shelve academy plans

Union-news.co.uk, Tim Lezard, 23rd November

Governors at a primary school in Ealing have shelved plans to convert to academy status.

The NUT believes the decision taken last night by governors of Petts Hill Primary School  may set a national precedent.

The school was expected to join a chain of academy schools on December 1st, but following a strong local campaign by staff, parents, governors, Labour councillors, local MP Steve Pound and the NUT, governors changed their minds.

NUT general secretary Christine Blower said: “Congratulations to all who worked on this local campaign. This is a clear demonstration that academy status can be opposed and local democratic accountability can be upheld

Local NUT assistant-secretary Stefan Simms on behalf of members at the school, said: “ We regret the pressure put on local authorities and schools everywhere by the Secretary of State’s blind faith in Academies per se.

“It is not the structure of any school that makes a difference to children’s lives. It is the quality of teaching. We were always confident that this was an improving school, which OFSTED confirmed as ‘Good’ in every respect in September. We now note that Michael Gove has had to respect this change of heart locally, so that Petts Hill can remain a good, locally-managed school serving the northern Northolt neighbourhood.”

Schools face cuts to pay for £1bn academies overspend

Richard Garner, Independent, 22nd November 2012

Funds for struggling schools slashed, report reveals

Funding for struggling schools has been slashed to cover a £1bn overspend in the academies programme, a report reveals today.

Spending on a range of education programmes – including improving under-performing schools – has been cut to provide unplanned extra funding for academies, according to the National Audit Office, a public spending watchdog. Leaders of the teaching unions reacted with anger last night, describing the overspending as "appalling" at a time when non-academy schools were having to tighten their belts.

"There appears to be no limit to the amount of money this Government is prepared to pour into creating academies," said Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers. "When money in the UK is so tight, this unscheduled spending of taxpayers' money is appalling."

Academy schools, which are funded directly from Whitehall and are independent of local authority control, were introduced under Labour but have been heavily pushed by Michael Gove. The Education Secretary has said he anticipates most schools becoming academies, although critics claim they are insufficiently accountable and hand too much power to school sponsors.

Margaret Hodge, the Labour MP who chairs the Commons Public Accounts Committee, said: "Taxpayers have the right to expect a more considered and controlled approach to public spending than the department has so far displayed."

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Legal challenge to Worthing High academy bid

On the third day of strike action by teachers at Worthing High

Argus, Ben James, November 14th 2012

Teachers and parents have launched a legal challenge against a school’s academy conversion following a third day of strike action.

Staff at Worthing High School walked out for the third time in five months as bosses forge ahead with controversial plans to become an academy.

Around 16 teachers went on strike yesterday – 33% of those eligible to do so – following previous strikes on July 11 and October 23.

The school is set to convert to academy status on December 1 following a strongly contested campaign.

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Herald talks to Head

Worthing Herald, 15th November

Head teacher defends Worthing High School academy plans

The head teacher of Worthing High School has defended its plans to become an academy, amid the third in a series of strikes protesting at the plans.

Carolyn Dickinson explained the decision taken by the school’s governors this summer was based around ensuring its future financial stability for its students – which she believed would not be assured if it did not press ahead with the scheme as planned from next month.

For the third time this autumn, protesting teachers and staff were joined on Tuesday morning by parents and members of two unions, the NUT and NASUWT – though picket-lines appeared reduced from previous strikes.

For the full story and an exclusive interview with Carolyn Dickinson, read the Worthing Herald, out today, Thursday, November 15.

WHAAG press release

Unprecedented third strike by teachers at Worthing High, as academy bid grinds to a halt?

As teachers strike for an unprecedented third time at Worthing High in opposition to the plans for it to become an academy, WHAAG has asked the Department for Education to rescind the school’s Academy Order because of the misleading and invalid nature of the school’s academy application that we can now reveal.

At the crucial meeting on the 30^th May at which the Governing body voted to progress it’s application for academy status, it was legally necessary for the decision to be supported by the Worthing High School Trust Board.  Although a meeting of the Trust Board was held immediately after the Governors meeting and the Trust Board voted in favour of academy status, there were insufficient members of the Trust Board in attendance for the vote to be valid.  The Worthing High Articles of Association clearly state that a minimum of half of the Trustees must vote, and therefore, five members should have been in attendance for a vote to be valid. Only four Trustees were present at this meeting, as per the minutes of the meeting that we have seen.

This matter is now the subject of a legal challenge by the NUT and WHAAG have requested an investigation by the DfE or other appropriate body.

Mr Cohen the Chair of Governors has either knowingly progressed an invalid and misleading academy application or presided over mind boggling incompetence.  Whichever of these is true, we believe he should now resign and for the sake of all of the school’s stakeholders the academy bid should be stopped.

Worthing High’s academy bid under Mr Cohen’s leadership has been littered by examples of mismanagement and incompetence:

·      Botched initial consultation on academy conversion with stakeholders Flawed academy proposal with incorrect and misleading informatio

·       Flawed academy proposal with incorrect and misleading information

·      DfE requirement to consult further (31/08/12) has been ignored

·      Governor academy bid votes leaked to Tim Loughton MP (ex Children’s Minister) who subsequently broadcast these on Twitter

·      Series of governor resignations – of the original eleven governors who voted on the academy proposal on 30/5/12, only five now remain

·      Three days of teacher strike action

·      Two investigations at the school, resulting in Head teacher, Alison Beer’s, resignation

Meeting booked with Peter Griffiths

We have had no joy trying to discuss our concerns about Worthing High consultation with Tony Cohen or governors or local MPs. Looking forward instead, to meeting with Councillor Peter Griffiths West Sussex Cabinet Member for Education and Schools next week. Please inbox your comments and concerns regarding the consultation by 12 noon on Monday 12th, so we can put them to him.

worthinghighacademyactiongroup@hotmail.com

Worthing High correct press release

Good to see that Worthing High have checked their facts and figures and have now updated their press release of 1st October regarding our WSCC e-petition.

Read corrected press release of 7th November here...

Thank you.

Next WHAAG public meeting on Monday 12th November

Monday 12th November, 7.30 pm, in Lounge room, Broadwater Parish Centre, Broadwater Road BN14 8HT (adjacent to Northbrook College). Car park at centre.

Join us on the eve of the THIRD day of strike action at Worthing High, to discuss recent developments in the campaign, and how we can continue to support those teachers striking on 13th, as well as those teachers and staff that wish to but can't.

Hope to see you there!

Sussex academies 'failing vulnerable children'

Argus, Anna Roberts, 5th November 2012

Academies are failing vulnerable children in East Sussex, a council has warned.

East Sussex County Council has revealed that it is challenging some academies because they are refusing to admit pupils who are at risk of abuse or neglect. It said such academies are “failing in their duty”.

The council said the behaviour of the academies – of which there are five in the county – affected them.

Academies are publicly-funded independent schools which have a greater degree of freedom from local authorities and often have sponsors.

They are meant to be autonomous but the council said people still associate the institution – like The Eastbourne Academy – with the council.

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Well done on WSCC e-petition

Well done and thank you to everyone who signed and promoted our West Sussex County Council e-petition over recent months.

 The petition is now closed and last week we submitted over 500 signatures (online and paper) and have received acknowledgment of these today from WSCC. This is a sufficient total to request a Select Committee debate about our academy concerns in the county. A good result and at 

odds with the Worthing High press release of 1st October, published on the school's website, which inaccurately states:

"The On line petition that WHAAG started on the West Sussex County Council website, launched in July 2012 against the whole academy programme in West Sussex – not justWorthing High -received just 151 signatures before it closed on 30thSeptember 2012. Quite a few of those signing also didn’t provide their Ward details so their names will be invalid. This is 151 people from an adult population in West Sussex of over 650,000 – 30% of the 500 required for the matter to be raised at a Select Committee and 5% of the 3000 needed for a full county council debate.”

We have asked Worthing High to retract this.

Union seeks governor meeting to avoid Worthing High strike

Tony Cohen, Chair of Governors at Worthing High, refuses to meet with teaching unions to discuss the academy application and a third day of strike action at the school. "The Herald contacted governor Tony Cohen for comment on its plans and 

the educational merits of becoming an academy, but he declined to do so." Tony Cohen has also ignored all invitations to meet with WHAAG and engage in meaningful consultation.

Tony, your silence and bunker mentality speak volumes.

Worthing Herald, 3rd November 2012

A senior teachers’ union rep has requested a meeting with the chair of governors at Worthing High School to avoid another strike over its plans to convert to an academy.

Eric Skyte approached chair of governors Tony Cohen last week in a bid to stave off a third and final planned phase of industrial action planned for Tuesday, November 13.

The move followed a second strike last week in which a total of 16 members of staff, supported by parents, protested outside the school in South Farm Road. They remain concerned over the proposals, which they argue could impact on their terms and conditions and may also be affected by potential employment of unqualified teachers, which they believe would be damaging to childrens’ education. The school’s head teacher has responded it had formally confirmed to teachers that it does not intent to change teachers’ conditions.

However, the Herald contacted governor Tony Cohen for comment on its plans and the educational merits of becoming an academy, but he declined to do so.

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Further consultation? What further consultation?

In an email from DfE to the school of 31/8/12, which we have accessed under FOI, DfE requests views on "how your school's governing body will be undertaking further consultation between now and signing the funding agreement". We understand from our discussions with the Acting Headteacher in October, that invitations have been extended to all stakeholders to talk/consult further and that this period

 of 'further consultation' closes at Autumn half term - next week! Are any of you aware, as stakeholders, that there are currently opportunities to engage in further consultation? If, like us, you were unaware that this was happening, you should let this be known to the following key people involved in the academy conversion case at Worthing High:
peter.griffiths@westsussex.gov.uk david.sword@westsussex.gov.uk sarah.mitchell@education.gsi.gov.uk

Further shambolic 'consultation' appears to be happening without us knowing about it!