Introducing: Gove's 'chancellors'

So Gove is now planning a third tier to oversee free schools and academies. Isn't this duplication of what local authorities still do for most of our primary schools and half of secondaries? DfE can't cope, so let's create more confusion and more cost to the tax payer!

Guardian, Richard Adams and Warwick Mansell, 20th November 2013

Michael Gove to appoint new regulators to oversee free schools and academies

'Chancellors' to run eight English education regions in system which echoes model of school governance in US

Michael Gove a zealot, says shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt

Guardian, 15th November 2013

Labour's Hunt criticises Gove for 'crazed, burned-out investment banker model of teaching' where job seen as short-term career


Tristram Hunt has described the education secretary, Michael Gove, as a zealot and said that a string of recent high-profile failures – including the controversy over the Al-Madinah free school in Derby – meant that the public had turned against the coalition government's changes to the education system.

Continue reading...

Another flagship free school in trouble

Flagship free school 'misused funds'

Guardian, Richard Adams, 26th October 2013


More dodgy financial goings-on, more mismanagement. Guess what? It's another free school! 
"It proves yet again that it is not possible for thousands of schools to be run directly from Whitehall". Hear, hear!

Special report: Coalition in crisis over free schools and academies

Indpendent, 20th October 2013, Jane Merrick



Look at the Independent front page today! At last the Lib Dems speak out against Gove and some of the free school and academy policies. But is this enough to stop the rot?


Lib Dem leader attacks Conservative policy on educational institutions that don't have to meet core standards

Mirror: Gove is the dunce in the classroom

Mirror, 19th October 2013, Fiona Phillips

Michael Gove is the dunce in our classrooms

Teachers are protesting his plans to increase workloads, bring in performance-related pay and change their pensions - all while slagging them off

West Sussex free school in trouble. Headteacher stepping down.

Head of failing free school to step down

Crawley and Horley Observer, 16th October2013

The headteacher of Discovery New School has agreed to step down as soon as possible after failing to create an adequate improvement plan for the school.

The Broadfield school, set up in September 2011 as one of the country’s first free schools, was judged as needing ‘special measures’ in its first Ofsted inspection in May.

This meant it would be subject to regular unannounced inspections.

Ofsted’s report of its inspection in September stated headteacher Lindsey Snowdon had agreed to step down from her role ‘as soon as a new headteacher can be appointed’.

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What's going on in Worthing?

What's going on in Worthing? Shortly after Davison School for Girls wrote to parents before the summer holiday, advising them of its interest in seeking academy status, Durrington High has done the same. There are also plans for a new secondary school in Worthing which will be an academy / free school. Is this more than a coincidence? What is the rationale behind this apparent new interest in academy status?

Davison and Durrington High are rated 'outstanding' and 'good' schools by Ofsted, respectively. Why do they feel it necessary to action this move, in addition to the massive transition that the change in age of transfer poses in 2015, as well as huge pressure on the number of school places going forward?

Parents at Davison and Durrington High, we urge you to write to the Heads / Governors and make your feelings heard. Ask questions and demand a public debate on these plans before irrecoverable decisions are made. Surely nobody wants a rerun of the Worthing High debacle!

Davison High School for Girls, Worthing, registers interest in academy status

Disappointing to learn that Davison High School for Girls, Worthing, have 'registered an interest' with the DfE in gaining academy status. However, it's positive to see some open communication from the governing body with parents. We will be watching developments there and will be keen to learn if the governing body can decipher any benefits from a change in its legal status. This is an Ofsted 'outstanding' school after all, and so is clearly running things very well already. We would urge parents and prospective parents of the school who are opposed to Davison becoming an academy, to respond in writing to the Chair of Governors, Ray Oxenbridge.

New secondary school in Worthing

Joe Riddle, Worthing Herald, 20th July 2012

THE government has confirmed funding to build a new secondary school in Worthing to accommodate the growing number of children coming through the school system.

The Department for Education has set aside more than £13million for the construction of the new 900-pupil school to be built in Broadwater.

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Academy chain under fire following revelation of payments made to bosses

This is an utter disgrace.



Academy Enterprise Trust paid almost £500,000 over three years to private businesses owned by its trustees and executives

Daniel Boffey, The Guardian, 20th July 2013

The country's largest taxpayer-funded academy chain, which was recently criticised for its poor performance in managing schools, has paid nearly £500,000 into the private business interests of its trustees and executives.

An investigation by the Observer has uncovered a series of payments over the past three years to companies in which those running theAcademy Enterprise Trust (AET), a registered charity, have a beneficial interest. The payments were for services ranging from "project management" to "HR consultancy", according to the academy chain's company accounts. AET, which is based in Essex, has not provided further details. In all the cases the services had not been put out to competitive tender.

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More questions for Michael Gove

Michael Gove’s second letter to Stephen Twigg consisted of an impressive looking list of all the activities undertaken by the Department for Education while he has been Secretary of State. However there is no mention of the results of this activity in terms of improved teaching and learning or better outcomes for children.

There are one or two items in the list for which the coalition government deserves credit, such as the £2.5 billion spent on the pupil premium. However, in the spirit of Mr Gove’s first letter to Stephen, we would like to ask some questions of him:

Read more...

Business case for proposed West Sussex Durand boarding school questioned

Midhurst and Petworth Observer, 5th July 2013

PLANS to build a boarding school for inner city school children on the former St Cuthman’s site at Stedham have received a setback after the National Audit Office expressed concerns about the government’s backing of the controversial scheme.

The concerns have emerged in a letter seen by the Observer written from the auditor general Amyas Morse to the permanent secretary at the department for Education Chris Wormald.

He said he believed ministers had agreed £17m for England’s first free state boarding school, without looking at its long-term viability and the department for education approved funds without fully analysing risks.

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New academies in West Sussex opening in September 2013

2012-13 transitioning academies

• St Lawrence, Hurstpierpoint - due to convert 1 July 2013.

2013-2014 transitioning academies

• Eastbrook Primary School, Shoreham - due to convert 1 September 2013
  
• The Mill Primary School, Crawley - due to convert 1 September 2013
  
• Downview Primary School, Bognor Regis  - due to convert 1 September 2013
  
• River Beach Primary School, Littlehampton – aiming to convert 1 September 2013
  
• Chichester High School For Boys  – aiming to convert 1 September 2013
  
• Chichester High School for Girls – aiming to convert 1 September 2013.
  
  
  
  
  Read the complete list for West Sussex here...

Swedish free school operator to close, leaving hundreds of pupils stranded

JB Education schools are to be sold or closed after private equity group owner pulls plug, raising fears over UK policy

• Richard Orange in Malmo and Richard Adams, education editor
• The Guardian, Friday 31 May 2013 16.54 BST

Britain's adoption of Sweden's "free school" model has been called into question after one of Sweden's largest private sector school operators announced it would shut down, leaving hundreds of students stranded.

JB Education, whose schools educate around 10,000 Swedish pupils, said on Thursday that it would sell 19 of its high schools and close down the remaining four.

The decision, which follows four school closures announced by the company in February, came as the Danish private equity group Axcel, which bought the chain in 2008, decided it could no longer continue to cover the company's losses.

Read more....

Headteachers' vote of no confidence in Michael Gove

The Education Secretary was given a very rough ride by the NAHT. Richard Garner draws up his end-of-term report.

Headteachers send a strong message over bullying tactics to persuade their schools to become academies, amongst other issues.


The Independent, 19th May 2013

WSAW press release of 22nd April 2013 - Woodard Academies and the Durand Academy Fiasco

Press Release... Press Release... Press Release... Press Release... Press Release...

West Sussex Academy Watch

Monday 22nd April

Woodards Academies and the Durand Academy Fiasco

West Sussex Academy Watch condemns in the strongest terms the racist language used by Conservative county councillor John Cherry regarding the proposed boarding school in West Sussex for under-privileged London children. These remarks – bizarrely depicting a national hierarchy of potential achievement, and a “sexual volcano” to be unleashed by ‘escaped’ black school children - were a throwback to the biological racism of the colonial era and have no place in modern society. A spokesperson for the group said: “These disgusting comments are a distraction from the real issue. It is current education policy that has led to a shortage of school places and to the plans for this expensive boarding school in West Sussex. It would be far better if this money was invested in good new state schools in London and West Sussex so that families are not broken up for children to receive a decent education.”

Tim Loughton, MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, has heaped praise on Sir Robert Woodard Academy in Lancing for appointing its third head in as many years. This school was placed in special measures by Ofsted last year. In a recent Ofsted parents survey 33% of parents think the school is not well led compared to 62% who think their child is taught well at the school. Despite the adverse effects on the children, Tim Loughton continues to praise the instability that academy status has brought to this school.

In a bad week for the Woodard academy schools, teachers have been on strike at Littlehampton Academy. In a joint statement by NUT and NASUWT, they cited “the oppressive management policies at the school which is part of the Woodard Academy chain” as the reason for the action. West Sussex Academy Watch calls for Woodard Schools to review their leadership and management practices to ensure their staff are not subject to onerous micro-management, and so that pupils at their schools are able to learn in a stable, well led environment.

A spokesperson for West Sussex Academy Watch said: “These developments show once again that education is delivered best in a free, democratically accountable state system. Local Tories are hopelessly out of touch and West Sussex Academy Watch once again calls on West Sussex County Council to abandon its policy of encouraging all schools to convert to academy status.”

For comment or clarification please contact: 

WSAcademyWatch@hotmail.co.uk

Notes to Editors

·       For more information on the Ofsted Parent View results for Sir Robert Woodard, please see the following link:

http://parentview.ofsted.gov.uk/parent-view-results/survey/result/23039/current

·       For more information about our group please see the following links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WSAcademyWatch

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WSAcademyWatch

Blog: http://whaag.blogspot.co.uk/

Schools in well-off areas 'are failing' poorer pupils - who get better exam results in deprived areas

The Independent, Andrew Grice, 23rd April 2013

Minister says schools with more affluent pupils have disgraceful record for helping disadvantaged children

Read the article

Littlehampton Gazette coverage of LTA teachers' strike

Littlehampton teachers strike over ‘Big Brother’ fears

Littlehampton strike staff ‘optimistic’... but more protests planned

Update as of 24th April 2013:

Littlehampton academy strike action ‘suspended’

Another Head teacher appointed at Sir Robert Woodard Academy, Lancing

MP praises appointment of new Sir Robert Woodard Academy principal

Read Worthing Herald article here

Tim Loughton MP praises appointment of the new Head at Robert Woodard Academy in Lancing. This is the third Headteacher since becoming an academy. How can so much upheaval be a good thing for the school, its students or staff?

Calling all parents

If you would like to add your support to the document and letter below, please go to http://www.thinking-about-education.co.uk/parents-petition/

Dear Mr. Gove,

OUR CHILDREN ARE NOT POLITICAL FOOTBALLS

We, as concerned parents, carers and citizens with an interest in young people, call upon the Secretary of State for Education to consider and respond to the following issues:-

1. We urge the Secretary of State to stop using inflammatory and derogatory language to describe children, parents and teachers, encouraging mistrust between people who should be working together to ensure a consistently good education for our young.

2. To listen to experts who have given their entire careers over to exploring and researching the best ways to teach young people. These cognitive psychologists, neuroscientists and educational experts are not enemies of promise. We are dismayed that of the entire original panel asked to advise you on the structure of the new curriculum, only one remains. The experts in education all resigned as you both ignored and misrepresented their concerns. The only remaining panelist has no experience in the education of young children at all. The Cambridge Review of the Primary Curriculum; the most comprehensive and independent review of education for 60 years has been entirely ignored by your own and the previous government because of the critical stance it has taken.

Continue reading....

The Littlehampton Academy teachers' strike

Teachers at the Littlehampton Academy will be on strike on Weds 17^th April. 

The strike has been called by both the National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the NASUWT, unions that together represent the overwhelming majority of teachers.

In a ballot teachers in both unions voted by a big majority to start an ongoing campaign of strike action and protests against the oppressive management policies at the school which is part of the Woodard Academy chain.

Teachers say that The Littlehampton Academy management have refused to move an inch from its regime of bullying micro-management of teaching staff. If management refuse to listen to the majority of teachers at the school, the strike will be followed by a two day strike and then further strikes adding up to 6 days in total.

This is a sad and alarming situation for both the teachers and the students, who will be losing out on valuable school time. Unfortunately, we may see more of this kind of action, as the number of academies - out of Local Authority oversight - grow. 

An Academic Debate?

"Great documentary exposing the fault lines running through Coalition's flagship academies programme" - Anti Academies Alliance 

Nearly three thousand schools have taken up the government’s offer to become academies – but were they tempted by more than the simple promise of freedom? This documentary explores how financial equations have played their part in the success of the coalition’s flagship schools policy. As academy funding is overhauled, the programme estimates the final cost of a grant which should have meant academies got exactly the same budget after they converted as they did before – and asks why funding equality ended up costing hundreds of millions of pounds.

In a wide-ranging examination of the academies programme, reporter Paul Faulkner also talks to schools and local authorities about the changing education landscape. Are academy freedoms as significant as they are portrayed? And what future for the local authority as its traditional role in education is marginalised? One council leader has a tough message for Whitehall – “Leave us alone!”

Listen...http://www.britishpublicradio.com/2013/03/an-academic-debate/

Worthing High Governors must go petition - sign now

Current parents at Worthing High have set up a petition calling for the resignation of the Chair of Governors, Tony Cohen.

Read, sign and circulate to Worthing High parents.

Good luck with this.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/whs_gmg/

Our Statement of Purpose

West Sussex Academy Watch

Statement of Purpose

March 2013

West Sussex Academy Watch (WSAW) believes in a free and democratically accountable state education system which is responsive to all stakeholders.

We believe that investment in schools is often wasted on structural change according to the government policy of the day. Instead, investment in teaching in learning should take priority.

We accept that academies are now part of the educational landscape in West Sussex. The following five points will be the litmus test by which we hold to account existing academies; schools pursuing academy status; and West Sussex County Council, for its policy of ‘encouraging all schools to convert’.

1.     Once a school governing body has voted to pursue academy conversion they must commit to a consultation process which is built on democratic principles by being open, robust and meaningful, and which engages all stakeholders. Any consultation must take into account the wider impact on its local community as well as the stakeholders of their school.

2.     All consultations must include:

a.    A Public Meeting.

This must go beyond parents of children that currently attend the school and actively engage the wider community.

b.    A Parent and Staff Ballot.

c.     An Impact Assessment under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED).

3.     Schools wishing to become academies must demonstrate the capacity to improve not only themselves but other local schools too, whether they are academies or not.

4.     Schools wishing to become academies and existing academies must demonstrate how they will use their additional ‘freedoms’ and money to improve educational outcomes for children.

5.     Governors of schools wishing to become academies must demonstrate their capability and capacity to run autonomous, financially demanding, large, complex and ever-changing organisations.

West Sussex Academy Watch does not believe that any school should be forced to become an academy. This objection extends to shifting Ofsted categorisation which forces more schools to ‘fail.’