Secret memo shows Michael Gove's plan for privatisation of academies

The Independent, Jane Merrick, 10th February 2013

Fresh from his GCSE U-turn, Education Secretary wants to start selling off state schools

The full extent of Michael Gove's plans to revolutionise education are revealed today in a secret memo showing he is considering outright privatisation of academies and free schools. All academies and free schools in England, which are the Education Secretary's personal obsession, would be free to become profit-making for the first time, and be entirely decoupled from Whitehall control.

Leaked documents of the minutes of a meeting of top Department for Education officials on the future of funding the academies programme have alarmed teaching unions and the Liberal Democrats. Nick Clegg last year ruled out any expansion of the private sector in state schools.

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Portslade academy - another controversy

Argus,  Peter Truman, 9th February 2013

Pupils told "don't come back"

A controversial head has been  accused of “wiping his hands” of  underperforming A-level students after  25 were told to leave midway through  their courses.
 

The pupils at Portslade Aldridge Community Academy’s sixth form have been  told they will not be welcomed back to  complete their courses in September.
 

Instead bosses said they would find  them places at other colleges in the city where they would be “better served”.

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Worthing Herald front page news

Good to see Worthing Herald giving this scandal the coverage it deserves in this week's issue, Thursday 7th February.

Linda McVeigh, parent at the school, feels the school has "hit rock bottom" and points out that "the pursuit of academy conversion is a costly distraction and that structural change does not lead to better results". 

The damning Ofsted investigation took place just days after the school was granted academy status.

Argus: Worthing school falls into special measures

The Ofsted report will be published tomorrow, 5th February. Current parents at the school have been invited to attend a briefing at the school on 7th, although Chair of Governors, Tony Cohen, will not be present. Pre-submitted questions will be addressed but not questions from the floor.

We are sure that parents have many questions and concerns to raise for the governors' attention and would encourage you all to submit these as soon as possible.



Argus, 3rd February 2013

A high school has been put into special measures after a damning report by inspectors.

A team from Ofsted said Worthing High School, which has just become an academy, was failing to help pupils achieve their potential.

Inspectors rated Worthing High as inadequate, the lowest level possible, in three out of four categories while the fourth was rated as “requires improvement” – the second lowest level.

Yesterday a spokeswoman for the school refused to comment until the inspection report was officially published on the Ofsted website on Tuesday at 9am.

She said headteacher Carolyn Dickinson would also not discuss the issue.

West Sussex county councillor Bob Smytherman called for the governors of the school to resign and said they should “hang their heads in shame”

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