New Ofsted chair denies conflict of interest despite being ARK adviser
Ofsted’s incoming chair has become embroiled in a conflict of interest row after it emerged that she will continue to advise an academies chain despite her new role.
Sally Morgan, a former aide to Tony Blair, joins the board of the schools watchdog next month.
The TES has learned Baroness Morgan is to continue in her role as adviser to children’s charity Ark, which runs a chain of 12 academies.
The 51-year-old has advised Ark’s global board since she left Downing Street in 2005. She is also governor and chair of the curriculum committee at the Globe Academy in Brixton, London – one of the schools it runs.
But Anti Academies Alliance national secretary Alasdair Smith queried what would happen when Ofsted inspected Ark schools.
“If an Ark school is being inspected, an inspector should not be feeling some sort of conflict of interest.
“If a school was on the borderline of satisfactory and unsatisfactory, how would inspectors feel? It would be a vague area that I don’t think is helpful. The chair of Ofsted has to be credible, and if she keeps her role as an adviser to Ark, I don’t think she is.” http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6070578
Chestnut Grove strike against Academies
Teachers at Chestnut Grove School were on strike on Wednesday 16th February to stop their school converting to academy status.
Teachers are worried not only about the impact on their pay and conditions but also on the type of education that will result from conversion. Parents and students will lose basic democratic rights as their school is handed over to an unaccountable academy trust. This is privatization plain and simple.
John Port teachers strike once more over academy plan
Teachers at the biggest secondary school in Derbyshire staged another one-day strike over plans to turn the school into an academy on Thursday.
About 60 staff at the 2,200-pupil John Port School in Etwall struck. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-12492755
Unions to meet Carlisle academies staff over proposed job cuts
STOP PRESS – Anti Academies Conference
How to fight academies and Fee schools
Organised by South East Region TUC (SERTUC) and the Anti Academies Alliance
London, Saturday 11th June.
More details to follow. Put it in your Diary
Anti Academies Alliance Financial Appeal
The Anti Academies Alliance has launched a Financial Appeal to help build the opposition to Academies and ‘Free’ Schools.
Read our Appeal, and download the leaflet, herehttp://www.antiacademies.org.uk/Home/financial-appeal
How can the Anti Academies Alliance help your school?
We continue to be approached by schools asking us to help them campaign against Academy proposals that are being pushed on them.
The Anti Academies Alliance is happy to work with head teachers, governors, parents and staff to develop a campaign to prevent your school becoming an Academy.
Please contact the office if you need help.
Anti Academies DVD
We have an excellent new 13 minute DVD outlining the case against Academies and ‘Free’ Schools.
It is perfect for union meetings / parent meetings / campaign meetings.
If you would like a copy they are £10 to union groups / £2 to parent and campaign groups. We can produce bulk orders at a reduced price. Send orders to the office and we will despatch them with an invoice.
