NOVANEWS
Parents, teachers and governors at Downhills Primary School, Tottenham have launched a campaign to prevent the DFE forcing the school to become a sponsored academy by September 2012. Although no Haringey primary schools were identified in Michael Gove’s original list of 200 ‘underperforming’ schools, this hasn’t stopped the DFE targeting schools in the most deprived parts of Haringey.
Things are moving very quickly here in Haringey. Two schools have been visited by the DFE this week and informed that they have until the second week in January to draw up plans to become an academy or their democratically elected governing bodies will be disbanded and replaced by one selected by the DFE. It is expected that more will follow. Our governors met with the DFE this morning and made it clear that they want to hold a full and fair consultation with all stake holders to discuss future plans for the school.
Read more about the campaign here
Downhills Primary School launches a campaign against being forced to become a sponsored academy
Haringey primary schools told they must become academies
Call for a Public Enquiry into the Academy and ‘Free’ schools programme
The Anti Academies Alliance is today calling for a public inquiry in the the Coalition’s academy and free school programme. The revelation in the Financial Times of significant financial errors in the funding of academy converters suggests that DfE ministers and officials do not have a proper grasp of either the cost or impact of the programme.
Call for a Public Enquiry into the Academy and ‘Free’ schools programme
Coventry Council oppose forced academy conversions
Coventry Council have voted to opposed the forced conversion of Local Authority maintained schools to academies.
Their motion includes:
Oppose the forced conversion of Local Authority maintained Schools to Academies.
Publish a statement to all Coventry School Governing Bodies and Headteachers outlining the reasons for the City Council’s concerns about maintained schools converting to Academy status and re-iterating the benefits of being part of the Local Authority family of schools.
Read the full statement here Coventry Council oppose forced academy conversions
Anti Academies Alliance Annual General Meeting
Saturday 14th January, 1pm – 4pm
Chancellors Room, Hugh Parry Hall 19-26 Cartwright Gardens London WC1H 9EF
Introduction by : Melissa Benn, author of School Wars & Alasdair Smith, national secretary Anti Academies Alliance
There will be sessions on Forced academies, Labour and academies and ‘Free’ schools.
Click here for more details and to register
Academies received extra money ‘by mistake’
The Financial Times reports that “Hundreds of state schools that took part in the government’s flagship academies reform programme last year were accidentally given large incentives to do so, often worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.”
‘Free’ schools have to contribute to council infrastructure costs
Another loophole in the government’s ‘Free’ schools policy has come to light, leading at least one ‘Free’ school to have to pay out £27,729 to Reading Council.
Academy figures for December 2011
The latest government figures on Academies, released on 2nd December 2011, show that there are now 1463 academies open. 57% of secondary schools have not applied to become academies. Only 3.5% of primary schools have applied or become academies
OASIS MediaCity Academy teachers to strike for 4 more days
OASIS mediacity teachers were on strike for 2 days this week. They will be on strike on 13 / 15 December. Messages of support for the strike should be sent urgently to a.gilmore@nut.org.uk and charlotte.metters@mail.nasuwt.org.uk
New Briefing – Why you should say no to ‘Free’ schools
Free to parent groups and local campaigns
Click here to download the order form
Or email orders to: office@antiacademies.org.uk and we will invoice you.
Click here to download a PDF of the Briefing
Briefing: Why you should say no to ‘Free’ schools
Other news
Gloomy day for ministers as parents snub choice
Academy has Government blessing to charge for childcare during closure
Darlington academy plans to open satellite primary schools
Academy chains swoop on failing schools
‘No evidence’ for England’s schools falling behind
Free School is ‘a waste of money’
Stephen Twigg: ‘I worry that Gove has put all his eggs in one basket’
Williton free school proposals criticised
Charter schools no silver bullet, warns US expert
Labour’s acadamies legislation laid the ground for free schools’ marriage moralising
More news stories here http://www.delicious.com/antiacademies
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, here http://antiacademies.org.uk/financialappeal/
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