The Academies are coming.....

Sarah Dobbs's picture
 5
Last night all of the children who attend the local comprehensives in our town (Louth, Lincolnshire) recieved a letter to inform parents of a proposed merger and Academy status of four of our local comprehensives and a local college. Three of the establishments are in the town itself, one of them is a small village school nearby, and another is on the coast in Mablethorpe.
Our choice of secondary school within Lincolnshire is narrowed already because we retain the grammar school system here. This new initiative would remove any choice at all from any children who did not pass the 11+. All of the schools have a vastly differing "feel" and ethos. I have recently chosen one of the Louth schools for my daughter who has SEN. It is a small and friendly school, well known in the community for it's caring and supportive environment. It will be a tragedy for our town and community (and my daughter) if these schools are swallowed up together.
Can anyone here please help? I have a already formed an opposition group with numbers growing all the time. Please share with us any tips/ideas/successes that will help a bunch of novices start a fight that we cannot afford to lose for the sake of our children.
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Comments

Janet Downs's picture
Thu, 03/02/2011 - 13:52

Try the following:

http://www.antiacademies.org.uk/Home

and good luck!

Francis Gilbert's picture
Thu, 03/02/2011 - 15:21

As Janet says the Anti-Academies website will help you. As you will see on their website, getting as many people as possible to write to your local MP and councillors voicing your concerns is a good start.


Rosemary Mann's picture
Thu, 03/02/2011 - 23:17

But what is increasingly coming out of all of this is the lack of thought, impact assessments and public consultation and whilst local opposition can be effective( see the Tidemill School issue in Deptford) we surely need to lobby MP's of all persuasion more effectively and persuade more of them that even if they agree with the ideology of free schools, the rapid imposition of many of these schools is not in anyones best interests? I do think sometimes that people don't realise the extent of planning of educational provision that takes place between local authorities and schools. The press pick on the weak points but overall, planning and establishing a sustainable school takes a lot of work based on experience and forecasting data. It scares me that people think the free school model is going to somehow produce smaller classes and a better educational environment. With planning restrictions relaxed and everything so hurried, how can anyone be so sure?


Fiona Millar's picture
Fri, 04/02/2011 - 10:08

I think the passage of the Education Bill through Parliament - second reading next week - will provide opportunities to debate and campaign on these issues. There will also be opportunities for amendments, which we will be coming back to on this site.


Sarah Dobbs's picture
Fri, 04/02/2011 - 15:02

Can I just ask if any other people from the Louth area are concerned and reading this to please join our FB group "Save Louth Schools!" We are growing quickly, and hope to have our first public meeting next week. Thanks.


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