Why are we protesting?

Download our petition form to print out and collect signatures here.
Download Ofsted complaint form here.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AS A PARENT:

Our school is being forced into becoming an academy within weeks of receiving an Ofsted report which awarded an Inadequate grade – despite inspectors recognising some areas of strength. 

Ofsted rules were changed last September. Now even if a small element of the school’s performance is found to be inadequate, this means the WHOLE school is ruled as inadequate, and the government can force it to become an academy.

Gladstone Park School – which had it's ‘good’ rating sustained by Ofsted in 2011 – was, under the new rules, judged as ‘inadequate’. 

It is now being fast-tracked for academy conversion without consultation or a chance to improve.

WHAT WILL THIS MEAN FOR THE SCHOOL?

IF the school becomes an academy, the way it is run and funded will be changed. Academies are not subject to the existing body of legislation on education which provides safeguards for parents, teachers and pupils and has been built up over the years – for good reasons.

IF the government forces the school to accept a private sponsor this could mean:

• Replacing the current governors with the sponsor's own – unelected – members.
• Parents will lose their say in the running of the school.
• Members of staff losing their jobs or conditions
• Employing unqualified staff (academies are not required to employ qualified teachers)
• Changing admissions procedure to exclude certain groups
• The school will no longer be supported by local education authority – parents will have no-one to go to if they have a grievance
• Academies are not subject to the existing body of legislation on education. This legislation provides safe guards to parents, teachers and pupils and has been built up over the years for good reasons.
• School will no longer have to follow healthy eating policies...

IF we are allowed to choose our sponsor we might still maintain our influence and that of our School Governors (who have been voted for by us).

But it doesn’t look like we are being given that choice.

WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT IT?

Parents, carers and staff at the School have launched a campaign against what we perceive to be a politically-driven, disproportionate and undemocratic rush to academy conversion. 

We support the School Governors in their robust negotiations with the DfE. However, the Governors have been told that an academy sponsor will be put forward by February 11, and consultation with us will only take place after the deal with the Department’s nominated sponsor is secured.    

We believe it is for the school community to have final say on its future governance. 

We all want school improvement, but ownership of this process must rest with the school and its local community. 

DO YOU FEEL THE SAME?

Then please join our campaign to protest against

this decision.

Attend all future parents meetings.

Sign our petition.

Join our Facebook Group.

IF you do not recognise our school in the Ofsted judgement, you can have your say.