Judge's decision means Sinfin school academy plan moves step closer
THE city council's plans to retain control of a secondary school have ground to a halt – bringing the likelihood it will become an academy a step nearer.
The council lodged a judicial review after the Government stepped in to replace the governing body at Sinfin Community School with an interim executive board.
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Sinfin Community School
But a High Court judge has refused to allow the judicial review to go further and instead has found in favour of Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove.
Councillor Martin Rawson, cabinet member for children and young people, said the judge's decision was "disappointing".
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The Labour-led city council is opposed to academies, along with the major teaching unions, the National Union of Teachers and the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers.
Following a failed Ofsted inspection, Mr Gove used his parliamentary powers to install the new interim board at Sinfin school in November, ahead of it becoming an academy.
This was days before the city council was due to install its own interim board ahead of making the school part of a co-operative trust. The trust would consist of several schools and have links to businesses but the council would retain control over it.
Mr Rawson said: "This judgement leaves us nowhere to go with this aside of voicing our objections as part of the academy consultation.
"We are looking into the possibility of a public meeting being held to discuss the issue of whether Sinfin should become an academy, before the consultation begins at the end of January.
"We would also like to see Sinfin parents being given the chance to vote on whether the school should become an academy or not."
Meanwhile, the teaching unions are deciding whether to take further action, following a two-day strike at the end of the term in December.
Dave Wilkinson, NASUWT branch secretary, said: "We agree a public meeting should take place.
"There was a poorly-attended meeting for parents held in the final week of term but it is likely many people did not have the time or were unaware of it."
It is only the fifth time nationally that Mr Gove has intervened to order a governing body to be removed where a school is considered to be "failing".
If the interim executive board decides, at the end of the consultation, academy conversion should go ahead then the preferred sponsor of the academy is the Greenwood Dale FoundationTrust, based in Nottingham.
The trust, which has 13 academies in the East Midlands, would assume the day-to-day running of the school which would cease to be under local authority control.
Comments
by rdc180368
Thursday, January 17 2013, 10:06PM
“Totally ridiculous. The school is improving. This is a politically-motivated attack by Michael Gove following Labour's victory in the May elections. The City Council has put measures in place to raise standards in the school. Changing it to an academy will do nothing to help that. As for Barry Day and his Greenwood Dale Trust... I think more people should be asking what he's getting out of this.”
by asctty
Friday, January 11 2013, 4:41PM
“The tragedy here is the kids. They deserve a good education without all this political stuff going on. The school has been at odds with DfE, the Council and the unions for ages. Enough surely?
The Governors have demonstrated that they cannot move the school forward, and the Unions and DCC have fared no better. Get it sorted before the children are affected any further.
Those opposing the Greenwood Dale plan should offer up an alternative sponsor - they are out there!”
by Bernithebolt
Friday, January 11 2013, 3:47PM
“Independent is bang on. The judgement was a scathing indictment of Derby CCs case. Costs were awarded against them. When you add their own costs this will be tens of thousands. At the same time they are making cuts in other areas. A disgrace!! The council should publish the written judgement in this paper for all to read.
A public meeting?? What will that be? Nothing more than a rally for those who agree with each other. They will pass a motion or have a vote with a landslide majority of those there! So what?
The parents in Sinfin are voting all the time by sending their children to other schools!! For the reducing number that are left something needs to be done quickly to rescue them from the unions and the council. Bring on the change as fast as possible!”
by independent
Friday, January 11 2013, 2:23PM
“Politics getting in the way of common sense but more importantly with scant regard for the quality of education for present and future Sinfin youngsters. How much did the Judicial review cost? Will the Council employees voice their concerns that this money would have been better spent retaining jobs and providing service to the tax payers of the city? DET should be asking more searching questions!”