Calls to axe Worthing High academy plans

5:10pm Thursday 11th October 2012 in News By Ben James

Education unions are calling on a school to scrap plans to become an academy as the resignation of senior staff has left it without a “democratic mandate”.

Worthing High is in the final stages of the move, which has encountered strong opposition from parents and teachers.

In May the school’s governing body voted to apply to the Department for Education for academy status.

But since then a number of high-profile members of staff and governors have resigned – including the former head Alison Beer.

Last month we revealed that the long-serving head was being investigated by West Sussex County Council – the results of which could impact on the conversion plans.

The unions are now calling on the school to put those plans on hold and instead focus on teaching.

In a joint statement, signed by representatives of the ATL, NASUWT, NUT and UNISON, they said: “The outgoing head teacher voted with the governing body for the school to convert in May.

“Since then, a number of governors have resigned, which taken together with this latest resignation, leaves the school without a democratic mandate for academy conversion.

“For months we have been saying that the basis for this school’s conversion is weak and it remains so.

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“The central claim, that the school would be better off financially, just doesn’t stack up.”

An anti-academy group has staged a number of protests over the past few months which culminated in a teacher strike before the school broke up for the summer holidays.

However, senior staff at the school maintain that there is limited opposition and say that the anti-academy group is made up of a small group of politically minded people.

Eric Skyte, NASUWT member said: “The school must call an emergency meeting of the full governing body and put a stop to this damaging conversion.

“The students and their parents deserve better.”

The school is due to convert on December 1.

Comments(4)

Chieftain11 says...
7:42pm Thu 11 Oct 12

"The unions are now calling on the school to put those plans on hold and instead focus on teaching."

So who is in charge of this school ? It certainly doesn't look like the appointed managers if I've read the story right.

Hail to our Marxist brothers ! When are the parents going to boot that useless gaggle of a ponsy governors' board out ?

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John Steed says...
10:49pm Thu 11 Oct 12

a sad case of attempted empire building, this need less and pointless conversion is detracting from the main purpose of the school, a job that it was pretty good at doing "teaching"

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RationalMan says...
11:27pm Thu 11 Oct 12

"senior staff at the school maintain that there is limited opposition and say that the anti-academy group is made up of a small group of politically minded people."

...would this be the 'senior staff' who have refused to meet with any members of the opposition group up until this point? If so, how would they know the make up of the group? Are they just guessing? Or have they simply swallowed Tim Loughton's ridiculous assertion that this group has no parent members (an out-and-out misrepresentation of the group's membership)?

And what is wrong with being 'politically-minded'
? Is that what counts for an insult these days?

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Chieftain11 says...
8:09am Fri 12 Oct 12

Bruvvers...Bruvvers.
..let us unite together as one if we are to wreck this unholy anti-state, freedom driven, self determining education plan. Without our local authorities we capitalist loving Marxists are finished. Be sure to; deny everything that does not fit our beliefs and agenda, always accuse others of what we are guilty of and never accept ordinary debate. Shout down all opposition and interrupt others at will. They must not be permitted to get their message to parents so get politicians on side. Worthing's Liberal-Democrats have done a fantastic job in their support for us, keep it up please fellow Bruvvers XX

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