Academies: 'Hands off Weston Favell' wins!
Lee Dunkley ( ‘Hands Off Weston Favell School’ )
Northamptonshire County Council (NCC) has been trying to force the infamous United Learning Trust (ULT) on Weston Favell school, in Northampton, as part of the Government’s academies agenda.
The threat has been looming over the school for over a year. Initially we were set to be taken over in the last academic year - but the determination of the organised campaigners forced the date back twice to April 2010. Trade unionists, staff, parents, the student council, the governors, socialists and other activists formed a solid campaign against the proposal.
This came to a peak last month, when both the NASUWT and NUT teaching unions came out on strike together on 3 December. Then followed an 'extraordinary cabinet meeting' at NCC on 10 Dec. which saw 24 members of the public speak - every one of them in opposition. 400 letters were also sent to NCC about the plans; 390 of those were against. Despite the overwhelming opposition, the so-called "listening council" steam-rollered the proposal through.
The only response of Sally Keeble, the Northampton North Labour MP, was to issue a warning to the teachers saying that her support for the cause would be withdrawn if further strike action was taken. Further strike action did loom, however - teaching unions were beginning to prepare for ongoing action and the students were also keen to strike.
But other things were happening at ULT. Their two 'sister' academies in Sheffield had been flagged up to the government as failing. ULT were informed just before Christmas that they could no longer take on the two academies that they were in the process of obtaining - one in Oxfordshire, and Weston Favell.
This has left both the Labour government and the Tory local council with egg on their faces. They were willing to disregard the whole community, and jeopardise the students' short term education, as well as begin to privatise education in the long term. Yet another example of how out-of-touch mainstream politicians are.
The hard work done by the 'parents' action group', by the teaching unions and campaigners has provided the momentum needed to quash the proposal, and has demonstrated that a unified grassroots fight can beat an unrepresentative and self-interested authority.
Northamptonshire County Council (NCC) has been trying to force the infamous United Learning Trust (ULT) on Weston Favell school, in Northampton, as part of the Government’s academies agenda.
The threat has been looming over the school for over a year. Initially we were set to be taken over in the last academic year - but the determination of the organised campaigners forced the date back twice to April 2010. Trade unionists, staff, parents, the student council, the governors, socialists and other activists formed a solid campaign against the proposal.
This came to a peak last month, when both the NASUWT and NUT teaching unions came out on strike together on 3 December. Then followed an 'extraordinary cabinet meeting' at NCC on 10 Dec. which saw 24 members of the public speak - every one of them in opposition. 400 letters were also sent to NCC about the plans; 390 of those were against. Despite the overwhelming opposition, the so-called "listening council" steam-rollered the proposal through.
The only response of Sally Keeble, the Northampton North Labour MP, was to issue a warning to the teachers saying that her support for the cause would be withdrawn if further strike action was taken. Further strike action did loom, however - teaching unions were beginning to prepare for ongoing action and the students were also keen to strike.
But other things were happening at ULT. Their two 'sister' academies in Sheffield had been flagged up to the government as failing. ULT were informed just before Christmas that they could no longer take on the two academies that they were in the process of obtaining - one in Oxfordshire, and Weston Favell.
This has left both the Labour government and the Tory local council with egg on their faces. They were willing to disregard the whole community, and jeopardise the students' short term education, as well as begin to privatise education in the long term. Yet another example of how out-of-touch mainstream politicians are.
The hard work done by the 'parents' action group', by the teaching unions and campaigners has provided the momentum needed to quash the proposal, and has demonstrated that a unified grassroots fight can beat an unrepresentative and self-interested authority.
posted by classroom teacher at
20:16
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