The meeting has been organised after complaints that Woodingdean Primary School was limiting attendance to its own consultation events to just ten people.
Brighton and Hove City Council announced it was holding the meeting next Wednesday (June 25) at Woodingdean Community Centre, which has space for 85 people.
Woodingdean Primary School told parents this month it is looking to join the Eko Trust which currently runs ten schools.
The council’s meeting is described as being led by councillors and attended by senior education officers.
Woodingdean Primary School’s leadership team and governing body, along with union representatives and the Parent and Carer Council (PaCC) have also been invited.
Councillor Emma Daniel, cabinet member for children, families and youth services, said the council is disappointed at the school’s proposal to join an academy trust.
Cllr Daniel said: “We believe academisation leads to greater fragmentation of the education system in the city and removes accountability from local communities and parents.
“We are seeing an unprecedented reduction in the number of primary-aged children in the city. Joining a trust does not create more children – and fewer children means schools have fewer funds available.
“We’re keen to work with all school leaders in the city and learn from what has been a challenging situation for many schools over the past few years.
“Years of underfunding from national government has not only affected schools – it’s affected local authorities too and has contributed to the difficult climate.
“We’re keen to work together to make sure we’re doing all we can to safeguard the future of the city’s schools.”
A public consultation is underway until Friday, July 4 with details on Woodingdean Primary School’s website.
Woodingdean ward councillor Jacqui Simon shared her disappointment that four public meetings organised so far by the school tomorrow (Thursday, June 19) and Friday, June 20, were limited to ten people.
Cllr Simon said: “This seems like a deliberate attempt to stop people from hearing all points of view. The academy system is wildly inefficient, promoting competition between schools rather than collaboration.
“We have two fantastic schools in Woodingdean and energies would be better spent sharing and developing expertise together rather than engaging in competition over enrolling the community’s children.”
Fellow Woodingdean councillor Jacob Allen, a former pupil at the school, said: “As a community, we value transparency and local accountability.
“Moving toward academy status risks undermining these principles and removes democratic oversight at a time when our focus should be on strengthening public education, not fragmenting it.
“I urge the school to fully involve parents, carers, staff and the wider community before taking any steps that could irreversibly alter its future at a time when the trust in question is not on a stable footing.”
In the consultation document, the governors said joining the trust would give the school a better chance of achieving an outstanding Ofsted rating, improve teacher recruitment and retention and help with budgeting as per-pupil funding had not kept up with costs.
Since 2019 Brighton and Hove City Council has been reducing published admission numbers (PAN) at primary and infant schools due to falling numbers as national funding is on a per-pupil basis.
Woodingdean Primary has twice been earmarked for a reduction but retains a PAN of 60, making it a two-form entry school.
The public meeting is due to take place from 7.30-9.30pm at Woodingdean Community Centre in Warren Road.
To book one of the 85 places visit the Eventbrite page titled Public Meeting to discuss Woodingdean Primary School academisation proposal
at www.eventbrite.com/e/1410601490029.
Source link
[Featured]
[Just In]
