Parents Want Guarantees

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

At last night’s council meeting, parents heard that no written guarantees have been provided by the cabinet about the set up of the Strood Academy.
Labour spokesman, Cllr Bill Esterson asked the Tory cabinet to amend its decision to set up an academy by including two key points:
1. The principal of the academy should be from the existing management teams at Temple and Chapter, the two schools due to be replaced when the academy opens.
2. Children already at the two schools to continue to be educated in single sex groups.
Cllr Esterson said, “parents, children and staff want the confirmation that the principal at the new academy will be one of the existing headteachers. This would provide much needed reassurance of continuity and keeping the successful ethos from the existing schools. Temple and Chapter are single sex schools and children who will be sitting important exams in the next few years need to know that their education will not be disrupted by the change to an academy. Keeping existing arrangements for existing children is the best way of achieving this.”
The Tory leader of council told parents in the public gallery that the cabinet minutes refer to the arrangements for the academy in the preamble. The minutes also refer to a letter from Lord Adonis, the government minister for academies. The letter tells the council how the government would like the council to proceed.
Cllr Esterson said, “Bob Marshall-Andrews, organised a meeting between Lord Adonis and the council and the council now has written advice from government. But unless this advice is part of the decision of cabinet, it remains as advice only. Parents, children and staff are rightly concerned that the arrangements have not been finalised because council officers have been telling senior staff at the two schools that the arrangements for single sex teaching for existing pupils are not guaranteed.”
The Labour group has called in the issue and it will be debated at Overview and Scrutiny on 17 March, 7 pm at the Corn Exchange. Cllr Esterson said, “The cabinet can provide complete assurance to parents, children and staff by putting the contents of the letter from Lord Adonis in the decision part of its minutes. The Labour group will be recommending this at Overview and Scrutiny on 17 March and I hope that other members will support our proposal and that cabinet will accept our recommendation when they receive the report from Overview and Scrutiny.”