Charlbury Primary School-Ofsted and academy conversion

Tue 28 May 2019, 21:25

A number of schools forced down this route choose to found an independent academy rather than become part of a chain.  Others have set out the implications of the latter route.

Fri 24 May 2019, 11:57

Huw, I have no basis in fact for this, but I strongly suspect that a suitable trust can easily be found for a school like Charlbury. The River Learning Trust which includes Cherwell, Chipping Norton and Marlborough secondary schools, plus a number of primary schools in the area (Tower Hill Witney, Edith Moorhouse Carterton etc.) would be an obvious one:

https://riverlearningtrust.org/schools/

RLT seems to be very successful, certainly Cherwell School is consistently judged outstanding and Chipping Norton School has come out of special measures, with the sixth-form performing particularly well last year. Nothing at all has been said officially through Charlbury school about a potential Trust -this is just my personal observation.

Fri 24 May 2019, 09:08 (last edited on Fri 24 May 2019, 09:08)

The Independent Newspaper has been featuring a campaign by parents and headteachers against forced academy conversion. They say that this a a growing movement.

Here is a recent article on this: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/school-takeover-protests-headteachers-parents-education-local-authority-control-a8897756.html

There is also an Anti Academies Alliance. A web-page about their activities is here: http://antiacademies.org.uk/author/pete/

Thu 23 May 2019, 17:14

Katie,

Thank you, a very informative article. From your research, do you know what the process is if no suitable Trust can be found for the school to join?  With respect to the school field, it would be a great pity to see that area developed.  

Thu 23 May 2019, 16:37

Wychwood Paddocks school field, oh dear, this doesn't sound too good.

Thu 23 May 2019, 15:34

As many of us are already aware, the outcome of the recent Ofsted report for Charlbury Primary School means that it is almost certainly going to become an academy school. Sadly, although the quality of teaching and outcomes for pupils at the school were rated good with attainment above the national average, other aspects such as leadership and safeguarding systems were deemed inadequate (although there is no suggestion whatsoever that children are not safe). The report is online here:

https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/123000

Academy conversion has implications for staff, pupils and parents, but also the wider community in Charlbury. I've been trying to understand what this is likely to mean and have found a few articles online with information that people might be interested in:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-13274090

  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/0/academies-pros-cons/

https://neu.org.uk/policy/academy-status-pupil-attainment-and-school-improvement

https://www.teachers.org.uk/campaigns/academies

In particular, this last article raises the issue of what happens to school land and buildings when a school converts to an academy and what the proceeds of such sales could be used for. Obviously, this is relevant to Charlbury and the Wychwood Paddocks school field as proceeds from the sale of land go to the trust not the school. 

Hopefully, academy status will be a positive change for the school and the fantastic teachers. Our 2 kids have always been happy and successful there and I hope the school goes from strength to strength.