Despite overwhelming opposition from pupils, parents, teachers; governors and the local community at Unity College, the County Council are going ahead with the next stage of fast tracking Unity to become an academy.

I attended the meeting, together with parents, pupils and teachers, where the Council’s cabinet member for schools, Conservative Councillor Joan Kirkbride made the decision to go ahead. There were many excellent conributions from those who spoke, and no-one had a good word to say about the proposal, or the botched consultation that has happened so far.

With the support of at least 7 other councillors, I am going to ask that the decision is ‘called in’ for examination by the councils scrutiny committee.

With a new head and new buildings, Unity desperately needs a period of stability in which it can work to improve. Now is not the time to be fast tracked into another organisational shake up with little evidence that it will achieve anything that cannot be done under the current arrangements.

Andrew Simpson and I attended a meeting for parents and residents about plans to turn Unity College into an academy. This means the school would close as a Church of England Secondary School funded through the County Council and re-open as a Church of England Academy.

There was strong opposition to the plan from the parents present, who spoke in support of the existing head teacher, who has been in post for less than a year, but would be replaced under this proposal. There were also concerns (voiced by both Andrew and Richard) that the proposal would weaken the schools links with the local community , and that it was being proposed only to tackle a large defecit in the schools budget.

See my earlier post for more info.

Plans have been announced to turn Unity College into a Church of England academy school. Consultation is underway on these proposals, and they can be viewed at www.pcaaun.org . A campaign opposing the plan has been established, and their website is http://www.saveunitycollege.org.

There is a public meeting on the proposal on 7th January 6pm-7.30pm at the school.

I have written to the County Council to object. The proposal is that 50% of places at the school will be reserved to children whose parents express a preference for a Church of England education. I believe this is divisive and discriminatory against those of other faiths and none. Only 600 places will remain for the whole of central area of Northampton for those who want to send their children to a local mixed sex school and who do not express a wish for a specifically Church of England based education.

Kingsley needs a good local secondary school which treats everyone fairly, regardless of their religious faith. We need a school which serves its local community, that children can access without having to be driven miles across Northampton.

You can take part in the consultation on thse plans whether you are a parent at the school or not.

The County Council has decided to market the site of Raeburn Special School after the school has moved to its new site at Tiffield. Local residents are campaigning to keep the site for community use. There are no childrens play areas or community facilities in the area. The Focus team are supporting the campaign and Richard Church has spoken up at a recent County Council meeting in support of a petition presented by local community activist Karen Lennon.