Academy Conversion Meeting This evening, any an vice very gratefully received.

[wanttomakeadifference]

DC's primary school have a consultation meeting this evening regarding converting to an academy.

I've done a bit of research and I personally feel that it would be a bad move for the school to convert.

I've spoken with a parent governor who agrees with me, but she confirmed my suspicions that it's pretty much a 'done deal' as the government are intent in pushing schools to convert.

She also told me that the Head takes little notice of the school's Board of Governors, tends to do what he wants, and that noone stands up to him. I feel this bodes particularly badly for a potential academy- as he will have even more power to make questionable decisions without being answerable to the LEA.

I would love some advice about all this. Is there any point in objecting? I'm worried about causing offence to the Board or The Head by making plain that I think loosing accountability to the LEA will be a bad thing.

The LA retains responsibility for statementing and monitoring SEN provision so you should still complain to them if the school isn't meeting its responsibilities. I'm appalled the head didn't answer your question.

I was talking about SEN DC's that AREN'T statemented though. Those that are on SA/SA+ like my DD...

Because my LA has illegal blanket policies on statementing, and even the school themselves couldn't get DD statemented when they tried.

And I and other parents of DC's on SA/SA+ were (and are) concerned that this school that up to now had a superb record of helping those on SA/SA+ is going to slowly erode that Dept to fund others, and we were concerned about who to complain to when that starts happening.

Which it already has.

And still no discernible answer on who we complain to. Despite trying for 9+ months...

(And my LA has been proven repeatedly to have illegal blanket policies on Statementing. I just can't afford to legally challenge them. If I could, I'd probably win wrt my DD. )

The LA is responsible for monitoring ALL SEN provision, not just for those with statements. You complain to the LA.

Glad that DD will have left by 2015 - My LA is aiming to have wound down by then, as it aims for all schools to be Academies or new free schools by September 2015. God knows who you'd complain to then.

Will have to find out though, as DS2 will transfer to Secondary Sept 2015...

You will still complain to your LA. They will still be legally responsible for monitoring SEN provision. They cannot duck that responsibility.

Academies do become a law unto themselves and accountability disappears into the mist it seems. However its even worse if they join an academy chain trust. With chain academy groups the local governing body is selected by and represents the trust board. Local governors are only there to rubber stamp and enforce decisions taken by trust boards. Once under the control of an academy chain all local control disappears. Additionally it appears that in return for the high renumeration accepted, headteachers and senior staff implement decisions taken centrally by the trust board without question. As many academy headteachers and senior staff have found to their cost, failure to comply is dangerous for their careers.

In my experience, local accountability becomes NIL despite all the assurances given prior to conversion or sponsorship.

I hope ravenAK that your experience is better than mine has been.