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Original poster

Beechen Cliff/Hayesfield to become academies

11 replies

cinnamontoast · 03/10/2010 20:31

My son's at Beechen Cliff and I was astonished to find it is considering becoming an academy, along with Hayesfield. The bill on academy schools has been rushed through by the govt and the implications are scary. The schools have no accountability, they are run by the head and the board of governors, all links with the LA severed, and they are sponsored. The sponsor, which can be a commercial or religious body, can control what is in the curriculum and the dates and length of terms. Parent representation on the board of governors is reduced from one third to just one governor - so parental input is almost eliminated. There isn't even any evidence that they produce better results than non-academy schools.
BC has promised to hold an 'information evening' for parents - I would like them to consult us properly and take our views into account. Is anyone else going to be affected by all this?

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MogTheForgetfulCat · 06/10/2010 21:19

Well, not for a while, as DSs are only 4 and 2, DS1 just started in reception. But have been following all the back and forth about schools in Bath with interest - quite a shake up going on, not always being very well handled...

Was certainly thinking of sending the DSs to Beechen Cliff, so will be very interested to see what happens and what the consequences are.

Hope your DS's education isn't negatively affected at all - have heard Beechen Cliff is a great school, and hope it stays that way for everyone's sake.

Would you post again when you've got any further info on this??

Original poster
cinnamontoast · 10/10/2010 15:07

Yes, Mog, I will do. Thanks for your interest.

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MrsFlittersnoop · 27/10/2010 23:14

Cinnamontoast - Hope it's not too late to bump this post! Blush I've just noticed it.

I have a DS in year 10 at Beechen Cliff. I'm really gobsmacked by all this as well. Will also be keeping an eye out for any further info. I've taken my eye off the ball re. what's going on at school this term, just started at Uni full-time and have been rather distracted.

JenaiMwahHaHaHaaaaah · 28/10/2010 16:19

According to a report in the Chronic a few weeks age, all Bath schools are considering academy status.

Original poster
cinnamontoast · 01/11/2010 11:59

MrsFlittersnoop, there's a meeting at the school on 3 Nov, which I'm going to try to go to - but I have to say it looks like they will just go ahead and do exactly what they want. I happened to meet a governor of Hayesfield recently, who said it looked as if all the schools in Bath would end up as academies so at least there would be a level playing field of a sort. Not the sort I want, though.

I've discussed it with friends who have children at BC and they don't seem remotely concerned, which is depressing!

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Original poster
cinnamontoast · 04/11/2010 14:36

Went to the meeting last night, only 35 parents turned up. Hey ho, we probably get what we deserve.

Mrs Flittersnoop, were you there, and were you by any chance the very articulate parent half way back on the left-hand side who said everything so much better than I did?!

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JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar · 04/11/2010 16:09

35? That's pretty lame Shock

Were most of the other parents generally supportive?

MrsFlittersnoop · 05/11/2010 13:49

I couldn't get there I'm afraid! Blush How did it go and what was the school's take on it all? Is this an issue we actually have any control over?

Original poster
cinnamontoast · 05/11/2010 13:50

Only about half a dozen of us asked questions Shock and we clearly had reservations, but there was no outright hostility apart from perhaps the lady mentioned above.

The two Heads showed us a bar chart of funding per child for schools in B&NES; BC and Hayesfield came bottom, with below-average rates. If they become academies, they will get the average level of funding (so it's not just about the top slice), and they said that given that there would be cuts, they have to take this. They neglected to point out that the schools with higher funding actually needed it (though when questioned said that a lot of it was down to free school meals). BC has a relatively affluent intake and way below average figures on free school meals and special needs, so frankly it's hardly surprising if their funding is low.

I loathe the academies policy, which is clearly the Tories' attempt at dismantling state education, but I have to say, I felt cautiously reassured about what's happening at BC and Hayesfield. As foundation schools they already own their buildings and use few LA services. They will ensure that their constitution states that they keep the same number and make up of governors, there will be no sponsor, and they will continue to be part of the Bath Education Trust. When questioned about freedom to change the curriculum and the length of the school day etc, they said they've always had that freedom and it was a bit nonsensical for the govt to pretend otherwise.

Given the non-existent level of parental interest, they could probably go ahead and declare themselves a banana republic if they felt like it!

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JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar · 05/11/2010 14:38

Gah. Everyone fusses with figures to make their case, but that's just insulting people's intelligence!

I suspect they have taken tips from BANES Wink

Original poster
cinnamontoast · 05/11/2010 14:57

Yes, I suspect there's a whole raft of bar charts they could have shown us that wouldn't support their case quite so well.

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