Can someone explain why there has been such a protest about changing Downhills primary into an academy

[Quip]

I've just seen this in the news again : www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18526780 and this time I made the effort to read the ofsted reports. I can't understand, given the evidence that the kids aren't getting the education they deserve, why there's such a protest about making the school into an academy. What's there to object to? Whose interests are threatened by this? I know some people are dead-set against academies full stop due to their political views: is that what it is in this case? It's left me scratching my head - I don't really understand what all the fuss is about.

Quip I would agree with you, the school appears to have been underperforming for years based on KS2 tests and Ofsted inspections. However there is a significant groundswell of local opinion that says the school was not a bad school. It is difficult to know whether that is just uninformed local views or is a reality because it has become somewhat of a cause celebre and there is no way that Mr Gove and co were not going to get their way in moving this school to be an Academy. Come back in three years and see how the KS2 results compare to this years. A major increase says right decision taken, insignificant increase says it was all political.

Quip - I agree.

It's hard to say, but I'm interested in the school as there are clearly motivated parents there.

It's very hard for a school that is deemed 'less than'. For example where I live there are several popular school and parents move to be near them and house prices go up and therefore only those with cash can go there or there are the church schools. This leaves one very unpopular school. Nothing I know about it suggests the school is bad but its results are worse as parents with opportunity move or pray to avoid it. I suspect it will be taken into academy status. It puzzles me what the end game will be, will they all be academies?

Good question lopsided.

The point about there being few highly motivated parents with children at the school doesn't need to affect results. There have been loads of schools in deprived areas which have had outstanding results.

The objection is that it is being forced into becoming a "sponsored academy" without taking the views of parents into account who appear to oppose the move in large numbers. People do not like being pushed around, even worse, in my experience, if they are told they are being forced to do something "for their own good". One of the views being put forward is that Academy status will not, of itself, result in improvement, but indeed, on that, only time will tell.

what nlondondad said really.

It was made to become an academy without being given the chance to persue other avenues to improve.

And the thing is, that the school was turning itself around. It had the previous year raised results from under the floor level that Gove set to above it. Another year at that rate and the school wouldn't be failling anymore.

It wasn't given this chance though, and the move was forced on the school.

I expect lots of schools will convert to academies. In this way, the head teachers can get seriously big salaries, jobs for mates can be created (more money available), they no longer have to stick to the national curriculum, easier to get rid of old style teachers ... good news ???? We will know in a number of years, but it will be too late for lots of kids if it turns out to be a bad idea after all.

tiggytape, that's an interesting view. There are over 2,500 schools across the country with poorer results than Downhills - do you think they're 'going some' too?

It's results aren't below the floor target, btw.

In addition to nlondondad's comments, it seems evident that 94% of the parents and local community 'consulted' don't want to become a sponsored academy because there is absolutely zero evidence that this will improve the school. There is, however, plenty of evidence to indicate that this particular sponsor Harris will manage out children with SEN or those who won't do their performance table position any good (about 10% of the school population are Roma travellers which are the lowest performing ethnic group across the country), to have a very high turnover of staff who leave feeling beaten down and bullied and be more concerned their their self-publicity than the needs of the children.

As gaby says, the school is on a clear upwards trajectory (39% KS2 E & M 2009, 63% KS2 E & M 2011). This is exactly the sort of school that sponsors like Harris want - they will claim credit for improvements that are already happening.

A friend of mine moved her children there last year after being completely fed up with them being in the 'outstanding' SATS boot camp nearby. She loves it and her children - along with their class mates are thriving.

It's a no brainer, really.

By the way, Haringey primary Ofsted's aren't worth the paper they're written on.

There wasn't a single Haringey primary in 'special measures' this time last year, then Gove decided to target Haringey and sent Ofsted in to hammer the borough.

Just like Ed Balls did with Children's Services, if anyone remembers Sharon Shoesmith's appalling treatment.

Ofsted are a pawn of Gove - it's incredibly naive to think they're anything else.

lopsided, the end game is profit making companies being able to run schools.

Downhills is a very popular school with a huge waiting list. Haringey has other under-performing schools that no-one wants - they don't even appear in the list of last year's cutoff distances because there was no cut off - they were under-subscribed as no-one wants to send their kid there. Why didn't Gove do everyone a favour and target those schools for Academy status?

As Rosebud said - Downhills was on an uphill trajectory, widely seen as turning itself around. And it kept the Roma kids and the disrupted local kids who keep being moved around - those are the kids who bring down a school's results.

allchildreenreading there have NOT been "loads of schools in similar deprived areas which have had outstanding results". The issue isn't just social/economic deprivation. It's stability. You can't do much with kids who move in and out every few years. (Well, society as a whole could - but one lone school can't.)

I don't think that Gove targeting any schools for an academy experiment is a good idea. Neither do I think Haringey needed another kick in from the Sec of State and Ofsted; we're still recovering from the appalling treatment of Sharon Shoesmith.

Though I agree with you that Downhills is unique in the area for accepting and working with many children other schools can't/won't. It's current focus is the needs of the local population, rather than its position in the League tables (which is respectable for its intake btw, above the floor target).

This will change if a self-publicist like Harris gets to take over.

Nearly 80% of children who stay at the school for the whole of KS2 get L4 M & E. This is above the national average.

Quoting Rosebud: Nearly 80% of children who stay at the school for the whole of KS2 get L4 M & E. This is above the national average.

I'm a gran and admit I haven't kept up with schools policy as I should have. But I've known the area around around Downhills for decades. This is a fantastic result against the odds. If it ain't broke, why is Gove destroying it?

A school like that badly needs community support and esprit, given the local challenges. Somehow, they did it - they turned themselves around - gave hope to so many children - now all that is lost. This is heart-breaking.

Yes. Gove is trying to destroy it because he can. Like a previous S of S, Ed Balls, he has decided to pick a fight with Haringey and has thrown his weight around like a school bully, using Ofsted as his henchman.

I completely agree with you about the community support and spirit - it's been phenomenal and a much needed morale boost as Tottenham recovers from last summer's riots.

Have you kept up with their campaign - how many 'outstanding' schools do you know that would be able to pull this off:--

That's amazing. Made me weep -- with admiration at the teachers, parents and children, but also with frustration and anger at the sheer waste that this awful decision by Gove represents.

Now I feel properly depressed, it sounds like a great school.

There are some battles going on in other places. Its worth a fight.

Here's their website - it's a very, very impressive campaign.

savedownhills.org/

Gove wants to break Haringey LEA.
Downhills has been treated unprofessionally by OFSTED - who should have had the ethical integrity to stand up to Gove's requests
(and the Sharon Shoosmith / Ed Balls comparison is spot on)

There is a REAL crisis brewing here.
Schools are being allowed to turn into academies without sponsors.
They will then get a bad Ofsted on Leadership (because heads are teachers not entrepeneurs)
and be forced to get sponsors
who will be from Gove's band of donors
and will strip HUGE amounts of money out of the education budget.
BE AFRAID.

In normal life a "sponsor" is someone who puts money in.

Shouldn't these academy "sponsors" be called recipients or suppliers or
just change the middle letter and call them spongers ?

Agree with you.

The other issue is that primary schools are too small to be stand alone academies. When the books start looking ropey (within a year of converting), I predict that academy chains will be paying visits to schools to make stark their choice between bankruptcy and sponsorship.

This is purely ideological and terrifying.