Sponsors tell staff, but not parents about new Academy principal.

Staff at Unity College were informed on Monday (15th Dec) afternoon that Margaret Gwynne had been not been chosen by Academy Sponsors as the Principal of the proposed Church of England Academy. 

At the Academy ‘consultation’ meeting with parents later that same evening The Venerable Christine Allsop representing the Diocese of Peterborough refused to confirm or deny whether Mrs Gwynn had been offered the post. On reflection this seems very strange as the information was already in the public domain.

Parents at the meeting were visibly angry and upset as they guessed Mrs Gwynne had not been offered the post. They felt this would set the school back yet again, undoing all the good work Mrs Gwynne had done since arriving. One parent asked if there was any point in consulting as no-one was listening and an academy seemed to be agreed already.

Moulton College and Bishop Stopford School, co-sponsors no show for parents meeting.

Two co-sponsors of the proposed Academy to replace Unity College, Northampton failed to turn up to a consultation meeting with parents on 15.12.08. The Principal of Moulton College did not attend because of a family matter and failed to send anyone else to represent him. Bishop Stopford School did not attend because according to Diocesean Board of Education representative, The Venerable Christine Allsop ‘they had something else on’.

Attendance of parents at the meeting was extremely poor, with those who did attend complaining they had received little or no notice of the the meeting from either the Diocese or the Local Education Authority.

Unity College Governing Body does not support Academy

Contrary to reports in the local press the Governors of Unity College, Northampton have not supported the proposed Church of England Academy. In fact they only agreed to support the consideration and consultation with all potential interested parties, including parents, staff, students and the wider community.