Unity College Speaks

Parents know incompetence when they see it

2009-01-09T23:27:00.005Z

So the Venerable Christine Allsopp gives her apologies that the process is so difficult for the parents to understand "I am always sorry if the communication was not clear enough for people to understand the consultation process”. Did she understand the unanimous anti academy vote on 7th Dec? Parents are no mugs, they may not be education 'professionals' but they can spot incompetence, ignorance and a proposal without real content with no problem at all. When are the Church of England and Local Authority going to open their ears and start listening? It's very sad the Church of England are so happy to bully the community and treat parents like halfwits.

Academies are exempt from the Freedom of Information Act

2009-01-02T09:46:00.002Z

Facts and figures on academies are very difficult to obtain. Unlike all other schools maintained by the taxpayer, academies are exempt from the Freedom of Information Act, so the only information available is what they choose to publish or that which is published by the government, and is often misleading. Parents of pupils at academies have no represention on the board of governors and no means of influencing the educational policies and practices of the school. They do not even have the right to be told what these policies and practices are. What is the reason for such secrecy?

The following GCSE performance data for all academies was prised from the DfES by means of the Freedom of Information Act. The department is still refusing to provide subject-based results for individual academies. The percentage of pupils entered for GCSE/GNVQ who obtained A*-C grades in 2005 were: English and maths: 17%; English and maths and science: 11%; English and maths and science and a modern language: 5%. Any comprehensive school with results like these would be at risk of being replaced by an academy.
The Guardian -
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2006/jun/16/mainsection.guardianletters1

Academies can fail without accountability

2009-01-01T20:55:00.001Z

"The funding agreement between a sponsor and the DCSF is a seven-year rolling contract which could in theory be terminated at any time. But David Wolfe, a barrister at Matrix Chambers and an expert on academies, says the grounds for doing this are very limited. A sponsor couldn't, for example, be removed if an academy failed to meet Ed Balls's National Challenge of getting at least 30 per cent of pupils five A*-C GCSEs, including English and maths."
The Guardian Aug 2008

The Venerable Christine Allsopp says...

2008-12-31T00:39:00.002Z

“I hope people will take the time to get involved and give us our views on the proposals.”
Quote: The Venerable Christine Allsopp. Sponsors website.

Never a truer word spoken!

Rumours abound in the Church of England

2008-12-22T22:51:00.007Z

It is alleged that the appointment of Vanessa Ray as principal designate is sending shockwaves through the Church of England throughout the UK. It is alleged that even Bishops are asking about the suitability of Mrs Ray as the Principal of a Church of England Academy, is she or has she been a regular practising christian? Did the people who appointed her do their homework?

Academies do not get any more money than other schools!

2008-12-22T22:41:00.003Z

Excerpt from the Department for Schools and Families website on Academies.

Do Academies receive more funding than maintained schools?
Ministers are very clear that there must be parity of funding with schools in the maintained sector that operate in similar circumstances. Otherwise, those schools could justifiably argue that they are being treated inequitably. We want to ensure that funding will allow Academy innovations to be replicated in other schools.

We say - ‘so we still get the same money if we stay as Unity College!’

Academy Sponsors tell DCSF one date and parents another.

2008-12-20T17:48:00.000Z

Sponsors have told the Department for Children, Schools and Families that the consultation period for the proposed Academy replacing Unity College began on 25th November 2008.

The earliest public notice we know of was newspaper advert on 11th December. Most parents did not receive any information until 19th/20th December. The consultation period gives only 7 school (working) days between meetings for parents to discuss the proposal. This is because the consultation period, which was set by the sponsors, falls across the christmas break.

Many parents were completely unaware of the first meeting.

Last chance for parents to speak out

2008-12-20T15:52:00.000Z

Parents opposed or for a Unity Academy have a last chance to tell the sponsors what they think. 6pm 7th Jan 2009 at Unity School. We say go and have your say!

Local Authority send parents brochure on closing Unity School

2008-12-20T15:43:00.001Z

Parents have been posted a brochure from the Local Authority about closing Unity College on April 14th and creating an Academy. Parents are asked reply with their views on closure and given last chance to attend a meeting on 7th Jan 2008 to give their opinion. We think brochure looks as though it has come from Academy.

Unity College Governors hold extraordinary meeting to discuss Academy

2008-12-20T15:11:00.000Z

Governors at Unity College are to hold an extraordinary meeting at 5.30pm on Jan 5th 2009 at Unity College to discuss the proposed Academy. It is believed there is unrest amongst the Governors about the treatment of Principal Margaret Gwynne by the Diocese and quality of the Academy proposal. Apparently the Governors have not approved becoming an Academy, rather just that there should be consultation and questioning to see what parents, teachers and children think. Many Governors are worried about what they see as a sham consultation.

Governing Body learn of appointment of Academy Head from local media.

2008-12-20T15:04:00.000Z

Governors at Unity College were surprised to learn of the appointment of Vanessa Ray via the local press. The Diocese of Peterborough did feel it necessary to bother inform the Governing Body officially, Church foundation governors feel they have been sidelined by the Diocese and Archdeacon Christine Allsopp.

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

2008-12-17T16:41:00.001Z

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.

2008-12-17T00:43:00.001Z

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

2008-12-17T00:30:00.000Z

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.