More than 2,500 people signed a petition protesting against the proposed academisation of Moulsecoomb Primary School in Brighton.
In June, more than 2,500 people signed a petition protesting against the proposed academisation of Moulsecoomb Primary School in Brighton.
The school was ordered by the government to convert into an academy after an Ofsted report deemed the school “inadequate” following poor Key Stage 2 Results last year.
After backlash from parents, teachers, and community members, Brighton and Hove City Council announced it would re-inspect the school, and conduct a ballot of parents views regarding the proposed academisation – which 96% of parents voted against.
Parents have deemed the academy plan as “damaging” and “cynical”. One of the parents who created the petition told Brighton and Hove News:
“We don’t want our school to be part of a multi-academy trust, with zero accountability, with very questionable sky-high salaries to its CEO.”
GMB are in complete support of the parents stance. GMB Branch Secretary Mark Turner said:
“We will tirelessly campaign to revoke this order and urge everyone in Brighton and Hove to send the message, Hands off Moulsecoomb Primary, loud and clear.”, “…we will not stand by and allow the back door privatisation if children’s education, culminating in our members being forced to a new employer against their wishes and risking detrimental changes to their current terms and conditions”.
It has now been revealed that the school’s new Key Stage 2 results in reading, writing, and maths combined have gone up by nearly 30% from last year, furthering the argument against academisation.
Brighton and Hove City Councillor Kate Knight, who organised the ballot for parents, said: “Surely now the government will recognise that there is no longer any basis for labelling the school as inadequate. I hope the government will now listen to parents and carers, respect the result of this ballot and call off its very damaging academy plan”.
The Badger has approached Moulsecoomb Primary School for comment.
