Tories and heads slam Labour comment that Academies are “Grammar schools by stealth”

IF THERE is one way to alienate, wind up, insult, denigrate, isolate or widen the widening chasm between the Thurrock schools and Thurrock Council, then it is to call the process of “Academisaton” what cllr Diana Hale did on Wednesday night and that is: “Grammar Schools by Stealth.”

YT can tell you that many Heads were open mouthed in shock that such a sentiment would be expressed in public.

To many of the heads, the first time they would have heard of comprehensive education was in their history or sociology lessons in the seventies when the Butler Act and Tri-Partite education would be explained to them. As they travelled through O levels, A levels, University and Post-Graduate teaching qualifications they would have developed an ideology and belief system that centred on education for all.

Cllr Mike Revell is certainly not letting go of the matter. Just like Jackie Doyle Price he has continued to ask a number of questions.

Here are his questions in full after Wednesday nights full council meeting.

“The reply from Cllr Diana Hales was extremely disappointing. She referred to the Schools Forum Committee, but failed to explain its purpose as a committee, independent of the Council, and the main consultative group for the distribution of funding of schools of Thurrock. Its meeting on the 24th June 2010 discussed school balances and noted those schools holding surplus funds with no action required. One of these schools was the Ockendon School with a surplus of £2 million. The Council had been fully aware of the Ockendon School’s balance and the reasons for it, as it monitored schools’ balances on a quarterly basis. Thurrock Council had never over these years questioned or challenged the school over its balance. The school had set aside this balance for particular capital projects, including a £1mn 8 classroom block, but had been unable to complete a number of these planned projects due to a prolonged, extended building programme by the Local Authority. This finally completed in March 2010, some two and a half years behind schedule.

However on the 16th July 2010 Thurrock Council held a meeting with the school, indicated that that their balance was “grossly excessive” and was to be reviewed within 1 week. Council officers stated this accelerated review was appropriate as the school had applied for conversion to an academy. On 23rd July 2010 the Council wrote to advise that they wished to clawback £1.2mn. This was done without reference to the Forum, overriding the function of that body. I can find no authority for allowing this high handed decision.

At the same time the school was accused of not being efficient in dealing with their balances. Yet I have always been conscious that the school in the past has been very careful with monies entrusted to them and managed its finances well. Indeed in this period I find that the school had invested the funds waiting to be used for the new classrooms had netted almost £400,000 in interest. How I wish that Thurrock Council could be trusted to do the same.

But why the sudden decision by the Council? Could it be related to the fact that on the 29th June 2010 the school Governing Body decided to apply for academy status? Certainly the reported comments by members of Council officers that they did not wish to see the Academy going off into the sunset with these funds would support that view. But whatever the reason, surely the needs of the children for who this money was intended should be uppermost, not the hurt feelings of the officers. Clearly this successful and rapidly expanding school desperately needs these additional classrooms to cope with its current number of students on roll, with all classes including those with special educational needs having at least 30 students.

When finally I asked the Portfolio Holder if she supported Academies, her reply was that she thought that successful schools becoming Academies were a way to creating Grammar Schools by stealth. Yet the Ockendon Academy is not a selective school and has repeatedly said that they have not changed their admissions policy. They are, and will remain, the local school for Ockendon children and will continue to serve their local community. Unfortunately the political dogma of Cllr Diana Hales is obstructing the ambition of the Ockendon Academy and Ockendon children.