Governors at Bournville School in Birmingham have postponed considering a proposal to become an Academy until September 2012.
This is an excellent decision following a high profile campaign by parents and teachers to persuade the Governors not to become an Academy.
NUT and NASUWT members had voted for strike action and were due to strike on Tuesday 11th October. They postponed the action on the understanding that the Governors meeting on Wednesday 12th would reconsider their position.
The Hands off Bournville School campaign and Alliance Against Birmingham Academies had run a lively campaign of leafletting, petitioning and public meetings.
We congratulate the Governors on their decision.
Letter from Hands Off Bournville School
Dear Supporter
Success!
At the HOBS meeting last night we learnt that Governors have decided to abandon their Academy proposal for the rest of this academic year. Acting on the recommendation by the Headteacher Barbara Easton, Governors voted by an overwhelming majority to postpone consideration of Academy conversion until 31st August 2012. Further to this they agreed that any future re-consideration of Academy status will require a further period of full consultation. They decided that Academy conversion is not right for Bournville School at this time.
This is excellent news and I would like to thank you for your part in supporting the campaign. This result has been made possible, against the odds, by the combined efforts of concerned parents, members of the community and staff of Bournville School.
The future
Our work is not over yet, we still need to ensure that the current application for Academy conversion is withdrawn and that the DfE’s Academy Order for Bournville School will no longer apply. I will continue to keep you updated of our progress on this. We will also be keeping a close eye on the local and national picture regarding Academy conversion, as we fully expect to be revisiting this issue next Autumn.
With thanks again for your support,
Sarah Barton
Sarah Barton is one of the speakers at the Midlands anti academies conference – click here for details
