Things are beginning to look grim for the future of Roke Primary, where parents, governors and staff fear that the public asset of the school, worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, is about to be handed over by education secretary Michael Gove to a Conservative party donor – despite Roke being neither a failing school nor on special measures.
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This ‘done deal’ is illegal – they are only legally empowered to force conversion of failing schools. I cannot find the DfE page that states the exact criteria, but I recall it refers to sustained failure, but not in those words. A blip does not constitute a failing state.
So they need to be challenged on the legality. Urgently.
Note that a school wishing to become an Academy has to run through hoops – and must have agreement of the Governors according to their site. So the DfE are very inconsistent in their behaviour.