Academies

Lewisham academisation fight

Staff at the Prendergast group of schools in Lewisham, South East London, members of the National Education Union, have had three days of strikes to stop the semi-privatisation — with 12 more days scheduled (9-11, 16-18 and 23-25 May; 6-8 June)

Lewisham school workers and parents fight academisation

Picket line at Prendergast Ladywell, one of the schools under threat At the time of writing teachers and support staff at the Prendergast group of schools in Lewisham, South East London, members of the National Education Union, have had three days of strikes to stop the semi-privatisation – with 12 more days scheduled (9-11, 16-18 and 23-25 May; 6-8 June). From 9 May they are being joined by larger numbers of support staff, members of GMB. There is a very active parent campaign alongside the workers (and some student protests too) - I wrote about it last month - the relatively large number of...

Lewisham revolt against academisation

Workers, parents and students at the Prendergast group of schools in Lewisham (south-east London) are in revolt against the attempt to convert them to a multi-academy trust – a semi-private organisation outside local authority control in which management power is entrenched. As part of a lively and determined campaign, National Education Union members at the three secondary and two primary schools have voted overwhelmingly to strike, with six days set from late April. The schools are already part of a federation within the local authority – one which, peculiarly, also has links to a City of...

Forced academies, mark 2?

On 28 February the government issued the first Education White Paper in six years. The headline proposal is a return to the central element in the previous White Paper, in 2014, the idea that all schools should become academies. Most of the other content is strikingly unambitious when compared to previous Tory programmes for schools. Some proposals had already been announced elsewhere (the promise to move to a teachers’ starting salary of £30k by 2024). Others required schools to do things most are already doing (the length of the school day). But the new Paper says is that all schools in...

Pimlico Academy: near a tipping point

On 8 June, National Education Union (NEU) members at Pimlico Academy (London) held their first strike day. A sunny Tuesday morning saw a strong turnout from members, with the picket line stretching all the way down the road. Workers carried placards with slogans including: “kick racism out of school”; “kick islamophobia out of school” and “hold the Nashes accountable”. Lord John Nash, Tory peer and former Academies and Free Schools Minister, and Lady Caroline Nash are Future Academies Trustees and the main force behind the Trust. Lady Nash, for instance, is the leading figure in the Trust’s in...

Batley, blasphemy and the religious right

After the Batley Grammar School row , which led to protests outside the school, teachers being suspended, and one going into hiding for his own safety, the teachers have been reinstated. On 27 May an independent investigation commissioned by Batley Multi Academy Trust found that teaching staff at Batley Grammar School who had shown one of the Charlie Hebdo images of Mohammed “genuinely believed that using the image had an educational purpose and benefit, and that it was not used with the intention of causing offence. The image was included to initiate a discussion about the meaning of...

A victory at Pimlico Academy

Staff and students at Pimlico Academy in London have already seen a first victory. On 18 May, the day before a National Education Union (NEU) ballot for strike action closed, head teacher Daniel Smith announced he would leave on 31 May. Student protest and the threat of workers’ action has seen off the ultimate school bully. Staff have been organising over bullying management; failure to address accusations of racism; lack of adequate safeguarding and unreasonable workload. The NEU strike ballot, which closed last week, came back with a resounding yes vote, and staff are due to hold their...

Marching for Moulsecoomb

Hundreds of parents, kids, workers and supporters braved the rain to march from Moulsecoomb primary school to a rally at The Level in Brighton on Saturday 15 May, demanding that the school remain in local authority control.

Despite overwhelming opposition, the Department for Education is...

Marching for Moulsecoomb

Hundreds of parents, kids, workers and supporters braved the rain to march from Moulsecoomb primary school to a rally at The Level in Brighton on Saturday 15 May, demanding that the school remain in local authority control. Despite overwhelming opposition, the Department for Education is persisting in trying to force Moulsecoomb to become an Academy. Under Tory laws building on New Labour’s Academies policy, it does not matter if workers, students, parents, the local council and community all oppose Academy status — as they do in the case of Moulsecoomb — it can still go ahead so long as there...

“Kick the racist out!” Rebellion at Pimlico Academy

Update, 27 April: Pimlico workers vote for strike ballot - see here


On Wednesday 31 March, their last day of term, almost a thousand students at Pimlico Academy, the flagship school run by Future Academies, sat down in the playground and refused to go to lessons.

The students were protesting a...

This website uses cookies, you can find out more and set your preferences here.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.