Barry Gardiner made a statement on Twitter yesterday following what he said was a 'very positive discussion' with Labour's Shadow Education Secretary about the forced academisation issues at Byron Court Primary School.
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Wednesday, 29 May 2024
Barry Gardiner has 'positive discussion' with the Shadow Education Secretary about Byron Court Primary School's Ofsted and forced academisation
Once Labour bankrupt private schools won't parents be calling for academy schools???
ReplyDelete"Parents and teachers believe Ofsted is flawed" if only he had done the work of getting opinions from a range of parents instead of listening to the loudest voices. Not much has changed when a few loud voices speak above others and think they speak for everyone. We know which voices are marginalised and for which parents it's harder to speak up because there are more barriers. If there was real sincerity, he would have engaged before and nit just because there's a election. Let's not kid ourselves when he's been missing in action for the last few years. Total self interest.
ReplyDeleteThis is more posturing from a Labour MP prior to the elections.
ReplyDeleteAcademies were introduced by a Labour Government and it was a Labour policy to force schools with a poor Ofsted Report to become Academies.
It is not difficult to search for the facts.
“Academies – originally known as City Academies – were introduced by the Labour Government, albeit without any close parliamentary or public scrutiny. These initial 'academies' (as they came to be known) were designed to replace schools deemed to be failing by the school inspection body, Ofsted.”
https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/save-byron-court-primary-school-stop-the-academisation
ReplyDeleteBarry is seeking the academisation order to be reviewed but giving no plan or answer as to how the school will be improved without radical change. It is rated inadequate in all areas. While some parents may not feel the ofsted report resonates with their experience, there are plenty who do say it reflects their experience. Bit of tunnel vision if you think your experience reflects everyone. Frankly good for you if your child hasn't experienced normalised sexism, racism etc. Don't understand keeping everything the same and expecting change when it hasn't worked so far. Something's gotta give. Opposing the academisation is purely ideological and looking at self interest of adults. Not putting children at the centre who are receiving a poor education. Those are the facts unless proved not to be the case. The burden of proof lies with people who claim ofsted was unfair despite having zero evidence apart from confirmation bias and feelings because it doesn't reflect well. Other schools in Brent area have just been rated good so the argument that it's for political reasons holds no water; otherwise they would have done the same with all Brent schools. Byron Court is not an exceptional case for any reason or treated differently fro other schools who have also been subject to inspection. Maybe there are issues with the process but to argue it's different to any other school makes no sense. Why have they all goy a good rating then. The only people suffering from a lack of commitment to rapid change are the children who are not getting the education they deserve.
ReplyDelete