MP Questions Wisdom of Academies Programme

Friday, 30 July 2010

Local MP John Pugh was heavily involved in debates on the planned academy programme in Westminster this week, calling for more parental involvement when schools are considering becoming an Academy.

In a debate last week Dr Pugh challenged claims that this Bill would start to break down the barriers between state and independent schools, and raised the importance of parental involvement. "Under the legislation before us, there will still be an educational apartheid: there will be schools with freedoms, and schools with lesser freedoms or no freedom at all."

He also tabled an amendment calling for a ballot of parents on applications for schools to become an Academy if a member or members of a Governing body object to it. "If Members really believe that parents know best, is it not our duty to include the need for a parent vote as a precondition of any move to academy status and thereby give parents the choice as well, as happened under the old grant-maintained legislation?

"Changing the status of a school without allowing the parents of children at the school a decisive voice is extraordinarily hard to justify, especially given the discretionary and entirely unspecific nature of the consultation arrangements in the Bill."

MP's last night approved the Academies Bill, although six Liberal Democrats voted in support of John's amendment. Speaking aferwards Dr Pugh commented:

"It seems to me nonsensical that a major move like this could be undertaken without parental involvement.As I explained in the House I did not highlight this issue to cause problems for the Government. I raised it because I spent many years at the educational coalface as a teacher and Local Authority leader and understand the relevant issues."