Thousands sign petition to save school
A PETITION launched to save a crisis-hit Birmingham school has been signed by more than 2,000 people.
The fight to save Baverstock Academy from closure has been backed by the local community.
A petition, headed ‘Stop the closure of the Baverstock Academy, in Bells Lane, Druid’s Heath’ has now attracted 2,271 signatures
It will be handed to the new Education Secretary, Justine Greening.
Parents were recently told that Baverstock – run by the Leap Academy Trust – was in an “unsustainable position” because it had been unable to find a new sponsor to support it.
The petition states: “With ongoing cuts to services, and the uncertain future of community centres and projects within the local area, the school has always been the constant force of stability to the community.
“The school have always seen its role to actively help and improve the relationships across families and the community to improve their lives.
“The school is facing closure in August 2017. If the school closes, the children will be relocated to other schools with the possibility of being at a considerable distance across the city.
“This will have a devastating impact and disruption on them, and a greater impact on family life.
“Everything that the school has already supported and helped to improve will be at risk.”
Pupils have even written, produced and performed their own protest song to save the school The song and video by the ‘Baverstars’ asks the question ‘Where we gonna go?’ and has received widespread support.
In a letter to parents from the school, parents were told the Trust had “very reluctantly” asked the Government to end its funding arrangement because of the failure to secure a “new and sustainable sponsor”.
A formal consultation held, with a view to a before September 2017.
Parent Curt Mucklow, who has two daughters at the school and is chairman of the Save Baverstock School campaign, said: “The children don’t want the school to close. One of my daughters was so upset on the last day of term because she has already lost friends who have moved on to other schools.”
The Leap Academy Trust last year admitted the future of the school – rated “inadequate” by Ofsted in 2014 – was on the line because of a £550,000 black hole in its reserves. will be closure