Call to come clean over closure of failing school Union claims even head teacher had recommended closure
ATRADE union has called on the Department for Education to come clean over allegations surrounding the threatened closure of Birmingham’s Baverstock School.
The GMB union, which represents staff at the Druids Heath secondary school, has highlighted a series of issues over the way the closure has been handled – including that the head teacher Peter Cox brought in to turn it around recommended closure. There have also been questions over the fact that West Midlands schools commissioner Christine Quinn, who is advising Government on the closure, is married to a former Baverstock Trust board member Paul Richards.
Parents were not aware when they met the commissioner last month – but it is claimed the relationship was declared to the Department for Education.
Now an unconfirmed letter has also emerged, apparently from a former trust board member, with claims that several potential academy sponsors were discouraged from putting in bids to run the school.
Parents and staff, backed by MP Steve McCabe, councillors and Birmingham’s education department, are campaigning for the school to be kept open and are demanding more transparency from Government.
Stuart Richards, GMB senior organiser, said: “The letter from a former Trustee alleges that potential academy sponsors were actively discouraged from taking on Baverstock Academy.
“If this is true, then the closure of the school was deliberately engineered. This is clearly unacceptable. A school closure will cost the public a significant amount of money. It will damage the careers of staff working at the school and it will jeopardise the education of those children currently at Baverstock.
“The DfE needs to respond to the allegations and put this mess right.”
Councillor Eva Phillips (Lab, Brandwood) said: “It is a huge kick in the teeth that the head sent in to help the school raise standards and who said he would try to save it has gone behind his staff and students backs to recommend closure.”
She added it was wrong the schools commissioner’s view on closure was given more weight than parents, the MP and city education department.
A Department for Education spokesman said: “Following a request from the Leadership, Education, and Partnership trust (LEAP) the department has agreed in principle to the proposed closure of Baverstock Academy. However, the consultation has only just closed and no final decision has been made.
“Our priority is ensuring that pupils receive high quality education and will be working with LEAP and the local authority to ensure minimum disruption.”