Radcliffe Primary School is now the subject of a DFE academy order.

This order follows only 1 slightly disappointing visit by OFSTED in March 2012 which placed the school into the 'Special Measures' category.  Despite better than anticipated end of year results and despite a Section 8 report at the end of September confirming that the school is making satisfactory progress towards coming out of special measures, it is not being given the opportunity to improve the performance, it is being forced to become an academy. 

By the end of November the school must make the difficult decision whether to accept the DFE order to turn it into an academy and be given the chance to work with the DFE to find a sponsor for the school, or to fight the order.  If the school rejects the order the Governors of the school will be replaced, and the academy order will progress without their approval, and most importantly, without their input regarding the right sponsor. 

Following a parent meeting held at the school on Friday 2nd November to discuss to the future of Radcliffe PS, it was clear from the large turnout that the majority of parents were not in favour of the school becoming an academy, for many reasons.  As such, a group of parents have set up a small working party that will be campaigning tirelessly over the coming weeks to protect our school, our children's education, and ultimately that of future generations of our community.

As parents we feel that Radcliffe Primary School is being used as a scapegoat to break the local authority who have until now strongly opposed any of their schools becoming academies, if Radcliffe PS falls, it won't be long until the DFE move onto other schools in the area, please stand with us to prevent this from happening.

The main reasons we are against the formation of an academy are:-

- Costs to parents i.e. new uniform, possible increase in school meal costs

- Change of curriculum

- The possibility that unqualified teachers will be teaching our children

- The loss of local authority support for statemented children and those with special needs  

- Possible changes to school hours. 

As a member of this parent working party I write today to ask for your support in our campaign against the DFE, against Michael Gove, and against this decision.  Please can I ask you to sign our online petition by 27th November.  The petition will then be presented by the parents to Downing Street on 29th November.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Yours faithfully,

 Michelle Evans

Parent & Representative on behalf

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