New: charitable trust refusing to grant academy chain access to school site, in forced academisation clash loaded with controversies: educationuncovered.co.uk/news/146506/ch… The extraordinary case of Ormskirk School, Lancashire, which DfE decided to press on with despite Covid-19 this month.
As I write in the piece, this is one of the most multi-faceted controversies I have come across in 20 years reporting on the academies policy. educationuncovered.co.uk/news/146506/ch…
And yes, I know,crowded field in terms of trying to single out a single most controversial academisation case.
And yes, I know,crowded field in terms of trying to single out a single most controversial academisation case.
Because of the number of aspects of contention in this case – I list eight issues of controversy in this case – website subscribers will see that I have written something of an epic. But sometimes these sagas need to be investigated in all their detail.
Piece offers glimpses at clearly controversial workings of an RSC’s office, and Ofsted’s view on why it has no problem inspecting schools in just the first days of a headteacher’s tenure, even if it means failing the institution solely on its “leadership”. educationuncovered.co.uk/news/146506/ch…
It highlights an admitted mistake in the “consultation” process by the DfE - tho DfE will say now corrected - and what seems to me to be an untrue statement given by Ofsted to the school foundation, as the latter sought to stop the academisation process. educationuncovered.co.uk/news/146506/ch…
It also offers a glimpse at a legal question which could be looming in this case: does the DfE have the right to seize land from a charitable trust – which has owned it for 400-plus years – to force a school into the hands of its favoured academy chain? educationuncovered.co.uk/news/146506/ch…
...Anyone would think the DfE would have enough on its plate, with coronavirus. But my word, as this story emphasises there's a lot going on.
One other thought: it would be so easy to change law which requires academisation when a school fails Ofsted. National policy rigidily imposed on schools, when local solution may be more appropriate. Instead, officials in these cases can and do say "we have to do this".
