Haringey schools under threat of forced academy conversion

Four schools across Haringey borough face the threat of forced conversion to academy status next year under controversial new measures introduced by the Education Secretary, Michael Gove. New government powers introduced last year mean any school served by Ofsted with a notice to improve may be taken over by a private sponsor.

Leslie Church, the headteacher of Downhills primary school in Tottenham has spoken out about an ultimatum offered to the school two weeks ago.The school has been told to outline how it will become an academy, with a named sponsor, by mid-January or face automatic conversion to academy status with a new governing body appointed by the Department for Education.

This demand has been made despute the school's rapidly improving results - 61% of students sitting Sats last year achieved the expected results in English and maths, placing the school just above the national benchmark and well above avergae for schools in challenging areas. Church says he has worked to make Downhills an inclusive and happy learning environment, with 92% of parents reporting positive experiences of the school.

Parents at the school are alarmed at the lack of consultation that has taken place and hoping that the school will be able to appeal the decision. There is also widespread concern that a change to academy status might lead to a narrower, results-focussed ethos. A formal campaign has been set up to save the school's community status.

Academies, introduced by the last government, are schools set up outside of local authority control under a private contract with a sponsor. NUT general secretary Christine Blower has called the new act "A major political attack on state education," and "the forced privatisation of our schools." Local MP David Lammy - a former pupil of Downhills - has also called the move "undemocratic and aggressive".

Haringey has been a major target of the DfE's policy; at least four schools are known to have been served with similar ultimatums. 200 primary schools across the country are expected to move to sponsored academy status in the next academic year.

Image: Alan Stanton