Letter to Secretary of State
Sunday 14 April 2024
Wednesday 10 April 2024
Determined Byron Court campaigners will protest on Monday as Harris Federation takeover barons visit the school
Undaunted by Brent Council Cabinet's inability to intervene in the forced academisation of Byron Court Primary, campaigners will protest on Monday as the Harris Federation visit the school.
Parents and supporters will meet at the The Link off Nathan Road outside South Kenton Station at 2.45pm on Monday April 15th (opposite side of the station to the Windermere pub).
Tuesday 9 April 2024
Byron Court Primary: Lead Member says Brent Council's hands are tied over 'illogical and punitive' forced academisation
Matt Paul, parent and one of the coordinators of the Save Byron Court campaign, yesterday presented a 1,300 signature petition to Brent Council Cabinet opposing forced academisation and calling for the Cabinet’s.
He spoke about staff and parent concern over how the inspection had been carried out by Ofsted, the minimal parent involvement and the failure to take into account the instability of the senior leadership over a four year period.
Over two-thirds of parents and a majority of staff in a survey opposed academisation and wanted it to remain a community school.
There was particular concern that the Harris Federation had been named to take over the school given that it is led by a Tory donor, has a CEO paid half a million a year, is known for poor industrial relations and a has problematic approach to pupil behaviour management.
He asked that the Council in line with Labour policy:
1.Provide and support the recruitment of additional members of the school leadership team, recognising the immediate lack of capacity and significant pressures faced by existing staff.
2. Ensure the work by the Rapid Improvement Group is succeeding and being monitored – something that does not appear to have been happening for some time.
3. Push the Department for Education and Ofsted to reinspect the school to reflect improvements and its upward trajectory and thus delay the academy order being implemented.
Cabinet Lead Member for Schools, Cllr Gwen Grahl’s response was interesting and seemed to reflect an inner battle. At times there were passages that sounded like cautious officers’ briefing notes on the legal position followed by passionate political comments,
She said she understood how parents would feel that it was unjust that they had not had any say in what happened to their school. That is why she had written to the Local Advisory Board urging them to consider delaying academisation but disappointingly had received no response.
On the Rapid Improvement Group (RIG) she said:
The local authority has been aware of inadequacies in some areas of the school for several months and indeed established a RIG back in September 2022 [more than a year before the Ofsted Inspection] which was chaired by Shirley Parks. The group has provided detailed and structural support across many areas and that includes early years. Safeguarding. SEND, leadership and pupil progress. In addition, we’ve helped to recruit three really experienced school governors following the resignation of the chair and vice chair.
It was our hope and our best intention that this support would in time be successful in resolving the problems, leading the school towards resilience and a high quality of leadership and attainment.
Addressing the campaigners’ first demand she said:
On your first request I can confirm we will be building additional leadership capacity at the school, and I think we can assure you that will be in place following the Easter holidays. We have been providing substantial support through monitoring and challenge and are meeting really regularly with the senior leadership team and the governors.
Stressing that academisation was not a local authority decision, in a key passage that will disappoint campaigners, she said:
However strongly parents and pupils feel committed to Byron Court remaining a community school, the academy order makes it clear that local authorities must take all reasonable steps to facilitate academisation. It’s for that reason that the Cabinet, officers, and the local authority as a whole cannot oppose or even delay this decision. We have very little input into the timing of academisation or indeed when the school will be next inspected.
She went on to express her political views:
This process has no doubt been a heart-breaking one for parents and at the political level I feel that it highlights a number of areas where education policy has been undemocratic and highly counter-active to delivery of high-quality education for pupils. First of all it highlights the lack of trust in the chronic problems of the current Ofsted system which we know places undue pressure on staff and simplistically, at times cruelly, reduces the complexities of running a school to a single word judgement. The tragic death of Ruth Perry is emblematic of how brutal this process can be for hardworking teachers as well as for the wider community.
I have long argued that the inspection framework is not fit for purpose and Labour have already pledged to abolish single word judgements and to bring about a much needed overhaul of the system. I will continue to make these argument and emphasise that teaching staff deserve better. It also lays out plainly how illogical and punitive forced academisation is, tying the future of the school to an inspection system that has been so openly discredited, naturally feels draconian.
Cllr Grahl went on to promise to carry on the fight for inclusive education at the school even when academisation too place.
She finished:
If you do have any specific questions or concerns do please email me and I will respond. I am happy to meet up with you separately as well.
Cllr Gwen Grahl’s contact details:
Correspondence
address:
c/o Labour Group Office
Brent Civic Centre
Engineers Way
Wembley
HA9 0FJ
Email: Cllr.Gwen.Grahl@brent.gov.uk
Mobile: 07741767590
Cllr Grahl's tweet sequence after press coverage:
Friday 29 March 2024
Barry Gardiner calls for Byron Court to be given 6 months to demonstrate improvement via a reinspection
In a letter to Gillian Keegan, Secretary of State for Education, Barry Gardiner MP for Brent North, calls for Byron Court to be given a chance to improve with the assistance of govrnors and the Rapid Improvement Group that is now in place. He suggests a period of six months, two of which are holidays, before an Ofsted reinspection takes place. If successful this could mean that Byron Court remains a community school rather than face the disruption and turmoil of academisation.
Gardiner cites the rapid expansion of the school to 5 form entry (opposed by the local community) that made it bigger than some secondary schools and the absence of the headteacher through sickness as contributing to the problems of the school. A falling school roll, after the expansion, put additional pressure on the school as it attempted to manage a much bigger school estate.
Quoting the NEU's criticism of the Ofsted inspection process and its impact on the staff's wellbeing, Gardiner says that if the inspection had taken place under the new guidance issued after the death of Ruth Perry, the inspection would not have found as it did.
The arguments against the expansion of Byron Court into a 'mega-primary' were reported on Wembley Matters in 2016 HERE.
Thursday 21 March 2024
Parents, pupils, staff, unions, councillors and the local MP unite to save Byron Court Primary from the clutches of the Harris Federation - 'It belongs to our community'
The quiet suburban streets, lined with spring flowers and blossoms, around Byron Court Primary School. burst into passionate life today as the community rose up, united in their desire to save the much-loved school from forced academisation following a poor Ofsted report.
Meanwhile in an anonymous London Department for Education building the fate of the school was being decided by equally anonymous civil servants.
What a contrast!
Those attending were united in their belief that the school could and would improve without being handed over to the Harris Federation academy chain whose reputation is poor. Importantly they wanted the school to remain within the community and accountable to that community.
Tuesday 19 March 2024
'Save our School' - Byron Court Primary resists forced academisation and privatisation: Demonstration 8am Thursday+petition
While I have been away from Wembley Matters in Australia, staff and parents of Byron Court Primary School have moved with impressive speed to resist being forced into becoming a Harris Academy after a poor Ofsted report. Harris itself ha a poor reputation for its treatment of staff and the enormous salary of its boss. Removing the school from the oversight of the local authority (Brent Council) removes democratic accountability. With support from Brent Education Department the school is already making great progress to address the issues highlighted by Ofsted and the process of academisation would in itself be disruptive to those efforts.
The community is mobilising to save its community school.
Joint Secretary of Brent National Education Union, Jenny Cooper, said:
Our position is that the workforce, as major stakeholders in our schools, should be part of the decision making about their future; as things stand, we see our members once again suffering with work-related stress and anxiety as a direct result of the damaging process we call 'Ofsted'. One-word judgements do nothing to support or help improve our schools; all they do is help steer our school staff on a fast-track to mental breakdown.
This is the wording of the petition you can sign at
https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/save-byron-court-primary-school-stop-the-academisation
To: Gillan Barnard, Chair of Governors; Richard Sternberg, Acting Headteacher; Cllr Muhammed Butt, Brent Council Leader; Gillian Keegan MP, Secretary of State for Education; Damian Hinds MP, Minister of State for Schools
Save Byron Court Primary School - Stop the Forced Academisation
⮞ JOINT PETITION BY 'SAVE BYRON COURT' PARENT CAMPAIGN GROUP AND BRENT NEU ⮜
Our school is being forced into becoming an Academy and join a Multi-Academy Trust, following a poor Ofsted rating. If this goes ahead:
🢜 everything that has made Byron Court an outstanding school before and a special place within the heart of our community will be lost;
🢜 there is no guarantee that any of the improvements or stability needed will be made; on the contrary, academisation could well bring plenty of new problems, particularly the loss of well-loved and valued teaching & support staff who could be forced out;
🢜 and yet Byron would never return to being a community school for all
Our own surveys have revealed that almost two-thirds of parents want Byron to remain a community school; the overwhelming majority of the staff want this too. Yet, we are currently locked out of any discussions and do not have a vote on the school's future.
How can it be fair or right that those who will be most affected - the staff, the families, the local community - are ignored?
We also recognise:
🢜 the significant failings with the Ofsted inspection itself;
🢜 recent changes introduced by Ofsted to make the inspection regime more supportive but which were brought in weeks after Byron's inspection;
🢜 Ofsted's 'Big Listen' consultation, which includes looking into the "impact of inspections on children, professionals, institutions and parent choices", implying an acceptance by themselves that significant change is needed;
🢜 and the school's progress, both already made and planned, under a Rapid Improvement Plan being closely monitored by Brent Council
The Secretary of State for Education has imposed an Academy Order on our school by force - this means that government officials will be making decisions behind closed doors about the future of our school. This is not fair, transparent, nor democratic.
BUT IT'S NOT TOO LATE!!!! Together we can fight to make things different
WE CALL ON GILLAN BARNARD, RICHARD STERNBERG & CLLR MUHAMMED BUTT TO:
🢜 Listen to parents, staff and the community
🢜 Fight against plans to academise the school without the consent or properly considering the views of parents, governors or the Council
🢜 Push for a delay in the transfer to any Multi-Academy Trust, to give sufficient time for improvements to be made in the school
🢜 Challenge Ofsted - express parent and staff concerns around the previous inspection; fight for re-inspection after sufficient time to review improvements, and under any new framework that comes out of the 'Big Listen' consultation
🢜 Give us the chance to remain a community school
WE CALL ON GILLIAN KEEGAN & DAMIAN HINDS TO:
🢜 Withdraw the Academy Order imposed on Byron Court Primary School
Why is this important?
🢜 Ensure an equal, non-selective environment with a focus on the whole child, an approach that doesn't achieve academic excellence or good behaviour by excluding children or making them scared to be in school
🢜 Give a say to those that it will impact most - the staff, the families, the local community
🢜 Stop the privatisation of our children's education
HOW ELSE CAN YOU HELP?
Write to your local councillors: https://bit.ly/BrentCounc
Write to Barry Gardiner MP: barry.gardiner.mp@parliament.uk
Follow us: https://twitter.com/savebyroncourt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savebyroncourt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savebyroncourt
Donate to our Campaign fundraising page: https://gofund.me/c696a920
Friday 11 March 2022
Brent National Education Union (NEU) statement on Byron Court and academisation
Brent NEU issued the following statement following yesterday's story, subsequently pulled, following doubts over its source:
We know that Byron Court Primary School are considering academisation and the NEU is completely opposed to all privatisation of state education.
As such we are engaging in meetings with our members and the school to ensure that a full and meaningful consultation takes place.The NEU is prepared to take industrial action when there is any proposal to academise a school. However this is a last resort. The NEU will also issue press releases when we are in dispute with any school.The article which appeared on this blog previously was not issued by the NEU or by any of our reps or officers but was deliberately written to make it seem as though it was. It is completely unacceptable to us that this "open letter" was sent out widely in the name of school staff, without consulting anyone, and anonymously.The NEU is supporting its reps and members in the school.Jenny CooperBrent NEU Joint District Secretary
Editor's note:
I apologise for any problems caused by yesterday's publication which was deleted as soon as I was told it was not NEU's official position.
Byron Court Primary possible academisation update
The article published last night has been taken down pending clarification. Meanwhile the leaflet below will be of interest and demonstrates why academisation is an issue for school workers and the community.
Thursday 31 August 2017
Brent Council approve £26m contracts for primary school expansions
The plans have been controversial for varying reasons, not least because doubts have been raised about whether the extra places are needed in the light of of unfilled places in some of our local schools and the potential impact of Brexit on the number of EU families in Brent. Aditionally there are issues around 'mega primaries' being inappropriate for young children and the impact of expanded schools on suburban locations. In the case of Stonebridge Primary the expansion proposals (and associated house building) led to the demolition of the much valued Stonebridge Adventure Playground.
The cost of the expansion and whether contractors could deliver the Council's specifications at the stated costs became an issue but the public were unable to access information on this as the details were deemed commercially sensitive.
The figures have now been revealed:
Byron Court Primary School £11,872,271. (Graham Construction)
Stonebridge Primary School £7,222,848. (Mid Contracting and Consulting Limited)
Uxendon Manor Primary School £6,784,437 (Lakehouse Contracts Limited)
Total: £25,879,556.
Saturday 12 March 2016
'Angry & disappointed' Barry Gardiner refers Byron Court planning decision to Secretary of State
The Planning Committee is statutorily independent of the Council but Gardiner's decision marks a significant moment in his relationship with the Council.
Below you will find Gardiner's letter to residents and his letter to the Secretary of State.
Friday 11 March 2016
Potty 'Park and Stride' scheme exposed by Perrin in Byron Court car mayhem debate
Streets around Byron Court Primary School (click on image to enlatrge) |
Perrin went on to say that police and parking enforcement had been ineffective, even with camera cars. The situation was exacerbated by lack of parking spaces and public transport and pressure on parking space from the increasing number of staff at nearby Northwick Park Hospital.
The result is that local roads are choked during the day and the Northwick Park Car Park had to apply restrictions to allow park users to park there.
Cllr Perrin said that the travel plans had failed and that the revised plan was deficient because it relied on 'Park and Stride'. (parents dropping children in Northwick Park Car Park and the pupils walking to school from there). He had analysed the current pupil role by postcode (see LINK - I had the postcodes but deleted them to safeguard the identity of the children). His analysis showed that of 697 pupils only 319 are under 20 minutes adult walk to the the school, 100 come by tube, 11 travel for almost an hour on the 245 bus - in all at least 200 currently travel by cars that 'create absolute mayhem.'
That was the current situation but the report says that with expansion 299 extra pupils will travel by car. Using Northwick Park Car Park for 'Stop and Stride' would mean 162 cars needed to enter and exit via a single carriagewat - 324 car movements in 30 minutes, or a car movement every 5.5 seconds.
Perrin raised a number of issues regarding the proposal to use Northwick Park Car Park for 'Park and Stride':
- the logistics of staff collecting and controlling 160 children and marching them to the school through 'rain or shine'
- the chances of cars arriving within the same 10 minutes - one every 2 seconds
- where wouldl children wait in the park
- will there be sufficient staff to manage them
- would there be any shelter or holding area?
- a zebra crossing would be required at Norval Road - would this be a dangerous?
- what were the chances of parent ignoring Park and Stride in the event of bad weather and attempting to drop their children off at school?
- how would staff know which children to expect to be dropped off and what action woudl be expected if they don't turn up?
- clear safeguarding issues
- condition of the children if they have to wait in the rain for 10 minustes and walk 0.4 of a mile for 15 minutes in the rain to get to school
To help inform readers here is an extract from the memo sent to the Brent Head of Planning from Transportation on November 23rd 2015:
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