Click the headline or link below to read the rest of this story.
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council are urged to support a motion that warns of the reforms from the new coalition government.
It has said schools rated outstanding by inspectors Ofsted can apply to become academies, which can set lessons, pay and are outside of council control.
Arden School in Knowle and Tudor Grange School have expressed interests to the Government to take on the status.
Liberal Democrat Norman Davies will put the motion tonight. His party opposed academies at the election, calling for schools to be ‘accountable to local authorities’.
The motion also opposes proposed ‘free schools’, which teachers or parents could establish in a variety of premises.
It states: "Solihull Council is concerned about the recent proposals for academies and free schools and the effects these will have on the excellent provision that currently exists in the Borough.
“It is proposed that the Council writes to the Secretary of State, the Local Authority Leaders Board and the two MPs to express its deep concerns and to request that serious and careful consideration be given to the impact the proposals will have for every child in the Borough bearing in mind the ‘Every Child Matters’ agenda."
Labour’s ‘Every Child Matters’ programme followed the death of eight-year-old Victoria Climbie, who died after neglect and abuse in 2000.
The two schools are the highest performing state schools in the borough with 86 per cent of Arden and 90 per cent of Tudor Grange pupils getting at least five GCSEs grades A* to C, including English and Maths.
As ‘community schools’, admissions policies are set for the two by the council.
What do you think? Leave your comments below. No registration required.
Click here to get stories by email.
