The Tories announced in their recent budget that they are going to force ALL schools in England to become academies by 2020.
This will obviously have huge implications for all schools staff, many of whom are Unison members.
Academies are in effect private companies – the Department of Education hands over taxpayers’ money direct to the business or organisation which runs the school, cutting out any involvement of the local authority.
Whoever runs the academy can change the staff’s pay, terms and conditions. They do not have to stick to the National Curriculum and can introduce selection policies for which children attend the school.
Unison’s national policy is to vigorously oppose this forced academisation of schools. Here in Brighton & Hove we only have three academies, and Unison has been part of two successful campaigns to oppose proposals to turn Varndean and Hove Park Schools into academies.
This is an important issue for all schools staff and parents of school-age children. There will be a meeting to discuss how we can fight these plans by the government on WEDNESDAY 6th APRIL at the Friends Meeting House in Ship Street, Brighton from 6.30 to 8.30pm.
The meeting has been called by the Campaign for Education, a local group formed to oppose attacks on our education system, and is supported by Unison and the National Union of Teachers.
All are welcome to the meeting – parents, school staff and anyone else who wants to keep our schools open to all children and democratically accountable.