Schools withdraw from Multi-Academy Trust plan in Lewes

The withdrawal of Western Road Community Primary came hot on the heels of the decision reached at Southover Primary to leave the working group looking into the idea of privatisation.

Jonathan Sharpe, the Chair of Governors at Western Road, set out in a letter to parents the governing body’s unanimous decision to withdraw from the MAT working group.

He explained the school remained committed to working collaboratively with other Lewes schools and praised the energy shown by parents over the last few months.

Holly Atkins, whose son attends Western Road, said: “I am absolutely delighted the school has withdrawn from the MAT proposal. I actually shed some tears of joy and relief when I read the email from our Chair of Governors.”

The National Education Union and Save Lewes Schools have been working hard to stop the privatisation to academy status of six schools in Lewes. They argue the ongoing Government-imposed funding crisis prompted Lewes Priory, Southover Primary, Western Road Community Primary, South Malling Primary, Wallands Community Primary and Iford and Kingston Primary schools to consider plans to form an unaccountable Multi-Academy Trust.

Parents want to support staff and teachers to find a better way to secure more funding for Lewes schools.

Susan Kelly, whose daughter attends Southover Primary, said: “Everyone at Save Lewes Schools is so pleased that Western Road governors have voted unanimously to withdraw. We’ve been overwhelmed by the strength of feeling for the schools in this town.

“Parents are giving up so much of their time to support this cause. Save Lewes Schools will continue to do everything we can to help the remaining four schools find alternative options to forming a MAT.

“On Friday [today, January 18], representatives from our campaign will meet Maria Caulfield MP to see how she might be able to help.”

National Education Union members working at Southover Primary were the first to pass an anti-academy resolution last October when the plans to form a MAT first came to light.

The resolution, which has now been passed by members at both Priory and Wallands schools, outlined that the case for the educational benefits of academies had been disproven, that academies represent a threat to staff pay and conditions, divert funds away from frontline teaching and undermine the local democratic accountability of schools.