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Thursday, 18th March 2010

American millionaire among bidders to run Unity College

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Published Date: 23 June 2009
An American hedge-fund millionaire is among four bidders hoping to run a school in Northampton.
Northamptonshire County Council wants to turn Unity College into a sponsored academy due to its poor GCSE results and a poor Ofsted inspection.

The potential sponsors include US businessman Martin Finegold, Woodard Schools, the David Ross Foundat
ion, which was started by the co-founder of Carphone Warehouse, and the Brooke Weston Trust.

The council will ask for local people's views on possible sponsors.

The council has asked each of the bidders to give a presentation at the school and set up information stands.

The presentations will take place before the end of term.

The council has also announced an interim executive board to support the school.

The board will be made up of George Gyte, who led the county's school inspection and advisory service in Northampton in the 1990s, Ch Supt Paul Philips, of Northamptonshire Police, Damon Lawrenson - assistant chief executive with responsibility for finance at the council and Will Adams, member of the Diocesan Board of Education and a former secondary head teacher. The fifth member will be a representative of the new sponsor.




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  • Last Updated: 23 June 2009 7:22 PM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Northampton
 
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Frustrated and angry,

Northampton 23/06/2009 20:06:34
My daughter goes to this school and she is doing very well. Why is it that other schools have bad results but they are not picked on. Example Kingsthorpe College had a poor GCSE pass rate worse than Unity but not one word is said. I think people are still maring unity the same as Trinity.
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spj,

northampton 23/06/2009 20:31:45
Whoever takes over - I hope they stop the steady stream of pupils skipping school early or even just after registration. We live nearby this school now and the present authorities do not want to know of the abuse these small minority give to us residents as well as the damage they cause by climbing over garden fences. There is now no co operation from the school, it has deteriated since the so called 'church' have taken over. Before that happened there was very good liason with the local residence but as soon as they removed the Headmistress it went downhill.
3

fedup111,

23/06/2009 21:21:21
spj,this school,even when it was trinity upper school,has ALWAYS been a church of england school,please make sure of your facts at least before you comment.
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spj,

24/06/2009 08:09:07
fedup111
the main point was that they had a head teacher that had some discipline installed in the school. There is NONE now. Regarding it being a C of E School before I am quite aware but as you and I know it is a different set up now. The diaocis of Peterborough do not even answer letter sent to them .
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Ben10,

Northampton 24/06/2009 09:01:32
I think its a great idea and that Brooke Weston would be ideal to take over - that way we could have a school that could at least compete against NSB for good students - they obviously select pupils and have money pooring in -about time another school and mixed sex school can compete and at least pull students away from that school.
I actually taught at Unity and it was Horrendous -the students rulled the place and the teachers had no power at all -a new change is drastically needed and SUPPORT FROM PARENTS IS VITAL.
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researched and informed,

25/06/2009 07:44:10
ray douglas so you want to keep the same Head, the same uniform and the same name. In other words no change. Are you not aware of the rapid decline in behaviour, or the exodus of teachers because of the feeling that the real issues are not being dealt with.

Being a C.E school is worth nothing if the basics for a good education are not in place. The school uniform you wish to keep seems to include any choice of footwear whether it be black, white or in some cases gold. Eyebrow piercings, lip piercings and tongue piercings are becoming more common. Black trousers have become black jeans then Blue jeans.

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local yokel2,

northampton 25/06/2009 17:32:15
ray douglas I wonder why you are so adverse to change? Change is needed and academies are a way forward...surely some action is better than no action?
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