Big academy row: Apology to parents
The Archdeacon of Northampton has apologised to parents who are angry about the way a consultation process to change a Northampton school into an academy has been handled.
The Ven Christine Allsopp, chairman of the Peterborough Diocese Board of Education, faced a barrage of criticism from more than 100 parents and local residents at a meeting at Unity College on Wednesday night.
Many voiced their opposition to the plans to turn the school into an academy and criticised the lack of information they had been given throughout the consultation process.
Archdeacon Allsopp said: "I'm sorry if the communication has not been clear enough, if that was the case for some people.
"I am always sorry if the communication was not clear enough for people to understand the consultation process.
"Some of the parents were clearly very angry indeed and one of the difficulties I have found in this process is that certain issues are confidential and some of the questions I was unable to answer as fully as I would have liked.
"It is a complex process and we always try to be as open as we can, but we have to keep certain matters confidential.
"The appointment of a principal designate has in no way pre-empted the consultation decision. I know some thought that it was a done deal, but we were required to do it at this stage of the consultation process.
"What I would like to emphasise is that the admission policy is not going to change. The academy would have the same admission policy as Unity College."
At the meeting, the church also faced accusations of wanting to turn Unity College into an academy as it will automatically wipe out its current budget deficit, revealed to be 300,000,
Archdeacon Allsopp said: "The 300,000 budget deficit has never been a reason why the diocese has proceeded with the proposal.
"I definitely feel that this is the right move for the sake of the education of the pupils of Unity College. I would not be spending so much time and effort on it otherwise."
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Friday 25 May 2012
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