Northamptonshire parent sets up petition to fight plans to turn all schools into academies

Jane Cosford, who has two children at Moulton Primary School, said she is worried parents are being sidelined by the Government policy.

She said: “One of my concerns is the removal of parent’s from governing boards. They should be the ones that decide their children’s future.

“The parent’s voice in education is hugely important.”

Ms Cosford supports a campaign organised by the organisation 38 Degrees, which has called for more people to get behind the petition

A 38 Degrees spokesman said: “The government’s already wavering under the pressure of some Conservative MPs who’re against the academies plan. And it looks like they could even drop the idea if enough of us speak out quickly. The more of us who get behind local campaigns like Jane’s, the more likely it is the government will be forced to drop these plans for good.”

The petition set up by Mrs Cosford has been signed by more than 200 people and she plans to hand it to her MP Chris Heaton-Harris, to try to put pressure on the Education Secretary Nicky Morgan to change the Government policy, which will result in all schools being academies by 2020.

David Cameron has defended the plan to turn all schools into academies as “true devolution” that would make sure schools were run by “headteachers, not bureaucrats”.