No to academy!

7:28am Thursday 17th July 2008

YOUNGSTERS at Penhill Primary have told Swindon Council to keep its hands off their school as plans continue to see it merged with Swindon Academy.

Six pupils travelled with teacher Spencer Allen to the Civic Offices in Euclid Street to hand over a 400-signature petition against the proposal.

"We don't want this change," said Mr Allen, who has been a teacher at the school for seven years.

"Penhill is a community school which caters for a lot of special needs children - their needs will be swallowed up and lost in a big school like the academy.

"The academy has never had primary school children so it has no history of success with Key Stage 2 learners - we'd feel like we were guinea pigs."

Information packs landed on Penhill doormats in May when the council kicked off its pre-statutory consultation.

If the proposed closure of the school was given the green light, Penhill Primary would become part of Swindon Academy in January 2009.

Pupils would automatically transfer to the academy but would continue to attend the Penhill site.

The council would then pump £2m into the site, sprucing up the car park and building entrance.

The merger is supposed to help deal with underachieving pupils at the school.

But Mr Allen said the special educational needs of more than 50 per cent of the school meant Ofsted reports would always show that pupils were underachieving compared to mainstream students.

"When it comes to the reports, if you look at our contextual value-added percentages they're up there in the top 10 for Swindon schools," he said.

"That means the amount we are adding to a child's education is very good indeed."

Mr Allen said he was angry that members of the council's cabinet - who would be making the final decision - haven't been to the school.

"Surely if you are making a decision like that you should at least look at what it is you are talking about and the people it will affect."

Coun Garry Perkins, Swindon Council's cabinet member for children's services, said: "I was brought up on a council estate where only three children went to grammar school, me and my two brothers. But because I had the opportunity I was able to follow on to further education.

"I want the same opportunities for all children."

As a governor at Swindon Academy, Coun Perkins will not be allowed to make the final decision.

He added: "At the end of the day, does it matter who runs the building or who cleans the toilet.

"Pupils at Penhill do have value added but they are still not meeting the standards of children moving up to secondary school."

Jan Shadick, principal of Swindon Academy, said: "We very much hope Penhill Primary School will become part of our academy.

"We look forward to finding out the results of the consultations that have been conducted on behalf of ULT and the council."