The Council is currently proposing to embrace academies and support the setting up of free schools across Lewisham (available on the Lewisham Council website).

We are determined that this will not be the future for our children’s education or for our schools autonomy. We want locally accountable, creative & fully inclusive schools with qualified teachers for ALL our children.

We do not want our schools run by MATs – even if the MAT is encouraged or chosen by some local Councillors. We see risks in this proposal that include schools becoming academies without a democratic decision by all parents and staff involved with each school and a tacit acceptance of the ideological narrative by government, that wholesale privatisation of education is neither desirable or acceptable. Our response to the proposals is on our website.

The Council Education Select committee met on Wednesday 8th June to discuss the Lewisham Education Commission Report, after only 90 minutes of ‘scrutiny’ it will now go to the Mayor and then full council on 20 July, so there is not much time

• Write to your local Councillor or to the leader of the Council to protest. The list is available on our website).  A number of Councils elsewhere in the country have already expressed their total opposition to any plans for forced academisation; there is no reason why Lewisham Council cannot do the same.
• Raise awareness of this issue with other parents/carers at your child’s school .
• If you’re a teacher, talk to your colleagues. The NUT have made their opposition to academisation plans clear and are currently balloting members for strike action.      
• Ask your Governing Body to make it clear they will not join a trust before proper consultation of and with the wholesale agreement of parents and staff.

Martin Powell-Davies has provided an excellent top ten reasons why academies should be opposed