Headteacher defends academy consultation

Sheffield Central Paul Blomfield MP has written to the governing body of King Ecgbert School in the city asking for pupils’ parents to be polled before the governors vote on whether to opt out of council control to become an academy.

However King Ecgbert’s head Lesley Bowes said the school was actually going one better than a ballot by writing to all parents – including those in the final year of King Ecgbert’s feeder primary schools – asking for their views on the proposal.

She said this would give governors more than just a “yes or no” count and would allow them to gauge the views of parents before making a decision.

The consultation had included two meetings with parents and all responses to the consultation had been published on the school’s website, Mrs Bowes said, adding the move to academy status would safeguard King Ecgbert’s education at a time when it faced funding cuts to its sixth form.

In his letter to the school’s governing body, Mr Blomfield said: “Many of my constituents will be affected if the school moved to academy status, and concerns have been raised with me about the short timescale of the consultation period, particularly with it being held over the Christmas period.

“I know that there have been well-attended consultation meetings, but given the short timescale of the consultation I think it would be right for all parents of children currently studying at King Ecgberts and parents of children in Year six at the feeder schools to be given their say in a democratic ballot on this decision.

“If a ballot of each parent was held, with both sides of the argument clearly explained to them, then the Governors will be able to make their final decision knowing the full views of parents.”