Free school group undeterred by councils’ formal opposition

Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley councils have now issued a statement setting out “serious problems” that could be caused by the opening of Three Valleys Independent Academy next year.

The charitable trust which drew up the school plan was recently given permission by the Government to move forward with a business case.

This was widely seen as approval for the school to open.

Local authority officers claim a new school would have an impact on pupil numbers in existing schools in all three boroughs, many of which are already under-subscribed, and result in teacher job losses.

They will now make a formal objection to Education Secretary Michael Gove, who drew up legislation for free schools when the Tories took over at the Department for Education after the General Election.

Earlier this month, Rotherham Council’s cabinet agreed to oppose the Three Valleys Independent Academy, which is planned for a site at Manvers, near Wath-upon-Dearne, in the Rotherham borough boundary.

Yesterday the council confirmed that its neighbours Doncaster and Barnsley had also agreed to join the fight because of concerns that schools run by those councils would also be negatively affected.

But yesterday, David Mann, who chairs the Three Valleys Independent Academy Trust, said: “The councils have not had any contact with us about the objections and have not asked for our input in any way.

“They seem to be talking about teachers and teachers’ jobs and nobody seems to be talking about pupils. If you look at the record of local schools compared to the national average, they are very poor.

“If you look at the schools nearby, two, Wath Comprehensive and St Pius are doing reasonably well, but the other three are appalling. They are not giving the customer what the customer needs.

“The truth is, we are not going kidnap pupils and force them to attend the school.

“What we are going to do is go out there and raise the bar. We feel that parents and pupils have been badly let down.”

Mr Mann expressed surprise that Doncaster Council had become involved in opposition after problems at a school it runs in Mexborough, where Ofsted recently delivered a devastating assessment of classes.

The board of governors at Mexborough School have now been removed after the school was placed in “special measures” and a team of council officers has been sent in to try and turn the school round.

Mr Mann added: “Our proposal would deliver a significant boost to the local economy and provide parents who are moving into new homes in the Manvers area a choice other than failing council schools.

“We are also offering an opportunity to people in Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham.

“They have the right to choose, why should they be compelled to send children to some of the worst schools in the country?”

The councils said they felt they had “no option” but to oppose the Three Valleys Academy proposal as there is already sufficient capacity in existing schools to meet the requirements of local students.

The statement added: “This proposal is threatening the very future of some of our schools.

“Even just losing 20 students per year group would mean a loss of £100,000 for a school.

“This is not just about finance however, as losing students will inevitably lead to job losses among staff as well as a general decline in educational standards.

“We cannot see a need for this Free School as there simply isn’t a need for new school places without damaging the education already happening in our schools.”