Some Questions
that Need Answers
(With answers as we get them)
Q. Isn't
this just school privatisation?
A. The
principal appears to be to allow children from all backgrounds access to the
same quality of Education that wealthy families have traditionally had through
Independent and Private schools, but without having to fork out. The means
to achieving that in this case involves partnerships with private companies
and organisations. Whether this spells the end to Comprehensive Education
is anybody's guess.
Q. Will
S. Middlesbrough Academy be actively teaching Creationism as superior to Evolution
in Science lessons?
A. SMCA
will teach all subjects according to National Curriculum Guidelines and agreements
with the secretary of state for Education.
Q. Will
SMCA operate a selection policy?
A. No.
City Academies and other schools with specialisms have the right to select
10% of their intake based on the child's ability in that specialism. However,
the Vardy Foundation have decided that his would not make sense in relation
to a specialism in Business and Enterprise. Admissions will be based upon
LEA guidelines.
Q. Why
is only one seat on the board allocated to Parents, and 5 to Nominees of Sir
Peter Vardy?
A. The
DfES guidelines for City Academies state that sponsors should have a majority
of seats on the governing body. Greater Parental representation will be available
via the Academy Council.
Q. Does
the fact that a man (certainly renowned for his charitable donations) has
a fortune, give him the right to control over a state school?
A. The
Vardy Foundation were approached for help by the Middlesbrough LEA, based
on their success with Emmanuel College.
Q. Why
were parents not informed of the interests and ideology of the sponsor, and
perhaps provided with alternatives for approval, before negotiations took
place with the Secretary of State?
A. There
was only ever one sponsor for SMCA.
Q. Will
other lessons, apart from Religious Education be coloured by the concept of
the "Absolute Truth of Christian Scripture"?
Q. Does
anyone seriously think that parents of other faiths than Christianity would
be comfortable sending their children to a school governed by Christian Evangelists?