Some Questions

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?