Latest on Winterbourne International Academy

The uncertainty surrounding the future for Winterbourne International Academy has been resolved with news that the Department for Education has confirmed that “in principle” approval has been given for Winterbourne to join the Olympus Academy Trust. You can read more about what this means in this letter from the Interim Leadership.

On Friday 1st September Yate International Academy joined Greenshaw Learning Trust, as had already been agreed earlier this year.

YIA to become part of Greenshaw Learning Trust

It's been announced that Yate International Academy will be re-brokered into the Greenshaw Learning Trust. You can read more here.

Winterbourne International Academy will remain the responsibility of The Ridings’ Federation Academy Trust, who, with the support of The Olympus Academy Trust and Castle School Education Trust, will take responsibility for responding to the issues identified by the Department, EFA and Ofsted.

Response from National Schools Commissioner

Today Claire Young received a response from the National Schools Commissioner, Sir David Carter, to her email of last week regarding the problems at The Ridings Federation. You can read her original email here and his response here.

Oasis withdraw Winterbourne International Academy bid

Oasis Community Learning has withdrawn its bid to take over Winterbourne International Academy. You can read their statement here.

This is welcome news for the many local people who have been campaigning to stop their bid. Last Saturday, hundreds of parents and students were joined by teachers and community representatives, at a peaceful demonstration outside Winterbourne International Academy. Well done to all involved in the campaign.

This is not the end of the story. Last month, the Education Funding Agency sent The Ridings Federation a Financial Notice to Improve. The Federation must get a recovery plan in place within the timescales set out. It's important that everyone locally comes together to ensure a bright future for both Winterbourne International Academy and Yate International Academy. The commitment shown in recent weeks suggests they will.

This process has also thrown up wider issues about the process for "re-brokering" academies that face difficulties, which lacks transparency and formal routes for parents to have their say . Earlier this week, before the announcement from Oasis, Claire Young wrote to the National Schools Commissioner asking questions about this situation but also asking for him to feed the wider concerns into the review of Multi-Academy Trusts currently being conducted by the Commons Select Committee on education.

Huge turnout at Save our School demo

On Saturday hundreds of parents, students, teachers and community representatives, including local councillor Claire Young, attended a peaceful demonstration outside Winterbourne International Academy.

They sent a clear message that they want a say in the future of their school. They want transparency and local accountability, not a huge national chain of academies imposed on them by the Department for Education.

Having written to the Secretary of State and the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State last week, Claire has now written to the National Schools Commissioner to raise parents' concerns about the re-brokerage process.

"Save our school" campaign

Over 300 parents, teachers and community representatives attended a meeting in the Zion Church on Tuesday to discuss the current problems at the The Ridings Federation. Claire Young and Pat Hockey were there from your Focus Team.

The Ridings Federation, which runs Winterbourne International Academy and Yate International Academy (including Woodlands Primary School and Nursery) is looking for a new Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) to take over to tackle its leadership and financial problems. The Federation is projected to have a £1million deficit at the end of the academic year and is currently without a Chief Executive Principal.

There have been three expressions of interest - from Oasis Community Learning, The Greenshaw Trust and a joint bid from Olympus Academy Trust and Castle School Academy Trust. Oasis have made it clear they are only interested in taking over WIA.

Parents are unhappy about the speed of events and a lack of transparency. Many at the meeting were particularly concerned at the prospect of Oasis taking over. They have launched a "Save our school" campaign - you can sign their petition here and find out more on their website. If you are a parent, you can request to join their Facebook group. On Saturday 26th November they will be holding a peaceful demonstration outside WIA at 12 noon.

Claire has written to the Secretary of State, Justine Greening MP, and the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the School System, Lord Nash.

The Federation have published a survey that has to be completed by 3pm next Wednesday. Parents are unhappy that it does not cover the issues they would like to raise and are making extensive use of the other comments box.

Parents concerned as academies seek new sponsors

The Ridings Federation, which runs Winterbourne International Academy and Yate International Academy (including Woodlands Primary School and Nursery) is looking for a new Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) to take over to tackle its leadership and financial problems. The Federation is projected to have a £1million deficit at the end of the academic year and is currently without a Chief Executive Principal.

Concerned parents and staff from WIA are holding a public meeting on Tuesday 22nd November from 7-9pm in Zion United Church, Woodend Road, Frampton Cotterell.

Meetings were held at both secondary schools this week at which the Chair of the Board answered questions from parents, teachers, students and community representatives, including local councillor Claire Young. Three MATs have expressed interest - Oasis, Greenshaw and one as yet unnamed as they wish to communicate with the parents at their existing schools first. The Chair explained that after the Board had decided to "re-broker", it was the Department for Education that sought the expressions of interest, not the Board, and it was up to the MATs whether they made proposals for one or both schools.

Academies are regulated by the Government, not the Local Education Authority, so South Glos has no role in deciding what happens next. Normally the decision about which MAT should take over would be taken by the Regional Schools Commissioner, but due to a conflict of interest the decision is being made by one from another region. There is no formal consultation and parents will not see the proposals from the MATs. The Board will be putting out a questionnaire for parents and concerned members of the community to feed in their views through them. The decision is expected to be made before Christmas, with the new arrangements in place by September 2017 at the latest.

Yate International Academy building project to go ahead

Education Secretary Michael Gove has announced that Yate International Academy is among the building projects that will go ahead after all, despite a delay while government cuts were being decided.

Steve Webb MP said "I am delighted that the building project at Yate International Academy has been given the go-ahead today"

Meanwhile the Winterbourne International Academy building scheme will have to wait a while for a decision - the government list describes the situation as "capital allocation for notification after spending review", presumably the the Comprehensive Spending Review in October.

Click here for full official list of projects.