This Council notes with grave concern that visitor numbers in Brighton & Hove dropped by more than 14% year on year in the first four month period of 2012/13

Notice of Motion

joint Labour & green Group Motion

MOULSECOOMB PRIMARY SCHOOL

This Council notes;

1) The Regional Schools Commissioners (RSC) Office has identified three trusts as potential academy sponsors for Moulsecoomb Primary;

2) An academy sponsor is due to be appointed by the RSC at a meeting on 25 March;

3) The trajectory of improvement Moulsecoomb Primary is on, following the 2019 ‘inadequate’ Ofsted judgement;

4) The recent Ofsted monitoring visit reporting that effective action is being taken with the school’s improvement plan described as ‘fit for purpose’;

5) The overwhelming support for keeping Moulsecoomb Primary within local authority control, with a ballot showing 96% of parents were opposed to academisation;

This Council therefore:

1) Reaffirms its commitment to stand by parents, staff, unions and community in opposing the forced academisation of Moulsecoomb Primary, as there should be no academisation without community consent;

2) Requests the Chief Executive writes to the Secretary of State for Education, urging them to revoke the academisation order on Moulsecoomb Primary and requesting an urgent reinspection to enable the school to demonstrate its ongoing journey of improvement;

3) Requests the Chair of the Children, Young People & Skills Committee to call a special meeting to consider the need to conduct a further urgent ballot of parents and carers of children at Moulsecoomb Primary on whether they are in favour or oppose the forced conversion of the school to an academy trust selected by the RSC; and

4) Requests the Council’s School Improvements team continue to support the school on its journey to being a ‘Good’ school.

Proposed by: Cllr Grimshaw Seconded by: Cllr Clare

Supporting Information:
Moulsecoomb Primary school has made significant progress since the last inspection as outlined in November 2019 to the Children, Young People and Skills Committee. It has continued to make progress since then, including during lockdown and throughout the pandemic. This progress has been acknowledged by the local authority and by Ofsted/HMI in February 2020 and in October 2020. There has been particular focus on staff training and on improving the quality of teaching and learning at KS2. Improving attendance has also been a key priority.