Subject: Opposing academisation of Benfield and Hangleton schools

Date of meeting: 19 October 2023

Proposer: Councillor Shanks

Seconder: Councillor Goldsmith

Ward(s) affected: All

Notice of Motion

Green Group Amendment

That deletions are made as shown with ~~strikethrough~~ below and additional recommendations are added as shown in bold italics below:

This council notes:

1) We oppose the academisation of Benfield and Hangleton schools

2) That the proposal for Benfield and Hangleton schools to join the Eko Academy Trust is not in the best interests of staff, parents or children

3) That schools leaving the Local Authority system to become Academies will not solve the issues of falling pupil numbers or budgetary pressures

Therefore, resolves to:

4) Request officers to ask the Governing Body for Benfield and Hangleton schools to pause the academisation proposal to enable more time to engage with the local authority and the community, including parents and carers

5) Request officers to work with the Hangleton and Benfield school communities and Governing Board to encourage them to remain in the Local Authority school’s family

6) Request a report to a future Children, Families and Schools Committee addressing SEND and SEMH provision in the city

7) Request a report to a future Children. Families and Schools Committee which considers options for strengthening the partnerships that make up our family of schools, and boosts the support given to local authority school leadership.

8) Request the Chair of the Children’s committee, following a pause to the consultation, to ask the school to conduct an urgent ballot of their parents, carers and staff in order to determine the levels of local public support or opposition to the schools’ academisation, in order that governors can act on this information

Proposed by: Cllr Shanks Seconded by: Cllr Goldsmith