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Brent Council supports 1,300-strong petition to stop school becoming academy but hands are tied

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Published date08 April 2024
Publication titleMyLondon (England)
Located on Spencer Road in Wembley, Byron Court Primary School was given an 'outstanding' rating when it was previously inspected in 2012, but a scathing report following inspections on November 28 and 29 last year highlighted the school's 'marked deterioration'. The rating triggers an automatic response from the DfE, with the school set to come under the control of an academy trust, Harris Federation, in an attempt to address the issues

A petition signed by more than 1,300 people was submitted to Brent Council at a recent Cabinet meeting April 8. They think that academisation 'will be dangerous' and are calling on the council to intervene to ensure Byron Court remains a community school.

A parent and one of the coordinators of Save Byron Court -a joint campaign group formed of parents and staff from the school -Matt Paul, called the Ofsted rating 'extremely damaging' but said it 'doesn't ring true' with the experiences of many parents or staff.

Mr Paul said: "[It is] the last of what was an inclusive and happy learning environment and school community, the departure of many much-loved and dedicated staff [who] will leave or be forced out as a result, and the loss of Byron's identity and another of Brent's community schools forever."

Campaigners feel there were mitigating circumstances that resulted in the disastrous Ofsted inspection, including frequent changes of head teacher, disruption from Covid, and forthcoming changes to the Ofsted approach. They are calling on Ofsted to reinspect the school under any new framework as the new leadership have been making positive changes, which Mr Paul says they 'deserve to have recognised'.

The group are also requesting that the council, given its key role and manifesto promise to protect community schools, intervene by pushing the DfE and Ofsted to reinspect Byron Court, as well as providing support recruitment to help staff and monitoring the work done by the Rapid Improvement Group -which was set up by Brent Council to provide structured support.

Lead Member for Children, Young People and Schools, Cllr Gwen Grahl, said it was 'deeply regrettable' that the school had been rated as inadequate and acknowledged the 'considerable distress and anxiety' it has...

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