Council backs Matlock parents’ campaign

The council is backing parents who are campaigning against plans to turn a school into an academy.
Parents of children at Castle View Primary School, Matlock are upset the school is becoming an academy. Pictured front l-r is Aleesha Kerry, Kate Stanley and Danielle Raybould.Parents of children at Castle View Primary School, Matlock are upset the school is becoming an academy. Pictured front l-r is Aleesha Kerry, Kate Stanley and Danielle Raybould.
Parents of children at Castle View Primary School, Matlock are upset the school is becoming an academy. Pictured front l-r is Aleesha Kerry, Kate Stanley and Danielle Raybould.

The governing body of Castle View School, in School Road, Matlock, made the decision on Friday to ‘reason towards a sponsor’, meaning it is going along with plans to find a sponsor for the school, making it an academy.

Matlock councillor Andy Botham said: “The parents have the full support of the county council.

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“We don’t believe in forced academisation. The last Ofsted report was the school was improving and we don’t believe the best thing for Castle View is to force is into academy status.”

If the school is given academy status, it will no longer be under the local education authority’s control, but will instead have a sponsor and be run like a business.

Head teacher Clare Peat said: “The thing that is frustrating for parents is we were making good progress towards being removed from special measures.

“The parents’ views are the most important thing. To be there for the children is my priority.”

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Mum Emily Brailsford, of Matlock, who has two children attending the school, has been organising the parents’ campaign against the academy plans.

She said: “It’s just about raising awareness because the only chance we have got it by kicking up a fuss and letting people know it’s not what we want.”

Emily said the governors would not have had a choice but to go along with the proposal, put forward by the Department of Education, or face being substituted for an interim governing body.

“At least this way they may have a say in a potential sponsor,” she added.

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Emily said the parents’ group was planning to protest outside the school at the end of term.

The Facebook group ‘Save Our School’ has been set up on in support of the campaign.

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