VIDEO: Matlock parents protest against academy plans

The protesters stood waving placards outside Castle View Primary School, in School Road, on Thursday to show their outrage at plans to turn it into an academy following a proposal from the Department of Education.

Matlock parent Kate Stanley, whose daughter attends the school, said: “It went really well, we were overwhelmed by the support of the parents.

“We also had members of the national Anti–Academies Alliance group there, which was a surprise, but they were giving us loads of advice and encouragement.”

Among those protesting was Matlock county councillor Andy Botham, who has previously said the parents’ campaign has backing from Derbyshire County Council.

The parents group has set up a petition to stop the school becoming an academy, which it plans to hand into the Department of Education shortly. Kate said the protest did not disrupt the pupils’ day.

While it is in special measures, the school’s last Ofsted showed it was making reasonable progress and Kate believes that if left alone, it will continue to do so.

“My main concern is there are no figures showing academies are better than local authority–run schools – it’s very sketchy,” Kate explained.

“If the academy fails you can’t go back and the likelihood is the school will close.”

To view a video of the protest, visit www.matlockmercury.co.uk