Primary schools have thrown a spanner in the works after revealing they do not want to become academies.

A letter on behalf of 33 primary school governors was sent to Councillor Paul Hodgins, Richmond Council cabinet member for education, stating they do not want to become academies.

The statement is at odds with the Conservative-run council’s hopes that every school in the borough should become an academy in the next few years.

The letter stated: “As governors we have attended many meetings and spent many hours discussing the issue of whether our schools should convert to academy status.

“We have listened to views and undertaken research in our own schools, and can find no compelling reasons why we should convert at this stage.”

Coun Hodgins said last December he hoped all schools in the borough would become academies, in a “radical shake-up” of education.

He claimed the move would allow schools to have greater independence.

A meeting was held by the council at the swanky Lensbury conference centre in Teddington to try to persuade more than 100 headteachers and governors to make the switch – to no avail.

The letter, sent before the meeting, stated the 33 schools did not want to be “considered as candidates” for conversion to academy status.

It instead asked for the meeting to focus on how the council and school could work together as the authority takes on a more “commissioning” role.

The Liberal Democrats branded the meeting a “one-sided” sales pitch.

Three secondary schools in the borough opened as academies this year.

However, the remaining council-run secondary schools in Richmond announced in January they would not rush into any decisions and would do what was “in the best interest” of pupils.

Coun Hodgins said: “We do not expect any school to make a decision on academy status before they have enough information to do so.

The letter I received confirms we are still some way off this position.”

He revealed the authority was going to become a “commissioning council”, which would change its relationship with schools.

Council criticised for swanky £1.7k briefing

Richmond Council has been criticised after splashing out almost £1,700 to persuade schools to become academies.

The council came under fire after it held a two-hour briefing on the benefits of academies at the luxurious Lensbury Conference Centre, Teddington, at a cost of £1,684.

Headteachers and governors were invited to the meeting to hear from the council’s cabinet member for education, Councillor Paul Hodgins and Andrew McCully, the Department for Education’s director of the academies programme, on March 2.

Councillor Malcolm Eady, Liberal Democrat spokesman for education, said: “At a time of cuts, the council seems to be able to spend money on luxury conference venues when school halls or council facilities could have been used.”

A Richmond Council spokesman said: "This meeting was put on in response to demand from schools for more information about what Academy Status would mean.

"After careful consideration we decided the Lensbury provided the most suitable venue available in the borough.

"This was an important meeting which was attended by over 100 governors and head teachers.

"It was vital to ensure that everyone present was able to participate fully.”

The schools in the letter were,

Barnes Primary School, Bishop Perrin C of E Primary School, Buckingham Primary School, Carlisle Infant School, Chase Bridge Primary School, Clarendon, Collis Primary School, Darell Primary School, East Sheen Primary School, Hampton Hill Junior School, Hampton Infant School, Hampton Junior School, Hampton Wick Infant & Nursery School, Heathfield Infant and Nursery School, Heathfield Junior School, Holy Trinity C of E Primary School, Kew Riverside Primary School, Lowther Primary School, Marshgate Primary School, Meadlands Primary School, Nelson Primary School, Orleans Infant and Nursery School, The Queen’s C of E Primary School, Sacred Heart RC Primary School, St. Mary Magdalen’s Catholic Primary School, St. Mary’s C of E Primary School, St. Mary’s & St. Peter’s C of E Primary School, St. Osmunds Catholic Primary School, St. Richard’s with St. Andrew’s C of E Primary School, St. Stephen’s C of E Junior School, Sheen Mount Primary School, Stanley Primary School, Trafalgar Junior School, The Vineyard Primary School.