Consultation results support Richmond Council's academies plan, says education chief

6:50am Thursday 12th November 2009

By Chris Wickham

The results of a formal consultation into a plan to turn two schools into academies gives a “strong mandate for change”, according to the borough’s education chief.

Results published this week revealed there were 45 responses to the plan to close Hampton Community College (HCC) and 20 to the plan to close Whitton School. Both schools could be replaced by academies run by Swedish education firm Kunskapsskolan next August.

Appleyards, Richmond Council’s project managers, also asked for views on the plan and revealed this week there had been 144 responses to the proposals at HCC, where 73 per cent of respondents were “very much” or “to some extent” in favour of the plans, and 135 at Whitton, where 79 per cent were in favour.

Councillor Malcolm Eady, the council cabinet member for education and children’s services said it was a strong sign that people wanted change.

Some of the concerns raised by councillors, parents, staff and governors included a lack of post-16 provision and a lack of choice in the west of the borough.

One HCC governor opposed the move because of “strong reservations regarding Kunskapsskolan’s ability to make further improvements” to the school that the current leadership team would not.

Another opposed it as it would “change the governance arrangements for HCC, taking away real parent, staff and community representation”.

However a HCC parent said “parents, teachers and pupils should see this opportunity as a fantastic chance to move the school into a new era of outstanding performance and fulfilment for the children and the school as a whole”.

The governing body of Whitton School wrote it was “on the whole” in support of the move and the chairman of governors said he believed it was a “great opportunity”.

Coun Geoffrey Samuel, deputy leader of Richmond Conservatives, said he was “appalled” by how low the response rate was and called for the council to scrap the plans for HCC.

“I get the impression there is far less opposition in Whitton than there is in Hampton,” he added. “My hope would be they go ahead at Whitton but not HCC."

Coun Eady said: “It was a very thorough consultation and there were meetings that were well attended.

“I would have liked more respondents but it is double what we got for the last consultation and I could argue people only fill out forms when they are not happy.”

Richmond Council’s education and children’s service overview and scrutiny committee will discuss the plans at York House, Twickenham, on Monday, at 7pm. At the meeting, plans to turn Shene School into an academy will also be discussed.