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Michael Gove is bullying us into becoming an academy, says head
Anna Davis, Education Correspondent8 Nov 2010
The headteacher of a school at the centre of a dispute over becoming an academy said he was being bullied into giving up control.
Brian Lloyd, head of Kelsey Park sports college in Bromley, said his school was the subject of a hostile takeover supported by the Government.
Hundreds of parents are campaigning for the all-boys school to be taken out of local authority control and turned into an academy run by the Harris Federation.
The move is supported by Education Secretary Michael Gove but the Tory-run council does not want to give up control of the school and neither does Mr Lloyd.
He said his school has been denigrated during the campaign, which he said is designed to be a “quick win” for Mr Gove. Mr Lloyd said: “The way in which this is being dealt with is very hostile. I would like parents to trust me and give me a chance. I have 1,000 boys in my school and nobody has complained to me about the way it is being run.”
The school was rated “inadequate” by Ofsted but Mr Lloyd is confident the next report will be better. The percentage of pupils gaining five A* to C GCSE grades, including English and maths, rose from 18 to 46 per cent this year.
He added: “We are a happy, successful, good school and every year we get some outstanding grades. But we are getting to the stage where we feel we are being pushed into a corner because Gove wants us to be an academy.”
The school has launched a consultation on its future after local parents got up a petition asking the Harris Federation to take control of the school. It is down to the governors to decide whether to turn it into an academy.
A spokesman for the Department for Education said: “The Harris Federation has an impressive track record on improvement and is clearly recognised locally as the sponsor that is best placed to support the school.”
Reader views (13)
Tracey,
I have to disagree with several of your comments. I don't see what is weightless about stating the school is a failing, check the Ofsted report.
There are many single sex schools in the Borough, the nearest mixed school to Beckenham is, however, Hayes.
Yes, Brian Lloyd may be making improvements, but the leadership of the school got the worst Ofsted rating, and the school has underperformed for many years as shown by the fact it is in an Ofsted category of failure.
All The Harris schools have a truly mixed intake and are not just about academic results, but ensuring all the pupils reach their full potential. Again, look at the Ofsted reports.
Quality education and local area? This year 7 has 75 empty places. I think that speaks volumes. If it was catering to the local area it would be oversubscribed. The nearest Harris school has 20 applicants for every place.
You say that parents haven't visited the school, I know several who have and have made up their own minds. Have you taken the time to see if Harris can offer your son something more?
- Paul F, Beckenham, 12/11/2010 20:25
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As a parent of Kelsey I would like to thanks all the people of Beckenham and Penge,who have never set foot in the school, let alone risked sending their child there,for their weightless comments.Fact,the school provides a safe,genuine enviroment for children of all accademic abilities to learn and achieve the results they are capable of along with offering excellent sports facilities to produce future athletes and sportsmen.We have enough technical colleges in the area and few sports colleges.Fact, the Head is making improvements which will very shortly be confirmed by Ofstead.If parents of this borough want to send their children to a single sex school, this is our only choice.Also what would happen to boys from this area if they were not accademics? As far as I can see, the Harris Academies would not be able to sustain its high results, if they truly admitted children of all abities.I like every other parent want the best for my child. My son is very proud of his school and enjoys attending,having positive parents who also support him and the school, also helps. Leave Kelsey Park alone and let us get on with the job of providing quality education for boys of mixed abilities from all differents backgrounds within the local area.
- Tracey, Penge, London, 11/11/2010 12:27
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Local Parents - 3 so far with real concerns
Brow Beaters - LOADS ON HERE! leading statements YAWN!
L Harris - probably in China Buying cheaper Carpets with DAVE
Gove - Puppet
Consultation - Nil
- Paul O, uk, 09/11/2010 21:37
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Lord Harris spends a lot of money convincing people of his success. If you check out the exam results over a period of years, these are open to question. The leaflet he distributed in Bromley ommitted Southwark from the map. Why? Could it just be because of the rather chequered history of the Harris Academy at Peckham, the oldest of his academies (opened in 2003). In 2006 it had 23% of pupils getting 5 A-Cs inc E/M. In 2009, it achieved 26%. Hardly a success.
In Croydon the Harris Federation have claimed credit for an improvement after it took over Haling Manor. True the exam results did improve but were only those predicted, after 4 years of the previous local authority management, hence no improvement can be attributed to Harris.
Many parents of students at Harris Purley are unhappy about the way option were dealth with when Haling Manor was converted to an academy. I have looked at their prospectus - congratulations to the PR company, but where is any mention of the curriculum offer? Sport, sport and more sport?
I hope that the parents at Kelsey Park start to see beyond the glitz to the substance of what is being offered. The staff of Kelsey and Bromley Council are right to resist.
- Janee, London, 09/11/2010 11:56
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Paul O,
Ridiculous statement. Have you actually looked at the fantastic track record of the Harris Federation schools? The Harris Academy Crystal Palace gets over 20 applicants for each place.
Kelsey Park Sports College has underperformed for many years, the council have been happy for this to happen. One of the governors and local councillor stated that the majority on Bromley council need the school to teach the pupils other schools don't want to teach. Why should local parents have to either accept this or move to get our children a good education? It is laughable to state it is a good school, the last Ofsted gave the management of the school a level 4, the worst level. The headmaster says to trust him and give him a chance, he has been there 6 years, how much time does he need to turn the school around? The exam results have always hovered around the 30% mark and there are 75 empty places in this year's year 7 intake. Not the picture of a happy successful school the headmaster would have you believe.
Local children deserve far better than is being offered.
- Paul F, Beckenham, 08/11/2010 20:57
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The reality of how Academies are being pushed, and how it is not neccesary to follow it, since when has a "Carpet empire-Harris" been and Educationalist provider? Get back to selling carpets you profiteers
- Paul O, uk, 08/11/2010 20:25
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It's a bit late to do this. Kelsey Park has been a failing school for many years and, if the article's stats are to be believed, Mr Lloyd was begining to turn it around.
It was not always like this. During the 70's it was showing signs of improvement from its secondary modern day with several pupils winning places at university, a national level archery squad and one member of my class becoming one of the first non ex-pat chief executives of an international bank. Ok, so we did cause a stir with the attempted kidnap of the deputy headmaster in 1981, but it was in the name of charity.
Unfortunately, following the closure of Kentwood School in Penge, Kelsey's performance and reputation declined and it became a sports collage once it was realised that the pupils could run faster than the police.
It is now so bad that some of its pupils mugged my godson, not something that would had happened when I went there.
This could have been a good school and it is in need of saving. If Mr Lloyd is really producing results let him continue. If the academies of Medway are anything to go by this will do nothing to improve Kelsey Park.
- Ian, Bromley, 08/11/2010 20:16
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As someone who saw the petition they mention in the article, I can tell you that it did not request that Harris take over at Kelsey Park, but that there should be a consultation into its future - which is being carried out at the moment - and that the Harris Federation be allowed to investigate possibilities for opening a free school in the area. You would not believe this from the media coverage, however. Furthermore, whilst the school was given 'notice to improve' by Ofsted, they have made 'satisfactory' progress in an interim assessment and Ofsted will return within weeks to check they are continuing to make progress.
I am afraid that a few vocal, business-minded parents with considerable PR skills have managed to make their views appear to be those of the majority. Until the consultation is carried out, we can't possibly know what the parents of Beckenham AND Penge, Anerley etc really want for their children. Alas, if Michael Gove and this relatively small group of parents get their way, the rest of us may not have the opportunity to express our wishes for this community's education. It's Harris or nothing for them. I can't help but wonder, though, is it just coincidence that the government's favoured academy for Kelsey Park is one run by a Tory peer?
- Local Parent, Beckenham, 08/11/2010 19:36
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What else can you expect when the power crazy glove puppet impersonator 'Archie Andrews' is trying to pull every string in education to get private money involved with all lines of life in England ASAP because they are only too aware that the electorate are getting very, very angry with thus indecent gallop towards 30year lock in contracts which academy status eveywhere will involve, making some particular MP's and/or their backers/relatives even richer than they are now?
Example? Gordon Brown and two grossly over priced aircraft carriers being built in the constituency next to his own. He was useless, but got re-elected on the back of them.
The Tories are simply after 30 year non cancellable contracts before they are booted out.
- Concerned Observer, Harrow, 08/11/2010 15:56
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Ah yes, Lord Harris, the Carpet King. He's taken a group of schools serving poor and disadvantaged children which were previously failing and has turned many of them into outstanding schools providing a great education which are very popular with parents.
Trouble with Helen is that she would prefer that working people got a crap education.... just so long as the status quo is maintained.
Greasy Palm, Councillors, failing headteachers, Helen?
- Jobsworth, London, 08/11/2010 15:15
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The headteacher complains that he is being bullied- he describes his school as a "good School" -but Osfted have FAILED it. How can a failed, unsatisfactory school be a good school? The fact that the headteacher cannot tell the difference between the two shows why the Government needs to act
- Jobsworth, London, 08/11/2010 15:14
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Ah yes, Lord Harris, the Carpet King. He's donated hundreds of thousands of pounds to the Tories. Greasy palm, Gove?
- Helen, West London, 08/11/2010 13:31
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I know just how that feels, in Deptford we have Superhead Mark Elms doing the same Gove behaviour towards the parents! he is Pushing FOR academy status telling Parents that Children with Special needs will lose out at the school, should Academy status be rejected, He has also started a controversial "For Academies" petition aimed at Parents setting up a stall every morning to bully parents into Accepting Academy Status at Tidemill School as they take their children into school. Not long ago I remember his name in the News for taking the Lions Share of money targeted directly for the school into his own pocket, making him the Unjustifiably the Highest Paid "Primary School Teacher" in the UK - seems even in Labour Lewisham there are powerfull parasites wanting their own agenda. The New School has not even been built yet! but we have Mr Elms trying to get his own private Cronies to steal a Brand new Local Authority Building before the Local community get to use it. IT is just a Primary School, Parents are being misled in what has become a very Narrow Consultation aimed at Victimising and Alianating Parents and teachers into Accepting Academy Status, Mr Mark Elms has made it Clear that he "will walk" if the Academy status is rejected, Looks like he wanst to get back in the News - for all the wrong reasons too
- Paul O, UK, 08/11/2010 11:05
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