Berwick & District Trades Union Council propose public meeting on Berwick High School application for academy status

Following our Trades Council meeting of 29^th July we are sure of so much local concern and opposition over the above proposal that a public meeting is necessary. The council has been approached by many concerned parents and we cannot see any substantial support for this outside the school governors. The key areas of concern have been outlined by the council and published in the Advertiser.   And, We agree with Valerie Glass (letter of 18^th July) – it is probably the lure of extra funding driving this. Has this blinded the governors? We believe that any short term cash benefit for the school could well be outweighed by future liabilities.

We ask all those concerned to contact the trades council with a view to holding a public meeting.

Please write to the council or use the Feedback page on our website

Sign the facebook page:

www.facebook.com/pages/Why-Berwick-Community-High-School-should-not-become-an-Academy/186255158107346

Why Berwick Community High School should NOT become an Academy:

1. In Berwick upon Tweed we have only one high school therefore no choice other than to attend the academy.

2. An academy would be outside local authority and also community accountability.

3. An academy sets their own admissions policy.

4. Academies are run as a business for profit.

5. Academies are freed from national pay and condition agreements.

6. Academies are not democratically accountable.

7. The community, students/future students and parents of Berwick upon Tweed have not been consulted widely enough over this proposal to change the status of our only secondary school.

8. Academies are not democratically accountable.