Schools minister intervenes in failing free schools

Al-Madinah free college in Derby will have its supervision handed to Barry Day, chief executive of the Greenwood Dale basis trust. Photograph: Rui Vieira/PA

The management of the controversial Al-Madinah cost-free school is to be replaced and yet another failing cost-free college is on the brink of getting closed, following the Division for Training announced measures towards the two schools and published investigations into mismanagement at the two.

Al-Madinah, an Islamic faith college in Derby, and the Discovery New school, a small main college in Crawley, West Sussex, have been placed in particular measures right after failing inspections by Ofsted. Each have been investigated more than fiscal and budget concerns.

A letter from colleges minister Lord Nash to the chair of Al-Madinah’s governing entire body said the school’s trustees have agreed to resign, with supervision of the college to be handed to Barry Day, chief executive of the Greenwood Dale basis trust, sponsor of the Greenwood academies trust, which operates 22 academies and specialises in turning all around failing colleges.

“I are not able to tolerate any child encountering a bad good quality of education in any state-funded school and am therefore determined to make sure there is a swift resolution,” Nash wrote in his formal letter to Shazia Parveen, chair of the Al-Madinah Education Trust, which administered the college.

“I have made a decision that the requirements of the pupils at Al-Madinah college would be very best served by bringing in a more skilled trust with the skills and capability necessary to provide the enhancements essential at the college.”

Al-Madinah’s governors will stay in location until finally Day and the Greenwood Dale believe in have had time to assess the state of the college. One feasible outcome is that Greenwood Dale requires more than the college as component of its chain. The believe in already sponsors two other cost-free schools, the City of Peterborough academy and the City of Peterborough academy unique school.

A even more letter from Nash to the chair of governors of the Discovery New college commences the formal legal process that could finish with the school getting shut – which would make it the 1st cost-free school to encounter forced closure.

Soon after acquiring damning reports by Ofsted inspectors highlighting the inadequate progress made at Discovery – most just lately throughout a go to on twelve November – Nash informed the school it has 10 days to submit a “additional action statement”, with the secretary of state to choose whether to terminate the school’s funding, properly closing it.

“You will no doubt wish to inform personnel and parents with pupils at the school of this step. I must reassure you that in the occasion of a determination to terminate a funding agreement of an academy or cost-free college, we would operate closely with the trustees of the college and the local authority in the interests of the children’s wellbeing and training, which is our priority,” Nash wrote in a letter to Chris Cook, chair of Discovery’s governors.

Tristram Hunt, Labour’s shadow education secretary, mentioned the turmoil at Al-Madinah and Discovery showed “fundamental flaws” in the government’s colleges policy.

“As we can see from the evidence of the failings at David Cameron’s flagship Al-Madinah and Discovery free schools, his alterations are harming specifications.

“He and his schooling secretary Michael Gove are refusing to consider action to handle the basic flaws in their schools policy that enables unqualified teachers in classrooms on a permanent basis, a lack of transparency and a complete failure of oversight,” Hunt explained.

A spokesman for the DfE said: “The vast bulk of cost-free colleges are performing effectively with 3-quarters rated very good or outstanding. But where there is failure we will not hesitate to intervene. The DfE will consider swift action when children are being denied the education they deserve, no matter what type of school they attend.”

Discovery was between the very first of the new breed of colleges launched underneath Gove’s flagship policy, and was the very first to be judged as inadequate by Ofsted inspectors.

Unless a sponsor or external management willing to get above the school is found, the school is in danger of currently being closed.

“As Ofsted reports that very minor progress has been manufactured since the school was positioned in specific measures, I continue to be incredibly concerned about the quality of training children are getting,” Nash explained.

A mother or father whose child was one of the 1st pupils at the school explained he made the decision to take her out of the college right after the 1st Ofsted inspection criticised the school’s severe shortcomings.

“Now my daughter is settled at a better run, better working college I see the constructive big difference it has manufactured in her learning, her behaviour and her daily life. I truly feel ashamed that I let Gove’s policy blunder jeopardise my daughter’s schooling,” he stated.

“Sending my daughter to Discovery was the worst parenting decision I have ever created. Taking her out is amongst the very best.”

Discovery has about 60 pupils and opened in 2011. It provides schooling employing Montessori principals, primarily based on the teachings of Italian pioneer Maria Montessori.

In its 1st inspection in June this yr, Ofsted inspectors had been severe on the principal school’s leadership, saying its leaders “think the school is far much better than it is”.

The inspection team gave the college the lowest grade – “inadequate” – in 3 of four classes, for pupil achievement, good quality of teaching, leadership and management. “Also numerous pupils are in danger of leaving the school without having getting capable to read and compose properly,” inspectors concluded.

“Except if this is put proper quickly, pupils are unlikely to flourish in their secondary schools and potential lives.”

Schools minister intervenes in failing free schools