Oakmeeds Community College Announce 2015 Academy Conversion

Get your tin hats ready readers as Oakmeeds Community College have announced that they WILL be converting into an Academy from September 2015.

This despite being placed in special measures by Ofsted, disasterous GSCE results over the past 2 years and having received a resounding 'no' from parents when they looked into conversion during 2012/13.

The Oakmeeds press release reads:

In July 2013 the Governors of Oakmeeds Community College decided to defer any decision to move to Academy status until 2014 following a lengthy period of investigation, discussion and consultation.

There have been considerable developments in the intervening 15 months both on the Oakmeeds and the Academy fronts. This year has seen improved GCSE results at Oakmeeds and the College has seen the benefits of the support we have received from Millais School, which can no longer be provided by West Sussex County Council.

In 2013 the discussion centred on conversion to a “free - standing” academy , which left many questions concerning governance unanswered and this was the predominant reason for deferral. Over the past year there has been an emergence of a greater number of “school” based smaller trusts . These trusts place far greater emphasis on academic support and the sharing of best practice, areas we believe to be of great importance. In addition, they generally have a less prescriptive approach to governance which preserves the character and ethos of their member schools.

Since the reasons for deferral have largely been addressed the Governors have decided to start the process of finding a suitable organisat ion to join with a view to conversion to an academy in September 2015. They will be supported in this task by Robert Back from the Department of Education.

Chair of Governors, Mr David Fry, said: “ As the matter progresses staff, students, parents and the wider community will be kept fully updated . We look forward to a bright future at Oakmeeds.”

BHU Reaction:

The first question is obviously 'why now?' The school has problems. How can Oakmeeds possibly be looking at becoming an academy when they are at one of their lowest points?

Do the community think that Headmaster Colin Taylor and chair of Governors David Fry are the right people to lead Oakmeeds into Academy conversion when they are considered by some people to be VERY lucky to still be in their posts?

Would it not be better for Oakmeeds to get back up to standard, get the teaching and leadership sorted out before undertaking such a huge change? Read through the selective 'minutes' from governors meetings and you can see a plethora of issues that academy conversion won't magically fix. http://oakmeeds.w-sussex.sch.uk/.../Governors-Meeting-Minutes-1

And how about what the pupils, parents and wider community think? The press release states that academy conversion WILL happen. In 2012/13, the governors were interested in what the public had to say. However, were they only hoping for a 'yes' answer and thus on this occasion they are deliberatly disregarding what you think?

This is a very crucial time for Oakmeeds Community College, it is vital that you make yourselves heard over this issue.

Got an opinion on this story? Leave a comment below.....
Is Oakmeeds' Academy conversion plan a good or bad idea? Is now the right time? Should the current leadership be entusted to oversee this huge change?