Tuesday 26 February 2008

Link up with a private school on the way?

Private schools were told last year that in order to retain their charitable status, they must be seen to be using that status to assist those less fortunate than themselves. NAME expects that as part of the proposed plan for the Rother Valley, a prestigious private institution will be rolled out to prove its credentials by handing out some largesse to those so disadvantaged that they must attend an independent Academy in Midhurst. Don't be fooled by such acts of 'generosity' - they will save the private school a fortune, in fact an average of £225 per child in tax breaks. Marlborough College has such an agreement with United Learning Trust's Swindon Academy. Marlborough's Master said of its relationship "whilst working with, and for, the deprived in this country was decidedly unglamorous, from a pragmatic viewpoint he hoped that the voice of the school would subsequently, be given more weight when discussing integrated education policies with the government." (http://www.marlboroughcollege.org/Files/omc/AGMs/AGM%20Minutes.pdf) What more reason could you want!

NAME has no doubt that a link up with a prestigious private school wil simply rub salt into the wound as far as teachers are concerned. Many will be deeply insulted by the suggestion that, for all their privilege and funding, private school staff can show Rother Valley teachers how to educate our community's children

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This is all very exciting :)