Schools in Chesterfield, Staveley and Worksop are affected.
Unions representing staff in nineteen schools across the Catholic Diocese of Hallam have written to the Secretary of State for Education to begin legal action over letters they received informing them that they would be forced to join Multi-Academy Trusts.
The letters, issued by the Regional Schools Commissioner – who works directly for the Education Secretary – were issued on the 15th December 2021, and sent to all Voluntary Aided schools in the Catholic Diocese of Hallam. The Diocese – which has schools in Yorkshire and the East Midlands – propose to convert or transfer all schools, including existing stand-alone academies and existing trusts, into two newly formed Catholic Multi-Academy Trusts.
The only way schools can be forced to become academies is if they are eligible for intervention and none of the schools in Hallam are currently in this category. The Secretary of State can only issue an academy order on the application of the governing body of the school.
But the governing bodies for the schools say this never happened and they did not agree to begin the process of academisation.
Three of the schools are based in the East Midlands:
- Holy Family Catholic Primary School (Worksop)
- St Joseph’s Catholic & CofE Primary School (Staveley)
- St Mary’s Catholic Primary School (Chesterfield)
Unions representing these schools – including school leaders’ union NAHT, the National Education Union, the Association of School and College Leaders, and UNISON – say that the letters were therefore issued unlawfully, and, unless they are withdrawn by the Education Secretary, further legal action will be taken.
In their letter to the Education Secretary, the unions state:
We understand that the governing bodies of these schools have not applied to the Secretary of State for academy orders. The Academy Orders appear to have been made on the application of and/or at the behest of the Diocese.
The Secretary of State is invited to confirm in writing that the Academy Orders are void and of no effect, and to notify the Diocese, the Schools and the local authorities responsible for maintaining the Schools that the Academy Orders are void and of no legal effect.
UNISON East Midlands schools lead Emma Roberts said: “Becoming an academy needs to be a school community decision. Bypassing due process and the opinions of educators and hardworking support staff does nothing for morale or the success of a journey. Schools in the East Midlands affected by these decisions have our full support. I hope for a swift response from the Secretary of State for Education rectifying this unlawful action.”
UNISON head of education Mike Short said: “Trying to force through mass changes to academy status is not only wrong-headed, it’s a complete distraction at a time like this. School staff have been working wonders to keep schools open throughout the pandemic and are continuing to do so despite dangerously high Covid rates. These dedicated employees can well do without this extra stress after putting their own health, and that of their families, at risk for the past two years.”
Media contacts:Chris Birks M: 07870 407670 E: c.birks@unison.co.uk