Hackney parents to vote on secular and faith schools merger

Parents of a community primary school in Hackney are being consulted on joining a federation with four faith schools, which would see a sharing of resources and a governing body.

Primary Advantage Federation (PAF) was formed in September 2006, bringing together governance of Holy Trinity and St John & St James’ CE Primary Schools.

Since then, PAF has worked in partnership with Springfield Community Primary School, as well as St Matthias and St John the Baptist CE Primary Schools. All three have now been asked to join the federation.

Of the four, Springfield is the only non-faith based school, a feature the consultation insists Springfield will retain if the merger is to go ahead. Inigo Woolf, Interim Director of Education for the London Diocesan Board of Schools (LDBS) said: “The Church of England has been involved with the community in Hackney for many centuries.

“Our schools in Hackney have always welcomed children of all faiths and of no faith and the same principles will be applied to a community school within a Church of England federation.”

Asked about the nature of a merger between faith and community schools, Woolf said the LDBS “welcomes innovative thinking”, citing a similar consultation taking place in Islington.

The proposals have not been universally welcomed. Mark Lushington, Hackney National Union of Teachers’ Press and Publicity Officer, says that while the NUT is keen on schools supporting one another, it opposes the federation concept, calling it a “production line” and an example of “top-down organisation.”

“Quite simply, a school needs a head teacher and not a CEO of a corporate giant. I think it’s also the industrialisation of children’s learning experience, this temptation to give executive headships for successful schools,” said Lushington.
“It is too easily accepted that SATs scores are the be-all and end-all and I think these federations are the logical extension of that performance model. It’s one we’ve boycotted in the past and we will in the future,” he added.

The proposed PAF Board of Governors would have one parent and one staff representative from each of the five schools, as well as two community and two Local Authority members. The remaining governors will comprise four deanery and two LDBS members.

Under the plans, no pupils would be asked to change schools or have to travel between schools for lessons. The federation would also ensure each school maintains its own admissions criteria, and all heads of schools will remain in post. Sian Davies is also set to continue as PAF Executive Principal. As well as providing a chance to ‘share specialist knowledge across the schools’, the federation is being sold as a more efficient management and use of budgets.

In January, an Ofsted inspection called the leadership and management of the federation ‘outstanding’. Parents of pupils at Springfield, St. Matthias and St. John the Baptist have been given until 13 June to respond to the plans.