Two schools in Hove urged by the council not to join academy trust

West Hove Infant School and Hove Juniors are currently engaged in a  four week consultation to consider a proposal to join the Aurora Multi Academy Trust (MAT).

The two schools have worked closely together and even formed the Hove Learning Federation following a public consultation in 2021.

If the schools were to join the trust it would move them out of local authority control. 

Parents, carers and staff are being asked to comment on the proposals, which the council believes will lead to changes in some of the services families can access and the support systems for both schools. 

The council’s view is that academisation will lead to greater fragmentation of the education system in the city and remove accountability from local communities and parents. 

City Academy Whitehawk is part of the Aurora Multi Academy Trust (Image: Terry Applin)Most of the schools which are run by the academy trust have recently been rated good by Ofsted.

City Academy Whitehawk in Brighton, which is part of the MAT, was rated good by Ofsted in May.

The trust also runs Glenleigh Park Primary Academy and King Offa Primary Academy in Bexhill, both rated as good in their last Ofsted inspections.

It also runs Heron Park Primary Academy and Oakwood Primary Academy in Eastbourne which were both also rated good in their last inspections.

Labour council leader Bella Sankey says she wants to 'remain working' with the schoolsThe council believes joining the trust at this time is the wrong decision and is writing to parents and carers of children at the school setting out the reasons.

Labour council leader Bella Sankey wrote in a column for The Argus today about schools ‘flourishing’ under local authority care.

She said: ” Both Hove Junior School and West Hove Infants are valued members of our community and have delivered excellent educational opportunities and outcomes for children in our city for many years.

“We highly rate the staff and leadership at both schools – they are valued colleagues and professionals, and we want them to remain working with us within the maintained school sector.”

Most schools in Brighton and Hove have remained ‘local authority maintained’, working in partnership with each other and the council. 

Councillors are urging the schools to reconsider this process to “ensure the local community understands the risks and challenges and spend more time understanding what will be lost by joining an academy trust”. 

Ms Sankey added in her column: “Academisation of our city’s schools fragments the system and creates a market-led approach to education, which we do not believe is helpful for families or children.”

​Councillor Jacob TaylorCouncillor Jacob Taylor, deputy leader of the council, said: “We urge the governors to pause this consultation and work with us to ensure all stakeholders have the information they need to make an informed decision.  

“This is a decision that will impact on the future education of thousands of city children and should not be made lightly or without considering all the facts. The council opposes this proposal. 

“We are seeing an unprecedented reduction in the number of primary-aged children within the city. Joining a trust does not create more children – and fewer children means schools have fewer funds available. 

“We are keen to work with school leaders and learn from what has been a challenging situation for many schools in the city over the past few years. 

“Years of underfunding from national government has not only affected schools – it's affected local authorities too and has contributed to the difficult climate. 

“We want to make sure we work together to do all we can to safeguard the future of the city’s schools. 

“We are therefore very much of the view that now is not the moment to continue the drift towards academisation.”