Goldsmiths Trust School Takeover Abandoned

We reported here last year proposals for Goldsmiths College to lead a Trust to take over managing two secondary schools and a Sixth Form College in New Cross. It appears though that this is no longer on the cards, at least according to this press release from campaigners against it:

CAMPAIGN SCORES VICTORY AND DEFEATS ‘GOLDSMITHS TRUST’ PROPOSAL

Staff at Addey and Stanhope School have been officially informed that Goldsmiths University has withdrawn its support for the proposed “Goldsmiths Trust” of Addey and Stanhope, Deptford Green and Crossways schools.

This news - confirming rumours that have been circulating for the last week - represents a significant victory for the joint campaign of trade unions, students and parents that have opposed this damaging Trust.

Martin Powell-Davies, Lewisham NUT Secretary, said: “This is tremendous news for everyone who supports comprehensive education. The Trust was always a half-baked idea. Its supporters were never able to show how a Trust would really benefit education. It would have taken staff out of Council employment and would have been a significant step towards the break-up of Local Authority schooling in the borough. We hope that we can now work together to strengthen genuine partnership between schools, not a divisive Trust”.

Des Freedman, UCU Secretary at Goldsmiths, said: “We are delighted that the proposers of the Trust have finally seen sense. We hope that they will continue to demonstrate their support for comprehensive education and not be swayed by the false promises from the Conservatives for more Academies”.

The “No Trust in the Goldsmiths Trust” campaign – backed by the NUT, UCU, ATL, NASUWT, GMB, and UNISON unions in Lewisham, along with Goldsmiths Students Union, Defend Education In Lewisham and ‘Hands Off Lewisham Bridge’ – organised a number of meetings and lobbies as well as street leafleting to highlight their opposition to the proposed Trust.

Campaigners are now moving on to oppose another school takeover. Lewisham Council have opened a consultation proposing that Merlin Primary School in Downham is taken over by Haberdashers' Aske's Knights Academy - just like Monson was taken over by Haberdashers Aske's Hatcham Academy. For further information, contact: Martin Powell-Davies, 0794 6445488.