Daniel Zeichner, MP for Cambridge, has welcomed the decision announced today to allow St Philip’s CofE Aided Primary School to remain a local authority supported institution. This decision to not academise the school comes after months of parent protest, and a parliamentary debate this week in which Mr Zeichner blasted the academisation consultation and process. 

He said: “I am delighted to hear that parents and the local community were listened to on this very important decision for the school, and for Romsey. I congratulate local parents and the National Education Union on their efforts to make their voices heard.” 

The debate that I led on Wednesday in Parliament was about the need for academisation processes to be more accountable and transparent. We still have a long way to go on this, but I am pleased that on this occasion, the board could not ignore the clear will of the school’s community.”

In Wednesday’s debate, My Zeichner accused Multi-Academy Trusts of a lack of democratic accountability, as these trusts run schools with public money. He told House:

“There must be something wrong with a process whereby parents, staff and the local community feel that they are just being informed about significant changes to a key local institution, but not involved in any meaningful way. They feel that it is being done to them, not with them. Schools are not businesses and are not privately owned – not yet, anyway. Schools are a key part of the fabric of our local communities, and we all know that they do better when they are a part of their community, with close parental involvement.”