PRESSURE mounted on the governors of William Tyndale Primary School this week to hold a full ballot of parents before going ahead with controversial plans to opt out of Town Hall control.

The governors were forced into an embarrassing about-turn earlier this month after some parents threatened to take legal action to stop the move.

They were furious that the governors and headteacher Tanya Watson had ignored a petition signed by 200 parents who were against the proposal to become an academy. They argued that the Islington school had not consulted properly. The school’s legal advice was that the parents had a case.

It is understood the row at the school has split parents. Now the Town Hall and parents are saying the only way forward is to have a ballot – a move the school is resisting.

Many parents demanded a ballot at a packed meeting which lasted for two-and-a-half hours at the school on Tuesday. While there were angry speeches against the academy proposal, many parents revealed they knew little about the plans.

“It was a helpful meeting from that point of view,” one parent said.

There is also anger among parents that the governing body – which voted by a large majority for the now-abandoned academy plans last month – is not full. 

They say that three vacancies, two for parents and one for a community member, should be filled before there is any further vote and have called for elections.

“Some people see this as symbolic of the role of parents in all of this and whether they are going to be listened to,” a parent said.

The Town Hall has also ramped up the pressure. The ruling Labour Party has already passed a resolution calling for schools to hold a ballot before opting out. This week, Labour schools chief Councillor Richard Watts said: “It is clear William Tyndale’s parents are split on whether the school should convert or not. The consultation so far has been rushed and divisive.”

Both he and Labour ward councillor Rhiannon Davis were refused entry to Tuesday’s meeting. Cllr Davis said: “I was asked by concerned parents to attend a consultation meeting and am extremely disappointed that the school refused to allow me to attend.”

Labour councillor Kate Groucutt, who represents the ward and is a governor at the school, also called for a ballot.

“There is strong support for a ballot among parents and that would be a good way of getting the view of the parent body and bringing the school community back together,” she said.

It is understood, however, that so far the governors are holding fast and were unmoved by the parents’ pleas.

The primary school is one of three in Islington which have taken a lead in adopting coalition government rules allowing them to be funded directly from Whitehall.

Published: 22 July, 2011
by ANDREW JOHNSON