Your reporter Becky Middleton omitted some important details in her recent report on Benedict Primary School and Park Community School.

When Benedict Primary School was forced to become an academy it was given all its land and buildings previously owned by Merton taxpayers. It became independent of Merton LEA and unaccountable to the public who are funding it. This happens when all schools become academies.

Park Community School is at present a phantom school waiting for the Department of Education to give it some land and buildings in the Motspur Park / Raynes Park area.

Rachel Jacob the " executive " headteacher is being rather coy about possible sites though the former BBC sports ground in Motspur Park has been mentioned even though it must be valued in millions of pounds. Like Benedict, Park Community School, once set up, will be independent, non-accountable but taxpayer funded.

During the privatisation of utilities such as gas and water and services such as the Royal Mail, the government was often accused of " selling off the family silver." In the case of academies and so - called free schools the government is saying " here's the family silver, help yourselves and take as much as you want . "

This is a scandalous misuse of public money. If groups wish to open their own schools they should fund themselves.

Mark Kenny
By email

 


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