Council votes unanimously against Education Excellence Everywhere bill and academisation in Redbridge

Councillors unanimously voted for a motion against turning the borough’s schools into academies at last night’s full council meeting.

The motion, put forward by Labour’s Cllr Elaine Norman, the cabinet member for children and young people, was debated at Redbridge Town Hall, High Road, Ilford, following protests before the meeting by campaign group Redbridge Against Academisation (RAA).

Councillors from all parties agreed to oppose the government’s Education Excellence Everywhere bill, encourage people to campaign against it and ask the chief executive of the council to write to the Secretary of State with their objections.

Cllr Norman said: “The proposals in this white paper will have a drastic effect on our children’s future.

“It’s important to know the academisation of our schools is on the sights of our government. Redbridge boasts some of the highest education standards in England – something we should protect.”

She added: “We can’t allow this government to destroy what is good in Redbridge.”

Labour’s Cllr Wes Streeting branded the government bill “dangerous”.

“Children around the country deserve better than being treated as guinea pigs in an ideological experiment,” said Cllr Streeting, who took time to praise the academies already operating in the borough.

The government abandoned action to force all schools to become academies earlier this month, but it plans to force schools in underperforming authorities, and those in boroughs that can no longer support schools, to become academies.