Concerns over ‘forced’ academisation of Sheffield special schools

Hillsborough Green Party Coun Toby Mallinson is a teacher and leading local activist in the NEU education union. He asked questions about the future of the schools during a meeting of the finance committee on Monday (December 18) that was discussing the council’s £17.4m budget shortfall.

Coun Mallinson said: “In Monday’s finance committee meeting, I asked whether refunding the multi-million-pound deficit for Holgate Meadows and Heritage Park schools was included in the council budget.

“Holgate Meadows is being forcibly academised after an ‘inadequate’ Ofsted judgement and Heritage Park is very likely to also be forced under new government guidance. We are told ‘forced’ academies have their deficits paid off by their local authority.

“The response I received told me that the schools are trying to make savings to balance their in-year budgets but no clear answer was provided regarding the payment of the deficit. I will be taking this up further.”

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He added: “These schools serve the most challenging young people in the city and their families. They may require more money per pupil than other special schools but they are arguably excellent value for money compared to the alternatives.

“Forcing ‘savings’ on these schools will worsen staff-student ratios and could be dangerous and very counter-productive to children’s education.”

It has been reported previously that the deficits could total £5m.

A meeting of the council’s strategy and resources committee tomorrow (December 21) will be discussing the budget position for the council, following the announcement of the government’s financial settlement for local authorities earlier this week.