The government, supported by the headteacher and some of the governors, are planning to turn Montgomery primary school into an Academy owned and run by a private Academy chain. The school would no longer be part of the Birmingham local authority family of schools. It would become a ‘government school’, accountable only to Michael Gove, the secretary of state for education, in London. The private owners would appoint the governing body and make the key decisions in London, with no voice at all for parents and community. Elected local councillors would no longer have any role to play on behalf of parents.


The government claims that forcing Montgomery to become an Academy would raise standards. It won’t. The evidence from existing Academies is that on average they do no better than existing schools with a similar intake of pupils and doing the same exams.

An Academy doesn’t have to keep to national and local agreements with the unions. In fact it doesn’t even have to recognise unions. Would that attract and keep good teachers?


Other primary schools in Birmingham are also under threat of being forced into an Academy takeover. We say, join us and say no. They will tell you nothing can be done – there is no choice. Of course they want you to believe this – but they are wrong. Academies can be stopped – as the Bournville school campaign showed!


Teachers in NASUWT and NUT, and GMB members, are all on strike on Wednesday 25 January. This is their second strike – that’s how strongly they feel. They need your support.