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Plight of education

Following recent articles in your paper over the last few weeks, I wonder if anyone responsible for educating the town’s children could explain what is happening to local schools.
Why do we seem to have a rash of secondary schools changing their names faster than the changeable weather and why we have an outbreak of takeovers by other schools?
The last time the Tories tinkered with schools they cut money from their budgets. This led to many secondary schools ‘opting out’ of local authority control and having to re-name themselves as ‘grant maintained’. Only last year we had a similar scenario. The Conservative Government decreed that all schools would become academies. However, only slightly slower than the Chancellor’s U turn on tax, they scrapped that and ditched the then person in charge (watch out Mr Hammond).
It would be incorrect of me to draw conclusion from false news so perhaps I should include the latest wiz, namely the UTC school. Opened at great expense, endorsed (or kiss of death?) by the then PM, (since resigned) it is found wanting and has been put in ‘Special Measures’.
It too is to be managed from afar, Reading and like the latest, as yet without planning permission secondary school for the south of the town which is to be managed from Bristol, locally elected councillors having no part to play in its running. We also have a good local school ditching its sixth form.
Many academy schools in the UK, in different parts of the country, are run by boards with a Chief Executive earning far in excess of the Prime Minister. It seems to me that education has more than one master: those running the establishments and those paying for them. While I, and millions of other tax-payers foot the bill we have no control over its expenditure.
I would like to propose a system that reflects the role of the tax payer in the running of local schools. If Swindon Council became the organiser of a ‘Multi Academy Chain’ then ordinary people via their democratically elected representatives would have some say in how local schools are run for the benefit of their children.
BOB PIXTON
Abney Moor, Liden
Swindon


A wonderful show

What a very enjoyable evening on Saturday we experienced at the Wyvern watching the young people from Rise and Aspirations Academy of Performing Arts production of Whistle Down The Wind.
It was lovely  to see people as young as three taking part with such enthusiasm. The youngsters really did themselves proud. Those who had main parts would not be out of place in the West End of London shows there is so much talent  in this area of Swindon.
Congratulations to all who worked so hard to see this production of the show produced  so professionally.
CLIVE ALEXANDER
Alma Road
Aldbourne


Contact your MPs

I don’t think we have to worry too much about Brexit – I don’t think that big business will let anything happen.
What we need to do is keep on the tail of our representatives, whether it be your MPs, councillors or unions. People don’t use them enough, whatever their political persuasion. You can’t give them the blame afterwards if it doesn’t turn out right.
ROY SMALL
Haydon Wick