Petition to return WCAT schools to local authorities set up

A petition, which aims to allow local authorities to take back the academies in their area that used to be part of Wakefield City Academy Trust, has been launched.

It has received 836 of its target of 1,000 signatures.

The online petition states that “there is no evidence that becoming an academy improves the outcomes of our children and young people” and demands that the Department for Education allows local authorities to “take back democratic control of the academies in their area”.

It also demands that the treasury compensates schools who are in deficit, or are financially worse off “due to the financial mismanagement of WCAT” and provides local authorities with the finances to complete the transfer and provide continuing support for these academies”.

The statement concluded that “our children’s education should not be used as a political football and we want democratic accountability to be returned to our communities”.

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