Mutiny over new academy for Portland

The Navy will co-sponsor the flagship academy as part of a complete overhaul of the island’s education system.

Sailors will be drafted in as role models for pupils as a way of incorporating Portland’s naval connections into the education system.

Project leaders say the deal to build a £50 million academy is ‘very close to being tied up’ with the Government.

But some parents are concerned about the academy’s size and the fact it will cater for such a wide age group.

They also fear schools in the heart of the community will lose their identity as they get swallowed up by a larger academy.

Parents whose children attend St George’s Primary School spoke out against the plans.

Jo King said: “There’s nothing wrong with the school. It’s within walking distance and at the heart of our community.

“We want St George’s to stay as a community school. An academy catering for such a wide age range would be far too vast.

“This will mean a big upheaval for Portland.”

Vicky Knight added: “It seems like these proposals are being bulldozed through without anyone having a say.

“Others might feel differently but I know a lot of people are concerned about it.”

Claire Pollard said: “It’s a bad idea. We’d lose the identity of our local community school.”

And Rachael Brocklebank said: “It’s all becoming Americanised with one big school catering for everyone.

“This is Portland which is made up of different communities with different identities. You would lose all that with an academy.”

Tina Jacob, 30, of Underhill, disagrees. She said: “I like the school my children are in because it is peaceful and calm. I don’t think we need to be too strict with them – send them to boarding school for that.”

However, Edward Annalls, 44, of Victoria Place, is a rugby coach and sees the need for greater discipline. He said: “I’m thoroughly behind it.

“It is good for them for later life. Children can still be children and have discipline at the same time. If a lot more kids had discipline, it wouldn’t be so bad around this area.”

Julie Woodcock, 31, of Weston, thinks a middle ground is needed. She said: “School is institutionalised anyway to a degree.

“A stricter approach is needed but I don’t think bellowing would be necessary.”

The academy would see new buildings being provided on Portland to replace most of the existing schools.

Currently there are 1,686 children being educated on Portland but the academy would cater for many more as it would bring together children’s services for those aged up to 19.

Royal Manor Arts College headteacher Paul Green said: “We have confirmation now that the Royal Navy will co-sponsor us, as will NHS Dorset and the local authority.

“This represents a magnificent, strong and local consortium of sponsors with a unique commitment to improving education on Portland.”

The co-sponsorship route is being progressed after a decision was taken not to link up with the Christian education charity the United Learning Trust (ULT), which had been the academy’s preferred sponsor.

The co-sponsors sit on the governing body and offer their ‘experience and expertise’ rather than having an input in the classroom, it is stressed.

The lead sponsor has been confirmed as Professor Stephen Heppell, a leading online education expert who teaches at Bournemouth University.

South Dorset MP Jim Knight believes the local community will welcome military involvement in the new institution.

He said: “Particularly in a community that already has a strong relationship with one of the armed forces, it makes sense for them to then be more involved in the schooling. That ethos is there among the parents and that can follow through into the school.”

But he moved to reassure parents they would not be sending their children to a boot camp.

“It does not mean children will be doing drills and there will be a military academy on Portland,” he said.

“There are all sorts of other skills that people learn through the armed forces and Navy – discipline, confidence, self-esteem, respect, teamwork and leadership – that I’m sure people will be very keen to see in the school system on the island.”

Mr Knight said the Navy’s co-sponsorship was less about money and more about the expertise the sailors can offer. He said: “It is more about them putting in other resources, such as officer time.”

“Perhaps when there are Royal Naval vessels coming into the harbour the school can go on board. It will also involve the cadet forces side of it.”

The project leaders are soon to put the proposals to schools minister Sarah McCarthy-Fry and if approved they would move on to the feasibility and public consultation stages.

A survey of teachers conducted by unions last year revealed they were split 50/50 on whether they thought the academy was a good idea. Five of the six headteachers on the island support the proposals – only Trevor Jameson of St George’s Primary School remains sceptical.

He signalled the school’s intention to chase foundation status and opt out of the academy plan.

Mr Jameson said: “The original idea of academies was to use them to replace failing secondary schools.

“In order for this proposal to be successful they’ve thrown in primary schools to make it viable and that’s not a sufficient reason for us to go along with that.”

He added: “The governors have always supported the idea of Royal Manor becoming an academy. The problem we have is that in order to enhance their case they wanted to draw in primary schools on Portland to make an all-through academy.

“I admire the armed forces of this country but their role is to defend our country, not to teach our children.”

Jane Fooks, development director for Portland Academy, said the Navy would have no input in the curriculum. Mrs Fooks added that it was decided late last year not to go into partnership with the ULT.

She said: “A decision was taken with central government that it wasn’t the way to go. We wanted more of a local feel and we feel these co-sponsors identify powerfully with Portland.”