Resignation as Governor at Folkestone St Martin's CoE Primary - An Outstanding School

On 16 March, a few hours after the budget, I sent my resignation as Governor (and thus Chair of Governors) at Folkestone St Martin's to Headteacher Kate Love.

I have enjoyed being a Governor at St Martin's for the last nine years and working with all Governors, staff and pupils. The school should be rightfully proud of their achievements over the last few years: not only is it an outstanding school in the way it looks after children, but OfSted in their most recent inspection, the Church in their most recent three "SIAMS" inspections and TT Education in designating the school a "Centre of Excellence" know it as well. Our results are excellent and improving, with a daily determination in school to help every child progress as far as they can.

I wish Governors, the staff and pupils all the very best in the future. I have resigned for one reason, and one reason only.

That outstanding status, and the ethos and family feeling at the school has been achieved by a ruthless determination to focus on supporting children, to do what works, to support their progress, to look at the evidence available and focus accordingly.

I'm generally against the process of academisation in schools for years, but did promise to listen objectively to arguments for (and from any academy or other school with a proposal to become one) and that if there was clear evidence that the new structure would help in delivering better outcomes for pupils, then that should be considered.

For the Government to now say they will force all schools to become an academy regardless of the evidence is contrary to anything I believe. It is dogmatic, entirely politically motivated, and lacks any evidence to say it'll do anything other than cause more problems in our schools. St Martin's BECAME Outstanding as a Local Authority school.

Kent County Council is *far* from perfect in the support they provide for schools, but they are far from the worst either. Education Secretary Nicky Morgan is today at the NASUWT conference blackmailing teachers and heads to "do their it" and accept being forced to become an Academy. She can't blackmail me as a voluntary Governor. I refuse to accept it.

Any Government of the last 30 years has seemed to think the best way of improving education is to move the goalposts. They are wrong, and always have been. This Government is now selling the goalposts, without any real clue on the real impact of that on schools. That's madness.

All the best to St Martin's, and all our schools locally, for the coming years. I wish them nothing but the best, and know they'll remain focused on what really matters - the children, and delivering for them.

Faith and Endeavour.