Kate and I received the following letter from Daniel Zeichner, which we reproduce here with his permission.

From: Daniel Zeichner
Sent: 02 April 2019 15:21
To: Andy and Kate
Subject: (Case Ref: ZA80072) Update on CAP merger

Dear Katie and Andy,

I am writing to you because you have contacted me previously about the proposed merger between Cambridge Academic Partnership and United Learning.

Over the last few weeks, I have been engaged with parents, trade unions, councillors, governors, schools and school staff over these proposals. I have responded to constituents who both support and oppose the proposed merger and met with key stakeholders regarding the plan.

Last week, I met the Regional Schools Commissioner (RSC) for the East of England, Sue Baldwin. I raised the concerns regarding the transparency of the process and echoed the frustration felt by parents around the consultation process, which seemed designed more to inform than consult.

While the RSC understood the concerns being raised, it was clarified that the role of the RSC, as laid down by the Government, is to ensure due diligence had been properly undertaken by the two parties, but that the decision to merge was down to the two Executive Boards of the MATs. It was also clarified that there was no obligation by CAP or United Learning to undertake a full consultation with the local community. This, I am afraid, is where academisation leads - as many of us warned at the time.

Sadly, this position reflects the current state of our education system, where there is now very little oversight or accountability. I make no secret of where I stand on this. I support schools being part of, and accountable to, their local community. When problems or structural changes then arise, there are accountable channels for public representatives and the local community to challenge. My concern is that the academy system takes that accountability of schools out of the public domain and into the boardrooms of Academy Trusts, where there is very little opportunity for public scrutiny.

As your representative I will continue to question the decision process and the procedures of schools looking to make fundamental changes to their structure. It is particularly disappointing that there is now little scope for oversight from the Local Education Authority. This is a direct consequence of Conservative education policy, which has taken our schools, which we all pay for, out of the local community, and handed them to what are effectively self-perpetuating oligarchies. Those involved often have the best of intentions, and may well sometimes achieve fine outcomes, but it is not guaranteed, and in my view the lack of accountability is a fatal flaw. I very much hope and expect that a future Labour Government will reform the system, and adopt a much more co-operative and accountable approach.

Despite the very opaque and unsatisfactory nature of the current system, I will continue to make representations on the behalf of concerned constituents and have requested to be updated as the process continues. Please do continue to get in touch with me about this important matter if you wish to raise anything further with me.

Kind regards,

Daniel Zeichner
Member of Parliament for Cambridge
@DanielZeichner
www.danielzeichner.co.uk
http://www.danielzeichner.co.uk