We, the parents, staff, local communities of Brundall Primary School and St. William's Primary School, and other concerned individuals, strongly oppose the proposed conversion of our schools into academies. Academisation threatens to take away the local control and community-driven values that make our schools special, replacing them with a corporate, centralised system that prioritises financial efficiency over educational quality and pupil welfare.

Why We Are Concerned:

Financial Mismanagement

MATs often prioritise centralised financial management over direct investment in classrooms. Studies show that MATs typically spend more on administrative overheads and less on essential resources for learning, potentially leaving our children with fewer educational tools.

Over the last five years, executive pay within Clarion Corvus Trust has increased significantly, while services that directly impact pupil welfare, such as support staff, have seen cuts. ​(Endole).

Loss of Local Accountability
Once Brundall Primary and St. William's join a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT), crucial decisions about our children's education will be made by distant trustees, not by the parents, staff, and leaders who know our schools best. Local voices will be diminished, and we risk losing the personal touch and community engagement that are the foundation of our schools.

Negative Impact on Academic Standards
Research has shown that academisation does not guarantee school improvement. A 2018 report from University College London found no significant benefit in academic performance for schools in MATs compared to local authority schools, and in many cases, schools in larger MATs performed worse​. 

We want to maintain the academic excellence our schools have worked hard to achieve, not jeopardise it by entering into uncertain arrangements. 

Staff Pay and Conditions
Academisation is known to lead to lower pay and worse working conditions for staff. New staff may face reduced wages, and protections for existing staff can be eroded over time. Our schools' dedicated teachers deserve to be supported, not undervalued​.

Irreversible Decision
Academisation is a one-way street. Once a school becomes an academy, the process is irreversible. If the MAT fails or is restructured, Brundall Primary and St. William's could be transferred to another trust without input from parents or the community, leaving us with no say over the future of our schools​.

We believe that Brundall Primary and St. William's Primary Schools should remain community-driven, local authority-maintained schools. By keeping them this way, we can ensure that the schools’ values remain focused on the needs of our children, and that decisions continue to be made by those who know our communities best.

The National Education Union has created a document setting out the case against academisation, which can be read here: https://neu.org.uk/advice/your-rights-work/academisation/neu-case-against-academisation

Here is an example of a different Norfolk MAT destroying the schools it is meant to be looking after by slashing Teaching Assistants:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk

We Urge You to Take Action!
By signing this petition, you are standing up for our children, our teachers, and our communities. Let’s keep Brundall Primary and St. William's Primary Schools vibrant, locally governed institutions. Please share widely and help us protect the future of our schools.