Business fear at ailing school
3:28pm Wednesday 23rd January 2002
TEACHING methods at an ailing school could be compromised by the business concerns of a millionaire who is set to take it over.
Under-achieving Compton High School and Sports College in Bengarth Road, Northolt was boosted by a personal donation of £2 million from the chairman and founder of Reed Executive plc, Professor Alec Reed CBE, last year and will become a City Academy in time for the new school year in September.
The move will be completed with government funding and Reed will be rewarded for his donation with the post of school chairman of the governors.
But the local branch of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) is certain the move will compromise staff and pupils, particularly as the school achieved only 21 per cent of grades at A-C in last year's GCSEs, four per cent below the point at which a school is classed as 'under-achieving'.
Ealing NUT Secretary Tom Davies said: "We are scared about the direction the school will go in if taken over by a businessman. If the school doesn't improve, do you think he'll stay around? This man is a businessman without an academic or humanitarian view of the school.
"Teaching methods will focus on business, commerce and enterprise. This is the wrong way to go about educating children."
Mr Davies is also concerned about the conditions of teachers and added: "This seems like a viable rescue package but they are selling their conditions over to Reed. I have experience of fighting LEAs but fighting millionaires for staff rights is a different battle."
The union will put its case at a public meeting organised by Mr Reed in order to present his agenda for the school on January 30. A spokesman for Mr Reed said: "Mr Reed is a local man who is interested in helping the school develop in an enterprising manner."