Dear Niall Hand, Kelly Lovegrove, Ed Coogan, Paula Ledger, Andy Rothery, Vivienne Nicholls, Jill Palliser, Mayor Damien Egan, Vicky Foxcroft MP and Shadow Minister for Disabled People, local Councillors,

We have launched this petition to bring together parents, staff and other community voices to request a binding yes/no staff and parent ballot over whether Prendergast schools in the Leathersellers’ Federation should be academised. 

The power to make decisions over the future of our childrens’ schools is in the hands of a few. They need to listen to the many.

Teachers are already weary from the stresses of a pandemic and government austerity. We need to support them.

Eight years ago, parents, teachers and, crucially, students successfully challenged the governors’ decision to turn the schools into a Multi-Academy Trust, and even won the support from Actor Mark Ruffalo (aka the Hulk).

This time, our children are being told in assemblies during school time, that academisation would be a good thing for all. This is political lobbying of our children without parents' knowledge or consent.

Only two out of 21 governors in the Leathersellers’ Federation are elected by parents, with one being elected by staff. On a change as important and irreversible as becoming an academy, we are asking that all parents/carers and staff across the Leathersellers Federation be given the opportunity to cast a binding vote on the matter. 

We want the governing body to listen to staff and parents. The six week consultation launched on 20th February 2023 and ending 31st March 2023 does not offer any meaningful involvement in the decision to change our schools. 

Use this form to tell the Governing Body to give us all a vote: feedback form 

We want to bring to the attention of Mayor Egan and Local Councillors that  Newham Council have set a clear example by passing a motion which ends support for academisation [privatisation] in the borough. Academies would no longer be accountable to the Local Authority. This will impact many issues including SEN provision. Newham Council now have a policy that any school wishing to academise should hold binding staff and parent ballots. We are asking you to do the same.

These governors have the future of our childrens' education in their hands. We are asking them to do the right and democratic thing and give us a vote:

Foundation Governors (Nominated by the Leathersellers’ Company): Mr Ralph-Lewis Ackah, Mr Stuart Fuller, Fr Steve Hall, Ms Helen Marasha, Ms Sophie Miremadi (Vice Chair of Governors), Mr Andy Rothery (Chair of Governors)
Local Authority Nominee (LB Lewisham): Mr Ian Duffy
Co-opted Governors: Mr Daniel Becker, Mr Andrew Collier, Mr Roger Hibbitt, Ms Louisa Itam, Ms Sukhvinder Kaur-Stubbs, Dr Jacqueline Phillips Owen, Ms Mariah Simms
Staff Governor: Mr Abaz Shehu
Parent Governors: Ms Katie Carruthers, Ms Polly Fox
Headteacher Governors: Mr Niall Hand (Prendergast Ladywell School), Ms Kelly Lovegrove (Prendergast School), Mr Edmund Coogan (Prendergast Vale School)
ex officio Foundation Governor: Ms Paula Ledger (Executive Headteacher)