'CREEPING privatisation' — or 'a great opportunity' — just two of the views expressed at a public meeting last Thursday regarding proposals to make Tavistock College a trust school. The college is currently consulting with parents, staff and the wider community about proposals to create a charitable trust which would work in partnership with the school's governing body. Attending the meeting were representatives from the three partners who would join the trust, if it is formed — Anna Kennedy, of environmental charity Westden, Paul Gentle from the College of St Mark and St John, and Mathew Alford, deputy principal at City College in Plymouth. If Tavistock College was to become a trust school, it would continue to be run by the governing body, which would include members from the three trust organisations. But staff would be employed by the governors, rather than the Local Education Authority. The new trust would hold the college land and buildings. School parent Kevin Eady told the meeting he was concerned about the consultation process and felt the questionnaires sent to parents were misleading and open to misinterpretation. Mr Eady said: 'I have spoken to people who weren't sure what the questions meant — this document hasn't been designed fairly.' Another parent said he believed there was 'no evidence' that trust schools would improve education for children. Jean Thompson wanted to know if any decision to become a trust school would be irrevocable, while parent Mike Sloman wanted to know how the trust partners could benefit the education of his daughter at the college. Chris George said he was 'quite comfortable' with the consultation process and thought trust status would be 'a good idea', giving the college autonomy to adapt and move quickly with improvements and projects in a rapidly changing world. He did, however, feel the trust partnership could be more diverse. NUT representative David Clinch said the proposals were an example of 'creeping privatisation'. He said putting schools outside LEA control was 'very dangerous' as they could be open to outside influence in the way they were run, whether regarding the curriculum or admissions policy. Mr Clinch asked the governors to organise a ballot of parents on the proposals. Mathew Alford said a closer, formal relationship between City College and Tavistock College would be of benefit to both organisations, whether it concerned staff training, pooling of resources, expertise or specialist links. Paul Gentle, of Marjon, himself a parent of a student at Tavistock, said his college had strong links with other educational establishments worldwide, who would be interested in working with and learning from Tavistock College. 'I would really like to see this international ethos strengthened and I think this is a great way of doing it,' he said. Anna Kennedy, of Westden, said in her experience, partnership working was extremely valuable, but worked far better and more effectively when it was put on a formal footing, which this particular proposal would be. College principal Colin Eves said the college had been advised by the DFES regarding the consultation process, questionnaire and setting up of the trust and as a 'pathfinder' in this process, was learning by experience which could be adopted by other schools. He said governors would decide whether they wished to ballot parents on the trust proposals, which though long term, were not irrevocable. Mr Eves said greater opportunities for students should be generated by working in formal partnership with Marjon, City College and Westden — the national curriculum would continue to be followed and teachers would still be employed under national pay conditions. 'These proposals have the potential to provide additional opportunities for the college and it would be very wrong if we did not explore what they could be,' he said. This period of consultation finishes on May 11 — parents are urged to return their questionnaires to the college before this date.
