South West Bedfordshire MP, Andrew Selous has lost confidence in Greenwood Academies Trust’s ability to provide a good education to the children at Houghton Regis Academy. Andrew Selous said,
“I have spoken to a number of children at Houghton Regis Academy and I am appalled at the bad behaviour in the school and the disruption to lessons which has caused a number of teachers to leave. I have had no satisfactory response from Greenwood Academies Trust on what action they are taking to improve matters and I have made my dissatisfaction very clear to the Department for Education and directly to the Regional Schools Commissioner responsible for Academy Trusts in our area, Dame Kate Dethridge.
The Department for Education have told me that they are arranging an emergency meeting tomorrow with the Academy and Central Bedfordshire Council officials. I understand they will also be getting urgent expert advice about the running of the school and will be fully reviewing the management of Greenwood Academies Trust.
I am asking for the immediate restoration of good order in all lessons, for the Trust to offer golden handcuff arrangements to teachers committed to stay until the new school opens and for the Senior Leadership Team of the school to spend the majority of their time in the classroom with the children ensuring that lessons are not being disrupted and are being taught to a high standard.
I will continue to call for the necessary action to be taken until standards at the school have returned to an acceptable level.”