Bournville School, Birmingham. Stories of successful attempts at defeating academy coversions seem to be thin on the ground at the moment, with over 1,200 new or conversion academy schools being created since Conservatives/LibDems came into power, so it was inspiring in autumn 2011 to hear that staff and parents at Bournville School in Birmingham defeated governors plans to convert the school into an academy. After a forceful parent campaign against the conversion, and the threat of united strike action by NASUWT and NUT the school's governors shelved plans to convert to an Academy, for at least a year. This means the fight is not yet over though this was a huge victory and an example to all other schools fighting academy conversions. The Hands Off Bournville School campaign says "Our work is not over yet, we still need to ensure that the current application for Academy conversion is withdrawn and that the DfE's Academy Order for Bournville School will no longer apply." The fact is, had workers and parents not fought the conversion, they would be an academy as we speak. Victory to Bournville School!
Section of the International Workers Association