W embley P A G ark ction roup

C/o 27 Ridley Rd, Harlesden, London, NW10 5UB

0776 2737 306 or 0784 3282 450 hankr@hotmail.com

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Community Resistance to
proposed Academy Strengthens
Last Thursday 23rd October, despite squally showers, The Torch pub was full of
residents, teachers and sports ground users opposing the building of a permanent
academy on Wembley Park Sports Ground.

Bill Greenshields, National President of the NUT, gave an inspirational speech

outlining the rise of academies and how they were linked to the USA. He left the
audience in no doubt about the dangers to our state education of the academies
programme and their inevitable lead to the privatisation of all education if they were
not opposed. He praised the stand of the Wembley Park Action Group and all those
others around the country who were standing up for comprehensive state education.

Martin Francis, Brent Green Party, spoke eloquently about the local situation
including the reception classes being opened in the middle of a building site, the
closure of the pitches despite Council promises to the contrary and the ignoring of the
views of the community. He showed graphs from the School Places survey undertaken
by Brent which clearly showed people against a school on that site, expressing the
need for a school in the south, as well as s significant number being clearly against
academies.

Hank Roberts, Brent ATL and NUT Secretary, talked through and handed out a leaflet
with articles gathered from the national press on how hedge funds such as run ARK
have been involved in helping to destroy our economy by gambling on the stock
exchange. He also gave a national picture of the type of sponsors involved in
academies and their unfitness to run our schools.
The Chair, Jean Roberts, read out messages of support from residents groups,
UNISON, councillors and Barry Gardiner MP. Bob Blackman, Deputy Leader of the
Council, spoke about the Conservative Councillors support for the campaign against
any school being built on the sports ground. He outlined his personal reasons why he
is against the academy programme and his belief that the state comprehensive system
can deliver the education for our children if it is properly supported and financed.

Interesting and varied points were made by the audience, including a parent explaining
that she had received glossy brochures and a letter from the council trying to entice her
to apply for a place for her 4 year old at the academy. Her complaint had been upheld
yet the Council publicly said that they had not done this! We also heard very useful
points about planning and what was amusing, but at the same time extremely
worrying, about sightings of rats around the new building on the site from more than
one person. Are the rats leaving the sinking ship (ARK)?

Ends

Contact: Jean on 0784 3282 450 for more info