I find it shameful that when people look at our country, they see people making money by squeezing the education system, lowering the amount of money spent on each child. These academies have caused job losses for many teachers and the quality of schools has declined, speaking from personal experience. This new industry needs to see tight restrictions and needs to be open and transparent for us to inspect and scrutinise. Without this, we run the risk of seeing many people missing out in the highest quality of their education and cause a large decrease in the number of good, trained and experience staff that can keep standards high. Despite what David Cameron has said about schools improving under academies, this does not make them better places, reform to a state controlled system, with changes to ofsted, can easily improve standards.

First schools' plans in the Blackminster pyramid to keep year 5 children into year 6 from 2016 will seriously damage the provision at Blackminster Middle School for any year 6 students who still choose to go there and for year 7 and 8 students. It is likely that the school will be unsustainable with just two year groups and could close. There is no plan for where children in year 7 and 8 would be educated if this were to happen. There is no plan in this pyramid, which includes the De Montfort School, Bengeworth CE First, St Richard's CE First and St Andrew's CE First schools to become a two tier system. Any wish for such a huge organisational change has not been explored. The signatories below are concerned about any or all of the following considerations and urge the Governors of the named First Schools to fully consider the potential negative impact of their proposals on the education of children beyond First Schools before implementing them. - The proposed changes are not part of an overall strategic plan for our area and no work has been done to explore parent views beyond the First Schools in question, the impact of future pupil numbers on places in schools, issues around funding and continued sustainability of schools, staffing expertise and suitable accommodation for children remaining in small village schools. - The Local Authority have made it clear to heads and governors that they are not proposing any review of the three tier system in this pyramid: they cannot fund any changes which have not already been planned. There is no shortage of places so no need to effectively duplicate schools places in Y6, nor are there any educational drivers. - The proposals from First Schools are all being carried out individually, there is no coherent plan or rationale for the changes. This is forcing schools to have to work out individually how to move forward rather than working collectively. - The timescale suggested for change is unrealistic. - The experience of all other areas restructuring from 3 tier to two tier is of major disruption to children's education for several years. This is despite those restructures being strategically planned for and fully funded by their Local Authority. In this situation, there is no plan and no funding. - There is a real danger that good and excellent teachers will be lost in the potential restructuring and it is good teaching which makes the difference to children's progress, not structures and processes. - The uncertainty about the future of the pathway in the pyramid and the provision for pupils beyond first school may make parents look to other schools out of catchment. This could damage all schools in the pyramid. - School leaders are being distracted by the proposals rather than focusing on the enormous statutory changes such as a new curriculum and changes to assessment. All schools in the pyramid should be focused on school improvement and securing outstanding education across all phases. - The current system is effective but there is always room for improvement. That should be our focus. Working together is key. -

The School belongs to the community and needs to be protected for our children now and in generations to come. We do not want our school to be privatised. The proposal to join the Howard Partnership Trust who are known to redevelop school land must be stopped NOW. WE DEMAND A BALLOT.

Pershore High School’s proposal to take in year 7 pupils from September 2016 will not only affect year 7 pupils and the organisation of the high school (including its other pupils), but it will also have an impact (in some cases a very major one) on all of the children from schools that feed into it, since it will force a complete restructuring of the whole system. The signatories below are concerned about any or all of the following and urge the Governors of Pershore High School to consider their impact before deciding upon the future of our local education system. • The proposed changes are not part of an overall strategic plan for our area, considering demographics, properly researched parent views, funding issues, staffing expertise and analysing what the best options are for our children • Schools are having to work out, individually, how to move forward, rather than collectively • Any resulting restructuring is not being endorsed, managed, nor financed by our local authority • The timescale suggested for change is unrealistic • The experience of all other areas restructuring from three- to two-tier is of major disruption to children’s education over several years (and in all of those areas millions has been injected by their local authority) • Danger is that good and excellent teachers will be lost in the restructuring – and it is good teaching that is at the very core of our children’s success, not structures and processes • Danger that parents will be put off sending their children to schools in the pyramid with such uncertainty over the future. It is certainly not helping Pershore High School’s reputation with prospective parents as it has raised awareness of concerns about issues there that could be detrimental to the welfare of the children, thereby undermining confidence in the school • School management is being distracted by this process at a time when a more onerous GCSE national curriculum is being introduced • Our current system is working well, but everything can always be improved, so shouldn’t we be concentrating on how to do that?

This is a focal point of the community of Brynmenyn. it has served well is a beautiful example of victorian architecture and should be preserved for future school children. These once common beautiful buildings are becoming scarce now and the sense of community dies with them. There is no reason for its closure other than in the name of progress. and money. I wouldn't be surprised if somebody has already done some sort of deal behind closed doors on the land.

Why are they needed? Gender is more complex than a simple male/female binary. For trans or androgynous people the simple everyday activity of using the toilet may be stressful. If their physical appearance doesn’t fit gender norms they may be challenged when using gendered toilet facilities, which can be very distressing. Obliging someone to use a designated accessible toilet isn’t acceptable, since it is sends the message that they are not a ‘Genuine’ male or female. It is also best to leave accessible toilets available for use by people with disabilities, some of whom may have an unpredictable and urgent need to use the toilet. .

We the undersigned urge the Governors of Sheffield City College to cease their redundancy programme, to reject profiteering and campaign with staff unions for public investment in FE that enables long term planning and the provision of a broader menu of further and adult education.

- Education is a human right, not a privilege. - For more than 50 years after WW2 we had free education, so if we could afford it then we can afford now, when this country is in fact wealthier! - When countries like Germany, Brazil, Finland, Venezuela and Ecuador can afford free education, and when Scotland can do likewise, why can't the rest of the UK? - We have the highest tuition fees in Europe, but are also one of the richest countries in the world! This isn't right. - Tuition fees create and uphold social, racial and gender divides, so everyone should have access to free, quality education - Education and training benefit not only students and learners but also our entire society, because better educated and trained citizens can contribute more to our national economy and to the quality of life of all members of our society. - Tuition fee and maintenance loans burden students with years of debt but without significantly reducing the cost to the tax payer of funding higher education. - Tuition fees deter many people from taking full advantage of the long-term benefits of a higher education and/or training - Activists got Germany to abolish tuition fees and we won the fight against the student loan sell off in the UK. These are just two recent examples of how we can and have won what we've demanded. But how have we done this? Through a clear message and constant pressure through marches, direct action, campus mobilisation, opinion pieces and through petitions just like this(!) that show that people in this country don't want tuition fees and believe we can afford free education for all.

As part of Stonewall's 'No Bystanders' campaign, it was revealed to me that 75,000 young people will be bullied every year because they are gay, and of this number, 21,000 will attempt suicide. This figure is unacceptable, and the only way that it can be lowered is through education. As an eighteen year old, soon heading off to University, not once during my school career have I been taught that it is acceptable to be gay, bisexual or transgender - the possibility that myself, or any of my classmates may be LGBT is entirely ignored. It is for this reason that many young people struggle to come to terms with the fact that they are gay, bisexual or transgender, and it is for this reason that young people continue to bully their peers for being LGBT. The physical and psychological wellbeing of young people is of the utmost importance, and the education system has a responsibility to LGBT youths that cannot and must not be ignored.

The tax revenues could be used to make real improvements to state schools.

Some years ago the pavement outside our main entrance on Cliff Villas was widened. this was as a result of our school council writing to the local authority. This resulted in children and parents having more space to get in and out of school safely. This entrance is now much less crowded and dangerous. Unfortunately we do still have a big problem with too many buggies and people at the Nursery and Reception entrance each morning and afternoon. This is because that part of the pavement is still too narrow. It is an ordinary sized pavement with the added difficulty of some very big trees in it. This means that the adults have to move around trees, people and other buggies. as well as coping with the children and families leaving from the main entrance and walking along the street to go home. We are worried that there will be an accident soon with somebody being run over by the wheels of a pushchair or getting pushed onto the road by the crowd and into a car. If the pavement was wider, parents would have space to move around the trees without blocking another parent’s way making it much safer and calmer. If the widened pavement outside our main entrance was extended to the boundary of our school building this whole issue would be resolved. We would also like the council to consider making Cliff Villas a one way road. It would stop arguments between car drivers when they meet each other going the other way and can’t get past - it is currnetly not big enough for cars travelling two abreast. A wider pavement would not then be a problem for car drivers either. We hope the council will think carefully about our idea and can help us make outside our school safer for parents and children and that you will support us in putting pressure on them to do so by signing our petition.

Iqra is 18. She was a full time school pupil yesterday, today she is unemployed. She can't attend college full time because she has high anxiety levels caused by her autism. There are not enough part time specialist places for her to get the same opportunity as her mainstream peers. THE UNKINDEST CUT OF ALL – EIS HIGHLIGHTS SCALE OF COLLEGE ASN CUTS The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), the country’s largest union for teachers and lecturers, has highlighted the significant impact of long term cuts to Further Education funding on Additional Support Needs (ASN) provision in Scotland’s colleges. The EIS submitted Freedom of Information (FoI) requests to each college in Scotland asking key questions regarding each institution’s ASN provision. The results show a significant decline, nationally, in the level of support available to students with ASN in Scotland’s FE colleges – with significant regional differences in provision. EIS-FELA (Further Education Lecturers’ Association) President John Kelly said, “The results of this national survey of ASN provision in Scotland’s colleges clearly indicate a significant decline in ASN provision for students since the Government began implemented funding cuts for FE colleges four years ago. The evidence from this EIS-FELA survey shows that it is the students who both require and deserve specialist additional support that are suffering the deepest and most damaging consequences of funding cuts. Continued funding cuts have led to a systematic reduction in ASN activity and a reduction in total college capacity to support ASN students – the most vulnerable students in society. The sad truth is that cuts to ASN provision make it far more difficult, if not impossible, for many of these learners to access education at all.” He added, “The Survey also identifies an alarming range in the amount of ASN provision different FE regions provide, which raises serious equality concerns. For example, Dundee College had 699 DPG18 (ASN) students in 2012-13 whilst Aberdeen College had 240, despite being a much larger college. In the same year; West Lothian College, Aberdeen College and Anniesland College all delivered similar amounts of DPG18 ASN activity despite significant differences in their size and geographic footprint. ASN provision is erratic and it would seem purely historical, with no nationwide planning, that the levels of support ASN students receive is dependant mainly on where they live. For Learners with ASN, potentially having to travel to an institution in another part of the country can present a significant barrier to their access to education.” He went on to say, “These are the most vulnerable students in tertiary education and they deserve better. The EIS-FELA survey shows clear trends over the last four years – and starkly identifies the decline in ASN provision within every metric we surveyed – fewer DPG 18 students, fewer ASN courses, fewer qualified staff, fewer rooms and so on. The FE Colleges are now funded as a public sector, with the Scottish Funding Council overseeing regional outcome agreements based on government priorities. ASN provision needs to be restored to 2009-10 levels, and greater consistency of ASN activity delivered across Scotland. The Scottish Government and the SFC will need to ensure that all Regional Outcome Agreements have similar terms.”