Leicester, 2 Sep 2014 – A £1 million Sikh free school was due to open on Wednesday but the DfE ended its funding agreement with the Akaal Trust over “serious management concerns”.Parents of 69 children expecting to send their children to Falcons Primary, in Gipsy Lane, Leicester, have now been left without a school place as the academic year got under way.
Akaal Education Trust was granted permission by the Department for Education (DfE) last year to open the school, on condition it signed a partnership agreement with Affinity Teaching School Alliance, based in Kibworth and led by Paul Stone.
In a letter to Akaal last week, Lord Nash, parliamentary under secretary for education, said funding agreements were being terminated because the trust had failed to appoint Mr Stone as a company member.
Lord Nash said the trust had “failed to secure sufficient educational expertise by not appointing Mr Stone”, and there had been a “significant breakdown in the relationship between the trust, governing body, principal designate and other staff members,” some of whom resigned last week.
Stephen Snelson, t he school’s newly-appointed head teacher, is believed to have been signed off sick.
A DfE spokesman said: “We cannot place children in the middle of a situation like this and have no choice but to keep the school from opening.
“As well as a severe breakdown in the trust’s relationship, we have been unable to determine precisely how many children were due to start.
“It was stipulated that there must be at least 90.
“However, we know there’s a desire by parents for a Sikh school in the city and have already been in touch with one organisation which may be interested in taking over this project next September.
“The local authority has assured us it can find places for children who require them.
“We’re extremely disappointed by what’s happened, but must do what’s best for the children.”
Akaal trustee Harminder Jagdev disputed there had been a “significant breakdown in relations” and said that as with all projects of this size, there were issues, but nothing which could not be resolved.
He urged DfE officials to meet him and said Mr Stone had signed an “initial” agreement to become a company member and the final paperwork was waiting to be signed.
“It’s very disappointing to have an agreement of this size withdrawn at such a late stage when we believed everything was in place,” he said.
“Our parents have been let down, but I remain hopeful we can resolve this and I’m happy to work alongside another trust to make it happen.”
Mr Stone said: “I feel very sad not to be able to open the school and although it was initially felt we could take over the whole project, there’s not enough community support for this and therefore it would be inappropriate to continue.”
Angry parents have launched a petition calling on Education Secretary Nicky Morgan to reinstate Akaal Trust and allow Falcons Primary to open.
About 20 parents staged a demonstration outside Leicester Town Hall yesterday.
Veena Sanghera, of Blaby, was due to send her son to Falcons.
She said: “This has been a huge shock. We want Akaal to open the school and still hope this will happen.”
Mandip Kaur Grewal, from Wigston, said: “I’ve signed the petition and I want a Sikh school in this city. My daughter was going to start there and I’d like Akaal to be behind it.”
Councillor Vi Dempster, assistant city mayor for schools, said the council was working to find new places for pupils.
She said: “This is a tragedy for young people and their parents and hugely distressing to Akaal.
“The DfE needs to come to Leicester and meet the council and members of the Sikh community to discuss the way forward.
“The department has invested £1 million so far. This shouldn’t be wasted.”
Source: Leicester Mercury