Haringey says no to academies

Parents, teachers and anti-cuts protesters came together on Saturday to stop four Haringey schools being forcibly turned into academies. Hundreds of campaigners marched in support of Downhills Primary School, Nightingale Primary School, Noel Park Primary School, and Coleraine Park Primary School supporting ‘community schools’ status rather than academies.

Wembley Matters, who have consistently covered the issue, described the campaign as like a ‘mouse that roared’. “It was a spirited demonstration led by the sheer energy of the many children took part. This is the sort of determined broad-based, community demonstration, that we need to see to protect our local schools.”

The protest, organised by Haringey Campaign Against Academies, has had wide spread community support.

Haringey Trades Union Council, supporting the demonstration said “The lively march led off by parents and pupils from a number of Haringey schools under potential threat of Academy status including Downhills and Noel Park find a welcoming response from passers-by on its route and numbers joined in.”

Downhills Primary School has even produced a song (which they performed at the march) called “Save Our School” (below). The song asks do we want “Big business or diversity?” and that the school is “Not for sale, not a commodity, hear us sing in harmony, and listen to our voice!”