TWO former head teachers have warned Winchester schools against becoming academies.

Ex-Westgate head Peter Jenner claimed they would lead to “wasteful and inefficient” selection, and schools working too much in their own self-interest.

The policy was also attacked by former South Wonston head Richard Coleman, who said schools needed the back-up of their local authorities.

But Winchester MP Steve Brine has defended the initiative, saying it was “among the most exciting policies” of the new Government.

Their comments come after it was revealed Henry Beaufort, Kings’, Thornden and Perins had all asked the Department of education about breaking away from local authority control.

Mr Jenner, who was the Westgate helm for two-and-a-half decades, said: “I think there’s a danger that schools become academies and operate from a self interest point of view and I think that would be highly unsatisfactory.

“The more schools think they’re working together, the better the provision is.”

The 66-year-old from Sutton Scotney said academies — which he said had been rushed through — were not appropriate for Winchester.

He said: “Winchester has three excellent schools, I think Winchester parents need to realise how lucky they are, there’s not a sink school, they’re all very good.”

Mr Jenner, referring to last week’s revelation that just 153 schools nationally had signed up to the scheme, added: “The numbers are extremely low. It’s far from clear that it will be a success but it’s too early to say it’s a flop.”

Mr Coleman, who quit South Wonston Primary in December to stand as a city councillor for Liberal Democrats, said: “If I were still a head teacher I would not be going down that route.

“Schools already have enough responsibility and to pour more on governors and head teachers is unreasonable.

“Schools need the back-up and support of the local authority and Hampshire County Council do a good job at the moment.”

Mr Brine said: “The coalition’s education reforms are, in my opinion, among the most exciting policies being pursued by the new Government.

“They were set out in unprecedented detail before, and supported by millions of people at, the General Election.

“They will not be for every school nationwide or even every school in Hampshire, but I fully support the right of those schools locally who have decided to investigate further now the bill has become law.

“Many of the arguments being trotted out against the academies programme are very similar to those deployed against grant-maintained schools in the ’90s, and it was fascinating to listen to the Labour Party in parliament as we debated the Academies Bill putting themselves on the wrong side of the argument again.

“We want to give schools and head teachers much more power to shape their institutions in the interests of their parents and children.

“Taken with our pupil premium to help the poorest children, we have a chance to see standards across the country match some of those achieved locally.

“I am a big supporter of what Michael Gove is trying to achieve, and certainly voted for the plans in the House of Commons last month.”

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