Consultant who works “in the academies sector” involved in consultation response for controversial academisation plans

A consultant who has close ties to the academies sector has been appointed to collate community responses to controversial plans for two local authority schools to join a privately-controlled academy trust, Education Uncovered has learnt.

Rama Venchard is involved in the response to community consultation on plans for the Hove Federation, comprising an infants’ and a junior school in Brighton and Hove, to join the Aurora Academies Trust. He also took part last week in a meeting that federation governors had with unions.

Mr Venchard’s biography on his company’s website states that he has had “over ten years working in the academies sector,” without mentioning maintained schools. Official Department for Education governance records show him currently having governance roles at four academy trusts, though not at any local authority schools.

However, Mr Venchard told Education Uncovered that he had “supported maintained schools and academies over the past 19 years,” and has always acted impartially, and “to suggest that I won’t be impartial in this process is an insult to me, my reputation as well as to all the schools, staff and parents I have previously represented”.

The detail

As Education Uncovered reported on Friday, the two schools, which are rated outstanding and good by Ofsted, have been lined up to academise and join Aurora, which is ultimately controlled by an American firm whose other interests include for-profit charter schools.