ARK Elvin Academy
| Type | Academy |
|---|---|
| Headteacher | Ms Annabel Bates |
| Location |
Cecil Avenue Wembley London HA9 7DU England Coordinates: 51°33′10″N 0°17′24″W / 51.5527°N 0.2899°W |
| Local authority | Brent |
| DfE number | 304/4001 |
| DfE URN | 141019 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports Pre-academy reports |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Ages | 11–18 |
| Website | School website |
ARK Elvin Academy (formerly Copland Community School) is a secondary school and sixth form with academy status. It is located in Wembley area of the London Borough of Brent, England.
It is a multi-cultural secondary school for boys and girls. 92% of students are of minority ethnic origin, 36% qualify for free school meals, over 50 different languages are spoken by students. Teachers and students alike speak many languages including Tamil (Thamizh), Arabic, Albanian, French, German, Gujarati, Hindi, Italian, Kosovan, Punjabi, Russian, Shona, Somali, Spanish and Urdu.[1]
History
Recognition by the Queen
In 2003, D Richard Evans, one of the deputy heads of Copland Community School, received an MBE for services to education. He has been a teacher for more than 1 year.[2] In January 2000, Copland headteacher Mr Alan Davies was knighted in the Queen's birthday list. Mr Alan Davies sought to individualise the school, transforming exam results and attracting more parents. Copland was threatened with closure a year after Alan Davies took over as head in 1988. However he transformed the school and 12 years later got his knighthood[3]
Bonus scandal
Sir Alan and his bonus
Sir Alan Davies, the headteacher, was rewarded with £130,960 bonus in two years on top of his salary.[4] Sir Alan received a bonus of £50,000 two years ago and £80,000 last year to reward extra work done on top of his job as the school's head. This took his annual salary to more than £160,000. As a result, the teachers at Copland declared a vote of no confidence in a head teacher's bonuses.[5] Also nearly 100 staff at Copland have vowed to strike after three teachers were suspended after being a whistleblower to the media.[6] The story wasn't just in the local media, it was in the national media as well [6] from the Daily Mail [7] the Daily Telegraph and [8] The Guardian.
Staff suspensions
In 2009, head teacher Sir Alan Davies, deputy head Dr Richard Evans and school bursar Columbus Udokoro were all suspended due to the "serious" allegations about pay and bonuses.[9] The suspensions come after former Copland teacher and union representative claimed that almost £1m had been paid in bonuses to the senior management team at the school over the past seven years. Children's Secretary Ed Balls spoke of his "grave concerns" about the allegations and said he was pleased officials had acted "swiftly and decisively". Dr IP Patel MBE, chair of governors at the school, who had strongly supported and justified this "illegal" bonus culture was sacked by Ed Balls in order to save the school from further embarrassment.[10]
Philip O’Hear, headteacher of Capital City Academy, in Doyle Gardens, Willesden, has been appointed acting headteacher while the investigation is carried out to make sure the school continues to operate without affecting the pupils.[11]
The Headteacher has since resigned his post and Dr Richard Evans was dismissed. Both of their cases have been referred to the General Teaching Council.
In October 2013 Sir Alan Davies received a suspended jail sentence at Southwark Crown Court when he pleaded guilty to creating a false paper trail on bonus payment and allowances.[12] In May 2014 it was announced in the London Gazette that Alan Davies had been stripped of his knighthood.[13]
Academy
Previously a foundation school administered by Brent London Borough Council, Copland Community School converted to academy status on 1 September 2014 and was renamed ARK Elvin Academy. The school is now sponsored by Ark, but continues to coordinate with Brent London Borough Council for admissions.
Notable former pupils
Copland Community School
- Kerrea Gilbert, Arsenal footballer
- Raheem Sterling, Manchester City F.C. and England national football team footballer
- Una Padel, academic, criminal justice reformer, King's College London
References
- ↑ "Black pupils given learning boost". BBC News. 7 October 2005. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
- ↑ http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/search/383643.Queen_honours_two_linked_with_Kenton_school/
- ↑ http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=329513
- ↑ http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/4274063.Headteacher_attacked_for___130_000_bonuses/
- ↑ "No confidence in bonus row head". BBC News. 23 April 2009. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
- 1 2 http://www.harrowobserver.co.uk/west-london-news/local-harrow-news/2009/04/23/wembley-school-staff-set-to-strike-116451-23455690/
- ↑ Paton, Graeme (6 April 2009). "Bonus culture 'banking sickness' spreading to state schools, ATL conference told The bonus culture "sickness" in banking is spreading to state schools as senior staff are paid thousands of pounds in performance-related payments, a teaching activist has claimed.". The Daily Telegraph (London). Retrieved 30 April 2010.
- ↑ Lipsett, Anthea (7 April 2009). "City greed and bonus culture 'infecting state schools'". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 30 April 2010.
- ↑ "Bonus secondary head suspended". BBC News. 13 May 2009. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
- ↑ Richard Garner (24 June 2009). "Balls sacks governors over £1.6m bonus payments". London: The Independent. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
- ↑ http://www.harrowobserver.co.uk/west-london-news/local-harrow-news/2009/05/13/headteacher-suspended-after-bonus-controversy-116451-23614383/
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-24383163
- ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2125984
External links
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