Katy Ricks attended a meeting at No 10 Downing Street on Thursday 8 September. The Prime Minister, Michael Gove and the School’s Commissioner (Dr Liz Sidwell) convened a ‘roundtable discussion’ in the Cabinet Room with representatives of HMC schools about the government’s academies programme and the potential for HMC schools to work with or sponsor academies.

Members and governors expressed range of views about academy sponsorship and the meeting was also an opportunity for members to raise other issues with the PM, the Secretary of State and Lord Adonis. These included: the Charity Commission, bursaries, academic selection, social mobility and wider partnership initiatives with maintained schools.

Those schools represented were (members or governors or both): Brighton College, City of London School, Dulwich, Eton, Harrow, Manchester Grammar, Radley, Rugby, Sevenoaks and Wellington College. Also in attendance were Barnaby Lenon (ISC), William Richardson (HMC), David Hanson (IAPS), Helen Fraser (GDST) and Kevin Doble (Shrewsbury House Prep School).