The person who actually hired Doug Blackledge was in Barrow today, speaking at the parents action group meeting. The head who was in place during the Trinity academy start up had some pretty damning words to say about both the Furness academy start up and on Doug himself.

We chatted to him and much of this was also in his speech to the public.

 “When Trinity academy was set up it was a success but unlike Furness academy it was set up properly. The buildings were in place all of the IT systems were in place the whole new academy structures were in place. The sponsors had already had experience with setting up an academy, as this was not their first, so lessons had been learned and procedures put in place. This academy was not set up in the few months that Furness has been, it had years of planning behind it. Trinity went from one set of buildings to the other , which were already in place.”

 Why can’t Furness be built first? What have we got here? Any buildings? Any Curriculum? Do you know what options your kids are taking? Are the IT systems in place? Do the staff know their roles?

No is the answer to all the above.

On the subject of Doug ‘Diggler’ Blackledge.

“The man has never been head of an academy, I only worked with him for a term before I left, he took on the role of ‘acting head’ he was never actually employed as the head of the school.”

He went on to say that if he had still been in charge during the affair debacle that he would have had no qualms in sacking him.

“He would never have got the glowing reference that got him this job” he said “How can he be in such a position when he cannot be trusted by his management team”

Who is this person who is supposed to have our children’s futures in his hands?  He has lied time and again. Everybody knows he has. How can he continue to be supported by the sponsors? Oh hang on a minute, they already know he has lied through his teeth to us and encourage him to lie more!

Well they are pumping money in to the project so they must be trustworthy. Hold on, where are they getting the investment money from? They are all in debt as it is! We cannot work it out, maybe you can help on that score.

What do the sponsors have to gain, after all they are educational establishments? Well nothing, apart from all of the charges they can make from the vocational courses they are planning to run for the academy. No doubt charging well over the odds for the pleasure while the money is there for the taking.

All the sponsors are in debt. Their expansion plans have been knocked back due to lack of funding where has the £2m come from? Does it even exist?

So so many questions yet no answers. We have asked but had no replies. We have had absolutely NO responses from ANY academy supporter. Take from that what you will.