Item No B1(d) By: Director - Operations

To: School Organisation Advisory Board – 12 July 2006

Subject: LANGDON COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL: PROPOSED CLOSURE - OUTCOME OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION

Classification: Unrestricted

______Summary: This report sets out the results of the public consultation. It seeks the views of the School Organisation Advisory Board on the issuing of a public notice for the closure of Langdon Community Primary School.

______

Introduction 1. (1) At its meeting on 19 April 2006 the School Organisation Advisory Board (SOAB) considered a proposal to consult on the possible closure of Langdon Primary School. Following that meeting a decision was taken in consultation with Cabinet Members to undertake a public consultation which began on 17 may 2006 and concluded 29 June 2006. This report informs SOAB of the outcome of that consultation process and seeks its views on whether or not a public notice should be issued, formally proposing the closure of Langdon Primary School with from 31 August 2007.

(2) A consultation document, a copy of which is attached at Appendix 1, was distributed in accordance with County policy. This document contains appropriate background information including recommendations within the Kent Primary Strategy which are related to this proposal.

Primary Strategy Recommendations 2. The relevant recommendations with regard to this proposal are R17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29 and 41.

Background 3. (1) Langdon Primary School is a small rural school located between Deal in the North which is approximately 3.5 miles away and Dover in the South which is approximately 2.5 miles away.

(2) In his response to the public consultation the headteacher has provided a breakdown of the travelling distances for individual pupils at the school. These figures are set out below. They are not disputed and they are consistent with the statements made in the public consultation document.

• 36% of children come from within 1 mile of the school • 30% of children come from between 1 and 2 miles • 34% come further than 2 miles.

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(3) Langdon Primary School is a small school with a Net Capacity of 70, a Published Admissions Number of 10 and a roll in January 2006 of 52. At that time the school had 18 surplus places (25.71%).

(4) It is clear that there are insufficient pupils to sustain the school from within the village or living within a 2 mile radius of the village. It is however accepted that Langdon Primary School does serve a small rural community in addition to providing for those pupils for whom Langdon would be their nearest appropriate school.

(5) There is a presumption against the closure of rural schools as set out in the Decision Makers Guidance issued by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). However, it is clear that this doesn’t preclude the closure of rural schools but simply requires the case to be a strong one. Section 70 of the Education Act 2005 places a requirement on local authorities to consider the following factors in relation to the possible closure of rural primary schools: community impact; cost and availability of transport to other schools; any potential increase in motor vehicle usage and the likely effects and any alternatives to closure. These issues are addressed within the context of the recent public consultation which also satisfies the specific requirements for consultation as laid down under S.70.

The Proposal 4. (1) The proposal is to close Langdon Primary School with effect from 31 August 2007.

(2) If the school were to close, parents would need to secure alternative school places for their children. There are places available at other schools in the area. In some cases these would be nearer to pupils homes than Langdon Primary School itself.

(3) The Local Authority would work closely with the existing school, other local schools and parents to ensure that wherever possible parental preferences are accommodated in terms of alternative provision, including the placement of siblings at the same schools where this is required.

(4) Staff at the school would be supported by the Local Authority in seeking alternative employment.

Accommodation Issues 5. The school site itself is pleasant with a substantial field. The buildings are a mixture of old and new accommodation and are generally in good condition. The headteacher would like to see a modest expansion of the school. There is a question mark over where the additional pupils might come from but the site itself, with modest adaptations could support an expansion of the school up to a maximum of about 100 pupils.

Consultation Process 6. (1) A consultation document, a copy of which is attached as Appendix 1, was distributed to staff, governors and parents at the school, County Councillors, the local Member of Parliament, the Parish Council, the Diocesan Authorities, local libraries, the District Council and others in accordance with the agreed County policy. The document was also posted on the KCC website.

(2) Approximately 250 copies of the document were circulated.

ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):2 (3) The document included a separate form on which respondents could express their views.

(4) A public meeting was held at Langdon Village Hall on 8 June 2006. Mr W Hayton, Vice Chairman of the School Organisation Advisory Board, chaired the meeting. In attendance were Dr Ian Craig Director of Operations, Children Families and Education, Mr M Doole, Area Education Officer and other KCC officers. 137 people attended.

Responses to the Public Consultation Written Responses

7. (1) In total, 70 responses were received, of which 7 were in favour and 63 opposed to the proposal.

(2) A summary of written responses is attached as Appendix 2.

Public Meeting Responses

(3) A summary of the points raised at the public consultation meeting is attached as Appendix 3.

(4) The headteacher has submitted a detailed response which is attached at Appendix 4.

Views of the Local Member 8. Mrs E Rowbotham, the Local Member, is opposed to the proposal and makes the following points:

• “Kent is a Large Rural County, this village School provides the most suitable Education for the hamlets that it serves. Village School's are an important part of our English Heritage. Once gone they go forever. • To close this School, yet put in Mobile classrooms, new in Guston and replacement in St Margaret's is unjust. It cannot be guaranteed that the children of the Gurkha families will all want to go to Guston. • £150K approx has been spent on new office accommodation recently, an appalling waste of taxpayers money. • This school is highly valued by the whole community. • I have read Dr Snoad's report and endorse his findings.”

Views of the Governing Body 9. The Governing Body is opposed to the proposal and is of the opinion that recent developments at the school augurs well for the future. It is confident that the school can increase its roll and maintain viability.

Views of the Parish Council 10. The following is a summary of points made by the Chair of the Parish Council at the public meeting:

The closure of the school will have an impact on the community, the presence of the school has been a factor for everybody. Our community would be unbalanced. In the ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):3 past there were a number of children from the surrounding villages, Martin, Martin Mill, West Langdon - who came here to school by bus. That was stopped. West Langdon in particular became less attractive as it was so far to the nearest school. East and West Langdon now don’t socialise anymore – this is a consequence, it causes erosion of the community spirit. This is something unique to village life.

At school the children are not restricted to friends just of their own age as in Town schools.

The government met legislation on the right to buy as there is limited housing available.

If the school closes – Whitfield will be over capacity. Our children would be disadvantaged at Guston because English is their first language. Parents would be financially disadvantaged – they would be responsible for getting older children to school.

Langdon Primary School offers an excellent education and I suspect its children are better members of society than in the town.

I urged SOAB not to close Langdon School

Views of Dover District Council 11. Attached separately as Annex B is the response of Dover District Council to the consultations on re-organisation proposals in the Dover District.

Views of the Area Education Officer 12. (1) Within the context of falling rolls and surplus capacity it is necessary to reduce the number of school places within the Dover District. When considering how and where this should be done it is necessary to have regard to the recommendations within the Kent Primary Strategy and to consider in each case the community implications, the need to make cost effective use of limited resources and the need to establish and maintain over time an appropriate balance between the supply and demand for school places.

(2) Langdon Primary School is a rural school. It is also a very small school and each of these features needs to be considered carefully.

(3) A small school is neither a good school nor a bad school simply by virtue of size. The costs of educating pupils at a very small school are considerably higher than at larger schools. Small schools do not offer economies of scale. There are also a number of challenges faced by very small schools which are identified within the Primary Strategy. When considering how and where to reduce primary school places, it is therefore legitimate to consider the position of small schools against the specific local need which they serve and the additional value which they contribute to educational outcomes, taking account of their higher costs. When a small school is also a rural school the catchment and nature of the community which it serves also need to be taken into account within the context of the presumption against the closure of rural schools as referred to in 3. (5).

(4) The headteacher has made a detailed and very measured response to the public consultation, which is attached to this report as Appendix 4. This includes a counter proposal which is designed to address the recommendations of the Primary Strategy and to improve standards at the school. This proposal needs to be seen within the context of the headteacher being new in post, having had very little time to implement the improvement and development strategies which are now in train. The alternative proposal has a number of positive features. However, it includes a wish for the school to expand to four classes with a PAN of 12. This ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):4 would produce a school of 84 pupils (not 96 as in the headteachers submission). If this could be achieved it would go some way to meeting the issue of cost effectiveness by reducing the differential between the currently high costs of educating a pupil at Langdon Primary School, £3722 per pupil without SEN compared with the County average of £2819 per pupil without SEN. It would also enable a four class structure thereby addressing aspects of the Primary Strategy.

(5) The uncertainty is over where the additional pupils would come from? Dover District Council refers in its submission to sites for housing development currently being considered at Whitfield and Guston with the potential for redevelopment of the Connaught Barracks site and permanent housing at Burgoyne Heights for Ghurka families. As yet there are no firm indications of timescale or size of development. The District Council is due to consider these developments in July. Any additional information will be reported to SOAB at its meeting on 12 July, if such information is available by that time.

(6) There are places at other schools in the area and the arrival of the Ghurka families has already been accounted for within current plans and proposals. Langdon’s rural location would not necessarily commend it as the nearest appropriate school for pupils living in the potential development areas. However, one cannot discount the possibility that some parents may wish to consider Langdon Primary School as an alternative to more local schools, particularly if the plans proposed by the headteacher to extend out of school activities and improve standards were having a discernible impact on the profile, reputation and potential popularity of the school.

(7) A report was produced by Dr A Snoad for the governing body of Langdon Primary School and has been submitted as part of this consultation process. The report addresses a number of issues which are dealt with elsewhere in this report. Specifically it also considers in some detail the issue of surplus capacity. It needs to be emphasised that surplus capacity provides the context within which this proposal is brought forward. However, the consultation document makes it clear that the rationale for the proposal is based on the need to examine the cost effectiveness of small school provision, the capacity of the school to meet effectively the challenges for small schools identified within the Kent Primary Strategy and the community implications of closure.

(8) The report produced by Dr Snoad also refers to other schools within Dover which have surplus capacity of 25% or more which are not subject to public consultation. It has been explained consistently that each case is considered on its merits. Where there appears to be a way of addressing the issue of surplus capacity through other means and where the places provided by a school are needed in the locality then alternative options other than closure are being pursued.

(9) The local Member of Parliament for Dover, Mr Gwyn Prosser has provided a written response to the range of proposals which are currently out to public consultation. A number of these points require a response which is set out below.

(a) Mr Prosser suggests that other local authorities have tackled surplus capacity “by operating their schools in federations, setting up informal partnerships of neighbouring schools with shared leadership or using surplus places to reduce class sizes”. Federations may have very real benefits for some schools in some circumstances. They can also reduce operating costs, for example, by reducing headteacher posts. Federations do not however address the issue of surplus capacity which is caused by insufficient pupils to fill the number of places available. For the record officers did discuss federations with a number of headteachers as part of the Dover Review. There was very little enthusiasm for such arrangements locally.

ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):5 (b) The prospect of using surplus capacity to reduce class sizes is superficially attractive. However, unless central government were to provide additional resources to fund this, it would require a substantial reduction in resources currently allocated elsewhere within the education budget to fund small classes. Local agreement would need to be secured through the Schools Forum. There would be winners and losers through this route.

(c) Mr Prosser asserts that Kent has simply taken a decision to ‘shut down seven schools’ and that this has been done “instead of exploring imaginative remedies to absorb surplus places by working together with the schools affected”. The Dover Review which involved visits to all 44 primary schools in Dover was designed specifically to engage schools in a dialogue over possible solutions. No decision was taken to go to public consultation until after 19 April 2006. The Dover Review commenced in January 2005 and during the intervening 15 months there was an ongoing opportunity to discuss any issues affecting individual schools. It is only the prospect of public consultation which has generated some of the alternative proposals which are now being considered. The Local Authority has actively encouraged individual and collective dialogue with headteachers and governors in examining the challenges currently facing schools in Dover.

(d) The issue of new housing has been raised within the response from Dover District Council. It is clear that taking account of anticipated levels of new housing, the District Council is itself expecting a decline in the number of school-age children in Dover. On the basis of an additional 8,100 households, the District Council (using their data not KCC’s) is predicting a 15% reduction in the 0 –15 year old age range by 2026. It is noted that there will be local variations and account has been taken of the latest information which is available.

Views of the Local Cluster Board 13. The Dover Cluster Board has been briefed and consulted on this proposal. The Board recognises the need to reduce surplus places across the District but has declined to offer a firm collective view on proposals relating to individual schools.

Views of the Local Member of Parliament 14. (1) The views of Mr G Prosser, the Member of Parliament are as follows:

Closure of the four small schools

I support the arguments put forward against closure by the four small primary schools of Goodnestone, Langdon, St Joseph’s and Ripple.

All four schools are performing well and each plays a vital role in binding together their local communities and providing an important focus for community activities.

It has often been said that taking away small schools from our rural villages would have the effect of tearing the hearts out of our those local communities and I agree with this view.

In a less emotional manner, OFSTED is on record as saying:

ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):6 “…… a good case emerges for the place of small schools in the education system as a whole when the quality of their educational performance is added to the broader contribution they make to their communities”

(2) General comments are set out in Annex A which is enclosed separately.

Resource Implications Capital

15. (1) Most of the footprint of the school building is owned by the Church and not KCC. The County Council leases the site from the Diocese of Canterbury. The playing field is owned by KCC. If the site becomes surplus to requirements it would be a joint asset disposal, the details of which would need to be negotiated with the Diocese. Any capital receipt is likely to be very small.

(2) The unit costs of educating a child at Langdon Primary School are significantly higher than the County average – currently £3722 at Langdon Primary School against a County average of £2819, including funding for SEN in both cases.

Revenue

(3) There would be revenue savings from the reduction in one headteacher post and efficiency savings from no longer maintaining the school site.

Human

(4) Staff would be supported in seeking alternative employment elsewhere.

Equality Issues 16. (1) The Local Authority would work closely with Langdon Primary School, other potential receiver schools and parents to ensure that the individual needs of all children are properly addressed in any transition to alternative placements.

(2) There are no significant implications emerging from this proposal for minority religious, ethnic or cultural groups.

Transport and Environmental Impact including Community Implications 17. (1) Currently over 60% of children travel to Langdon Primary School from over a mile away. For some pupils there would be access to provision closer to their homes. Pupils in and around the village would need to travel to alternative provision in Dover, Deal or other villages in the area.

(2) The uncertainty of parental preference makes it difficult to quantify the precise transport and environmental impact. Overall the number of pupils is small and given the distances some pupils are already travelling the overall implications are likely to be limited.

School Improvement Implications

ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):7 18. The small pupil cohort makes detailed statistical analysis unreliable. Contextual Added Value scores are significantly below national averages. Standards at KS2 are low. Places are available at other schools which deliver a standard of education which is satisfactory or better. Members will wish to balance this fact against the capacity of the school to improve in accordance with the development plans as set out by the headteacher.

Proposed Timetable 19. If it is decided that a public notice should be issued in respect of the proposal, the following timetable could apply:

Issue public notice 1 September 2006 End of representation period 13 October 2006 Decision by Statutory School Organisation Committee (if required) 6 November 2006 Implementation 1 September 2007

20. The views of the School Organisation Advisory Board are sought on:

(a) the issuing of a public notice for the closure of Langdon (Community) Primary School;

(b) subject to approval of the proposal following the end of the objection period, the resources necessary to implement the scheme being provided on the basis identified in this report.

Martyn Doole Area Education Officer (Dover/Thanet) Tel: (01227) 772992

The Local Member is Mrs E Rowbotham

ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):8 Background Documents: None

Other Sources of Information: Kent Primary Strategy 2006

Previous Committee Reports: Report to School Organisation Advisory Board 19 April 2006

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Appendix 2

PROPOSED CLOSURE OF LANGDON COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Summary of written responses

Consultation documents distributed: 350 Responses received 70

Support Against Undecided Total Parents/Carers of pupils 15 15 Pupils at school 1 1 Members of staff 1 1 School governors 2 2 Interested party 7 44 51 TOTAL 7 63 70

Main Comments for the Proposal

• The costs to run the school are disproportionate to the other option of pupils going to another school • There are few pupils that attend the school from the village • The school is performing below national averages even with the increased cost of educating pupils and should be closed • Positive action needs to be taken to address falling rolls; a variety of schools would still remain for parents to choose. • The school is too small to be sustainable

Main Comments against the Proposal

• Parental choice would be reduced • Small schools benefit children • Why are other schools who have higher surpluses not proposed for closure • Closure would be a sad loss to the local community • Where will the children go if the school closes? • Closure would lead to families moving out of the village • Further housing is planned for the area • Larger schools have more bad behaviour • There is a great atmosphere in small schools • The school is the lifeblood of the community • The school is on the way up with a new head and sense of purpose • The school is well run • The school promotes respect for the countryside • Local children get a well-rounded education • There is little to be gained by closing the school, especially with regard to travel • Children taught in a rural area are less likely to develop anti-social behaviour • The benefits of the school outweigh the problems • Quality does cost more • The school provides a unique environment for the children ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):17

ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):18 Appendix 3

Proposed Closure of Langdon Community Primary School Summary of points made at the public meeting held on 8 June 2006 at Langdon Village Hall

• He stated there are 54 pupils at Langdon at the moment and pupil numbers were gaining. New parents/pupils are stating even though Langdon may close they would rather have one year at Langdon than nothing at all. • He stated that teaching mixed key stages was difficult but not impossible and felt the way Langdon teach was cutting edge. He was impressed with the way the school was moving and also stated that where Langdon have mixed classes they have the best results. • There were difficulties delivering the curriculum but the said school needs to be creative. Challenges are opportunities at Langdon. He stated he is flexible and looking at ways the school can do better, saying flexibility is the way we learn. • With regard to recruitment and retention he admitted that they were vulnerable but felt they had talented staff at Langdon and staff were being trained to replace each other if the need arose. He felt that if you have a bad teacher in an average school there would still be a problem. He advised the school had moved on enormously in the last 15 weeks

• When Langdon is under subscribed, as St • The Local Authority cannot operate Margaret’s School is over subscribed – why aren’t catchments in that way. their children told to come to Langdon? Then we • With regard to St Margaret’s the wouldn’t be in this situation. PLASC figure showed only one year is over subscribed.

• The birth rate is going up. • I have not approved 3 new mobiles • One of the key issues is we are dealing with for Guston – it is a 3 bay mobile. money. Guston has a long established • 2FE is recommended. Money pays for teachers. relationship with the forces children. The distribution of the population doesn’t allow • With regard to children coming from you to do that so you need to be flexible in rural other rural areas to one village areas. school – it seems likely they would • The figure of 5% in the paper that went to SOAB need some form of transport. on 19 April - they were looking to have 5% • With regard to 5% surplus places – surplus places following the Audit Commission The Audit Commission says any guidance. They say 10%! Where does the 5% surplus place is a waste of resources. come from? Most local authorities settle at 5-7%. • Liverpool determined to have 5% surplus capacity ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):19 – the wording in the Kent Primary Strategy is exactly the same as Liverpool except Liverpool says in its Urban schools surplus capacity should be 5%. KCC have adopted the 5% figure. • Standards – the textual analysis, small cohort statistics are potentially unreliable. It says CVA at school is below national average. How do we know if this is reliable? You have children here with good standards. CVA will develop quickly in a deprived area. With regard to the potential supply of staff – the headteacher has dealt with this admirably when he spoke earlier. • Community - it was said a significant number travel from over 2 miles away. By its very nature a village school will have people coming from a wide area. Can limited social interaction supply appropriate preparation for secondary school? • In my view there is absolutely no reason to close this school, it is performing well. The whole process that has gone on here is wrong and deeply flawed. • I have serious concerns about the way the process has initiated and the way schools have been chosen. • At Guston KCC put in a planning application to itself for 3 mobile classrooms because the Ghurkhas are coming to Dover .

• I am new to the area and would like to comment on the traffic – what traffic? I came from Ashford. The school in Ashford had 500 pupils. I spent half and hour trying to get away from the school dropping my daughter off.

• Why has it taken 5 years for you to tell us about • Housing- Are we looking at the the problem in Dover district? bigger picture? I have had a number • Why has there been a delay in analysing birth rate of meetings with Dover District figures for 2001? Council over the last 18 months to • Why is a school suddenly going to close 18 make sure our information is as up to months after a new extension? date as possible. Even if there were • With new housing in the village – There are plans 10,000 these would be phased in for social housing – has this been taken into over 20 years. Traditionally our account? predictions have been fairly accurate, • The population in Deal has almost reached the roughly 3 homes will generate 1 Dover figure. Everyone/companies are trying to pupil but now people are living in get more people into the area. large houses on their own – things • I am not aware of the Primary Strategy – is this a have changed. Kent paper or a national paper? What is the • The proposals we are consulting on criteria? Who was consulted on this? are sufficiently flexible to cope with this medium – long term. • No one can predict what will happen ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):20 in 10-15 years, we work with the best and accurate data that we have at the time. • The Primary Strategy is a Kent Primary Strategy formulated by Kent headteachers.

• With regard to mixed year groups, I have 2 • With regard to the Primary Strategy children in the same class. They work with one – we had two headteachers from group of children sometime and then others and small schools. The clusters chose different times. their own representative to join the • If Langdon closes can you guarantee me that all Primary Strategy Steering Group my children will get a place at the same school? then they fed back information to all • We are taking new children in the school. their colleagues. • How many headteachers on the Primary Strategy • It is a Kent Primary Strategy. We panel were from small schools? The heads from have publicised the consultation for larger schools have a vested interest. the Kent Primary Strategy, it was constantly in the Press for over a year. We consulted with all headteachers and governing bodies to make sure all schools knew about it. • There was a full consultation with a website, we received 100s of responses. T • The Primary Strategy has 50 recommendations in it. It is available on kent.gov.uk – the website. • Martyn Doole talked about housing in Dover. With regard to the bigger picture – Dartford are going through the same as you. Last year there were 12,000 surplus places, this year there are 14,000.

• You talked about children travelling into Langdon. If the school closes double will have to travel out to schools in Dover. • You said that the costs of educating a child here is higher than the county average, you should give the local average.

• If you close this school children will travel over 2 miles to Guston.

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• You are intending to bus or force our children from this area. There are only 2 schools closer than 2.5 miles, the others are over 3 miles. Yet we can have extra surplus capacity in urban areas.

• I don’t agree with some of the proposals but the • With the community and transport, Primary Strategy was a well managed document. the consultation period is to draw out I can’t see how this school proposal fits in with these issues. With the proposals we the Rural Strategy Kent launched 5 years ago. It look at data, facts and figures. That embodied core components of a healthy rural life. is why we are here - to listen to the How does the Kent Primary Strategy fit in with local issues. the Kent Rural Strategy? • Transport is available for pupils • Any Local Authority that puts forward a proposal within 2 miles if their new school to close a rural school has to justify how pushing route is deemed a hazardous route. 2 that proposal through outweighs the Rural –3 mile rule could be broken in this Strategy. Travelling times and distances need to case. be justified. If we move to public notice we would need to look at the impact on the environment and the impact on the community.

• If Langdon closes the two schools I would choose are full – where is my parental choice? • MSN Maps confirm the distance to St Margaret’s at Cliffe is 2.5 miles and Guston is 2.5 miles.

• Before moving I lived 2 minutes from St Margaret’s School and there were no vacancies. • If only one of my children could get a place at St Margaret’s would I still get transport assistance because I don’t accept the one place? I would want my children at the same school. • The dot maps show the distances as • We need to stop Ghost Town Britain. This school the crow flies and they are not from is not failing – there is no justification for this different addresses. proposal. This would be contravening the • Parental preference should always be Sustainable Community Bill and I hope you have a priority. Parents can never have a listened this evening rather than hide behind absolute guarantee statistics. • Schools look at criteria, parental • Can we guarantee that siblings will be able to go preference is not always possible. to the same school? No, there is never an absolute guarantee!

ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):22 • If any of our children go to Guston will they get SEN with the language? • KCC don’t own the school so the only saving will be £900. When that figure is broken down it will £6.01 extra for each Dover pupil – what will you do with this small amount? What tangible evidence will we see in the schools you want us to send our children to?

• You tried to close this school 7, 8, 9 years ago. • Churches are closed if they can’t be The last time it was on the basis that we had a sustained. The County Council must Deputy headteacher then. It won’t work now as take account of community views. It there is only one aspect – cost! is not just about cost. • We can prove to you that you will not save a • Schools that are larger can be more penny, it would cost you money continuing with effective. the public consultation. • The community comes together to solve problems. If the school goes you loose a big benefit of the community. We have clubs and societies, a community spirit with a huge range of ages. We have already lost our Post office. You must not close this school it is a community asset. You will fail to close this school. • There are 30+ proposals taking place • I chose to live in a rural village, I chose Langdon involving 50 schools. We are talking because of the rural school. I walk with my about making the best use of the children 1.5 miles 3 or 4 times a week, we look at finite budget/resources that you pay the countryside – they would not learn about this for. It is a balance. We are here to if they were in a Dover school. It is not an easy listen to your side – don’t think that route to cycle or walk. we think it is one sided – it is not. • Langdon has done well for my children. I have one child who is very bright and went on to Grammar School. I have another one who is not so bright but still went to Grammar school thanks to Langdon. • Quality costs money – we get quality at Langdon. • This is a lovely school. My children can play anywhere in the village and I know they are safe. If I am late picking my daughter up from school I know she is safe. Because of the location she is going to cycle to school soon. • When the school lunches haven’t turned up the school organise lunch for the children.

• The headteacher has a 3-year plan which he is ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):23 trying to accelerate. There are school clubs and activities organised for out of school hours. The children are very engaged. • The headteacher was only appointed in January then he was told of about the proposal. • £12,000 has just been spent on a new build. • The staff and children are committed. • If the school closes the site won’t be KCCs to do anything with.

• In this school every child matters. There is no other viable school in this location. This community will fight closure the Langdon way.

• There are implications with regard to the new housing locations. There will be growth in Whitfield and Guston. Guston won’t be able to take new children, as the Ghurkhas will be permanently based in Dover. Numbers at Guston will be high for a long time as Connaught Barracks is being developed. • With the merger of The Powell and Melbourne I don’t think you will cope with the numbers. • Langdon should be a parental choice for this area. • With the growth factor in the area in the future you may need to expand Langdon.

• My son will have left Langdon if this closure does happen. I am here to mention the passion about Langdon School. Langdon is not the problem, the problem is financial. • It is in the interest of the bigger schools if the small schools close – it’s like Tesco on a steering group trying to close village shops.

• We are oversubscribed. • In effect you would be forcing • So you can’t close a town school but you can children into rural schools There are close a rural school and force our children to go to 10 places available in each year a town school! group. Reception was full this year. • In the past because we are a rural school parents • 52 of you are supporting this school haven’t been able to send their children here due – if this community fully supported to the time it takes them to travel to work etc. the school in the past we wouldn’t be Now we have a breakfast club so parents can here now. If this school has only 4 bring their children here. We have a Mother and or 5 children a year it cannot survive. Toddler group existing again. 18 families now • You cannot force town schools to want their children to come to Langdon. You will close and make their children attend need to give us more space. rural schools.

• With regard to Nurture and social interaction – we ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):24 are not mollycoddling them. When they go to secondary school it is a challenge for any child. We have good links with the secondary schools and provide a good transitional package for our children.

• It is every child’s right to go to school in a safe environment. We have never had the police at this school due to bullying or drugs. There is no knife culture here.

• With regard to the environmental impact of • We do look at transport implications vehicles travelling in - surely if you are drawing and the environmental impact. up a set of proposals you look at the impact of transport. • We have to demonstrate the school can be sustainable. They don’t do that – they have not thought this through properly.

• You won’t have a saving of £43,000 because you will have other spends – transport etc. • With SEN children – Langdon turn them into mainstream educated so you can save on SEN costs compared to other schools. • OfSTED said there was not a problem with standards so why are you saying there is a • OfSTED produce a PANDA report problem with standards and we should close? which has objective data which is • KS2 does show a trend moving down but KS1 used by advisers to help raise shows a trend moving up. There will be an upturn standards. in results, a month before we close, if we do close.

ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):25 Appendix 4

Langdon Primary School’s Response to The Public Consultation on the Proposal to Close Langdon

Headteacher’s personal response

1) Langdon’s response to the Kent Primary Strategy Recommendations considered to be relevant to Langdon Primary School

2) Langdon’s response to areas of the KCC proposal not addressed above

a. Alternative School Places b. Standards

3) Langdon’s proposal for the future

Headteacher’s personal response

As many of you know, I started as Head at Langdon in January 06, and was confronted by the closure proposal less than 12 weeks later! I have to say, I was disappointed that it wasn’t a year later, as I knew already what would be achieved in my first year at Langdon, and new that it would be a very different school by Christmas 2006. But the proposal was made and we had to live with it and move on. I must say, I have been incredibly proud of my team (children, governors, parents, staff) who all trusted me immediately, and followed my lead on the tone of our argument and presentation. Calm, reasoned and professional were the bywords to which all adhered, despite some passionate and heartfelt emotions in the air. But all were agreed that central to our argument was NOT the survival of Langdon Village School at all costs, but the children who are educated here. Our arguments and proposals are not borne of a desire simply to keep village schools alive, but to keep Langdon alive because of what we know it can do for the children in our care. We know that all things must adapt and change in order to survive the elements, whether they be fashionable educational practices, or financial restraints affecting those around us. We have been aware and considerate of the financial issues generated by smaller schools, and the surplus capacity issues in our area. And we WANT to help. We want to do what we can. But we DO believe that Langdon is going to be jewel in Kent’s crown, a school which will be achieving such wonderful things that, in retrospect, KCC will rejoice that we weren’t shut. And as the Leader of the school it is my responsibility to make that happen. Now, I’m not a fool, and I’m a realistic and down-to-earth sort of person. But I also know what can be achieved. I don’t believe in the impossible, because I have rarely found what others call impossible to be so. Hard, yes. A calculated risk, yes. But possible. And I have not often been wrong. I believe in Langdon. In my team, my parents and most of all the children. If only you could see the dramatic changes which Langdon has gone through since my arrival. The dedication, hard work and commitment which has gone into making a year’s worth of changes in a term. And I now know what can be achieved. And it’s in Alternative Proposal at the back. The school has put all its trust in me, after only a few weeks in the job. Now we need you to trust us. We can deliver the goods. We can become a school which falls in line with The Primary Strategy, and we can become more than that. Thank you for spending your time reading this section, and please may I urge you to spend the time reading the other sections. Digest them before making a firm decision. And then trust us.

Jon Fox, June 06

ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):26 1) Langdon’s response to the Kent Primary Strategy Recommendations considered to be relevant to Langdon Primary School

1;i) All children should be educated, whenever possible, in schools of sufficient size to ensure appropriate staffing levels for efficient curriculum delivery (R17)

• In September 06 Langdon will have 3 full-time teachers and a Headteacher. • These teachers will work their full-time hours, but still get their 10% PPA time and 10% NQT time where appropriate. This cover will be supplied by the Headteacher. • The staff cover all subject specialisms and provide strong role models and leadership in their chosen areas. • The two newer teachers have been chosen specifically to raise standards in certain key areas. • The remaining full-time teacher from the previous leadership is highly experienced and has a proven record of high standards. She is capable of leading the school in the Head’s absence, which has been ably demonstrated twice before, both over long periods of time. • In times of difficulty, such as staff illness or training periods, systems are in place to ensure consistency in supply cover. This provides the same expectations of behaviour, as well as consistent knowledge of behaviour systems, protocols and social conditions relevant to each child. These periods are covered by the Head, regular supply staff and Teaching Assistants (as developed through Primary Workforce Reform).

Related issues: Small schools face the challenge of recruiting and retaining staff to maintain effective levels /quality of staffing.

• Since starting at Langdon in January I have chosen to advertise for the following posts: o Three class teachers o One teaching assistant o One lunch-time supervisor o One site-manager • All of these posts have been advertised externally, and all the posts have attracted a large number of prospective candidates. • All of the posts have been appointed, and the candidates appointed have been of a high-calibre. • The vacancies have arisen out of a variety of reasons, none of which have been related to a desire to leave Langdon. (Close of contract, deferral of NQT year, child issues, moving from the area). Some vacancies have been created where new jobs have arisen from School Improvement issues. • These posts have mostly (with the exception of one class teacher and the teaching assistant) been filled SINCE the Public Consultation Notice. The staff are dedicated and committed to the school. • No staff members have looked for alternative employment since the closure notice. • THE QUALITY OF TEACHING HAS IMPROVED OVER THE LAST 24 WEEKS, AND COMMITMENT INDICATES IT WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AS STAFFING STABILISES. • THE JOB OF APPOINTING AND RETAINING HIGH QUALITY STAFF IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HEADTEACHER. GOOD MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP ENSURES THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE. • THE JOB OF APPOINTING AND RETAINING A HIGH QUALITY HEAD IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GOVERNORS, GUIDED BY KCC. GOOD MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP ENSURES THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE.

Summary:

• Staffing at Langdon is moving into a position of stability and high standards of teaching. • Leadership in the school is new, but dynamic and visionary, and has led to new management systems to ensure that, despite its size, Langdon ALWAYS delivers a high- quality and effective curriculum. • LANGDON IS OF A SUFFICIENT SIZE TO ENSURE APPROPRIATE STAFFING LEVELS FOR EFFICIENT CURRICULUM DELIVERY. • However, we do recognise that it is a Primary Strategy Recommendation, and have included changes in our proposal – See Alternative Proposal.

ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):27 1;ii) Whenever possible schools should be helped to organise in whole year groups. Whenever possible 2 FE is preferable in terms of effective deployment of resources. (R18)

• Where results are lower in mixed age classes, this is not to do with ages being mixed, but to do with the quality of teaching in that classroom, or the quality of leadership in the school. • Mixed age classes offer a variety of benefits which enhance, not diminish, the children’s education: o There is greater social interaction within the school where year groups mix. o There is a greater sense of responsibility to the younger children in the class, leading to peer modelling, care and guidance. o Children can work above or below their ‘year group’ expectations without being excluded or put in ‘special’ groups. They are not singled out for support outside their own classroom (unless there are extreme examples).

o Transitions between Key Stages can be smoother and modelled by the older children in the class (Foundation to Key Stage 1 can be a difficult transition. In mixed age/Key Stage classes this is a natural process, which the younger children see every year and build into their expectations of how they will be treated/expected to work in their later school career. Key Stage 1 to 2 is also smooth, with new Year 3s being supported by the children who did it the previous year. This peer support is not to be underestimated in providing a smooth and natural attitude to the concept of transition which prepares them for Key Stage 2 to 3. The Year 5s watch the Year 6s move through the Kent Test and SATs, the visits to Secondary and the fears which accompany them. They also take part in reflecting on rites of passage such as the trip to Wales and the set- up transition packages. They are prepared by Year 6.

o This is why Langdon children are confident and prepared upon entry into Secondary School.

Related issues: Differentiation is more of a challenge in small schools than it is in bigger schools. This challenge can lead to below standard differentiation and lower standards of achievement.

• The quality of differentiation is not down to age groups within the class, but the quality of teacher and the differentiation systems set up within the school by the Head teacher and staff. • Differentiation can be difficult in any class, regardless of mixed-age or otherwise. Levels and attainment range in any class can be of a similar range requiring a similar breadth of differentiation.

EXAMPLE:

A previous school I have taught within:

Year 6 32 children Range of ability: Level 1b to 5c (11 sub-levels) Emotional range: Year 4 – 7

Langdon Primary School – present Class 3

Years 5/6 19 children Range of ability: Level 2b to 4a (8 sub-levels) Emotional range: Year 3 – 6

There is no discernable difference in the breadth I am now having to differentiate between (11 sub-levels – 5.5 years breadth and 8 sub-levels – 4 years breadth.) In fact, it is EASIER to provide detailed and relevant differentiated work for my present class because THERE ARE FEWER CHILDREN, and MORE TIME can be spent on providing a more detailed PERSONALISED LEARNING PLAN. I can therefore SUPPORT those working below the national standard, and provide EXTENSION for those above it with more ACCURACY and RELEVANCE.

• Differentiation should not only focus upon academic ability, but also upon Learning Styles and social interactivity. Small schools are able to devote the time into assessing and targeting children’s specific learning needs due to the smaller groups and greater teacher/child ratio.

Summary:

• Cross-age classes are only a problem if the management of the school prevents effective: o Differentiation o Transition opportunities • LANGDON IS USING A BRAND NEW ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING SYSTEM SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO PROMOTE HIGH QUALITY, PERSONAL DIFFERENTIATION. • LANGDON WORKS WITH OTHER, LARGER SCHOOLS, INCLUDING SECONDARIES, ON PLANNED TRANSITION PACKAGES. THIS INCLUDES LEARNING TOGETHER IN CURRICULUM TIME (Music and Drama in a Class of 40 once/twice a week for Year 6s). THIS IS DEVELOPING. • LANGDON USES CROSS-AGE CLASSES TO BENEFIT LEARNING, USING HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS AND EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP.

ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):28

1:iii) Schools that are forced by pupil numbers to operate mixed-age classes should do so only if they can have no more than two year groups within any class and do not bridge Key Stages (R22).

• This has been addressed in section 1) ii).

• However, we do recognise that it is a Primary Strategy Recommendation, and have included changes in our proposal – See Alternative Proposal.

1;iv) Primary Schools should not generally fall below 100 pupils, beyond which it would become difficult to sustain four classes without significant extra funding (R23)

• We acknowledge that a school of our size does cost significantly more to sustain than a school with a hundred or more children. • However, we also recognise that the discernible benefits which exist because of our size and location give added value for money, and offset the added funding necessary for our upkeep. • These include:- o Small classes (which SHOULD / WILL lead to higher results). o Increased ability to nurture children who would not perform to their potential in larger classes. This nurture ensures participation and involvement in a curriculum which they would otherwise ‘drop out’ of (this is factual, not general, and refers to children presently in Years 4, 5 and 6).

o Due to these children, there is a place in the education system for small schools which are able to get these children back on track and on the ‘life-long learning’ journey from which, for whatever reason, they have become excluded. o The smaller number of children on roll enables a more focussed SEN approach to certain special needs (behavioural issues in particular). Whilst we would not claim to be a designated SEN School, our SEN provision is excellent and we can enable disaffected children to re-enter larger schooling in a confident and positive manner, which has obviously not been achieved in these cases by larger local schools. o Smaller classes help children develop in social skills and build their confidence if the correct opportunities are developed.

Summary:

• There is a place in the education system for smaller schools, in order for KCC to meet the needs of ALL children, not just the URBAN MAJORITY.

• However, we do recognise that it is a Primary Strategy Recommendation, and have included changes in our proposal – See Alternative Proposal.

Note: Nurture does not imply a ‘molly-coddling’ attitude to teaching and learning. It is a concept which encourages children to be responsible and independent members of the community. Nurture simply implies a caring and firm attitude in developing these qualities.

1;v) Four classes is the lower size limit for an effective school, below which point some classes would need to contain children from three or more year groups (R24).

• This has been addressed in section 1) ii).

• However, we do recognise that it is a Primary Strategy Recommendation, and have included changes in our

proposal – See Alternative Proposal.

ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):29 1;vi) Wherever surplus capacity is projected to rise above 7% in any cluster area, proposals should be brought forward to reduce it to 5% (R27)

• We acknowledge that surplus capacity is an issue within the Dover District which needs looking at, and action taken. • However, it is debatable whether Langdon is a school with a surplus capacity issue:- o If Langdon has a PAN of 10 and a capacity of 70, then our present roll presents a surplus capacity of 23%, below the 25% level used to identify schools with high surplus capacity. o Langdon has recently had its PAN reassessed. This should either reduce our PAN to 8 (as it was) or 9. o If Langdon has a PAN of 8 (which we had without the hall being used as a classroom) then our capacity is 56, and our surplus capacity presents at 4%, well below the 25% level used to identify schools with concerningly high surplus capacity.

o If it is reduced to 9, then our capacity is 63 and our surplus capacity presents at 14%, well below the 25% level used to identify schools with concerningly high surplus capacity. • Closing Langdon will not affect greatly the surplus capacity issue in the Dover District (see page 2 of the Public Consultation Document).

Summary:

• We acknowledge that surplus capacity is an issue within the Dover District which needs looking at, and action taken.

• Closing Langdon will not contribute significantly to resolving the surplus capacity issue.

• However, we do recognise that it is a local (and national) issue, as well as a Primary Strategy Recommendation, and have included measures which we believe will help to alleviate schools with spare spaces, whilst still provide a rural alternative to large, urban school education, at a more affordable and effective cost. – See Alternative Proposal.

ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):30 1;vii) In making any proposal for closure the capacity of the school to provide effective educational and social provision for each child should be the prime consideration (R28).

Educational provision:

• The new Head teacher arrived in January and has introduced the following aspects of learning. These are being introduced this term – in line with the School Plan - and consolidated with new staffing in September.

• The school is moving forwards on many new initiatives in order that the children get a cutting edge and thoroughly modern education:- o Innovative Assessment for Learning practices o Child-led planning and assessment o Personalised learning journeys o Development of the Creative Curriculum o Teaching through assimilated Learning Styles o Development of the grounds to enhance learning through sensory perception and integration of this into class work

o Teaching metacognition to improve upon children’s understanding of their own learning o Developing new methods of praise to enhance incremental learning, and rationalise entity-based learning frames of mind. • As well as this we are also doing THE BASICS, to a good standard, in order to raise confidence, attainment and results.

• There are no aspects of the curriculum which cannot now be met. Where there have been gaps before, this was due to poor management of resources and space.

• New and existing staff are high quality professionals, who are forward looking and want to be the best. This is

in order to give our children the best education they can get.

• Educationally, we will soon be a credit to KCC, and, I hope, a Beacon School to show how Kent Small Schools can be run to get better results than those bigger schools surrounding them.

Social provision:

• The Year Sixes go on the annual trip to the Kent Mountain Centre with another local school, in order to work on team building, problem solving and personal development. • The school council writes a newsletter which is distributed to the local community.

• The school runs a variety of social clubs including:-

o Football o Sci-Fi Media o Homework o Art o Cookery o French for Infants o French for Juniors o Guitar Chess o o Country-life • In September these will expand to include:- o Athletics o Rugby o Spanish o Carpentry • The school also provides excellent social interaction opportunities through:- o Small classes o School Council

o High quality, child-led planning and assessment, based upon a creative curriculum o High quality speaking and listening teaching

o High quality relationships with staff and other adults, modelled by all adults throughout the school o Working with other bodies and other schools to provide social interaction outside the environs of the school and to enable them to work with children in larger numbers in preparation for moving into their future educational and social careers.

• Langdon provides the children with an ever developing, rich experience both academically and socially. • With the growing links between community, families and school, opportunities are increasing to provide a diverse range of activities which develop the whole child. • LANGDON PROVIDES A MORE THAN EFFECTIVE EDUCATIONAL, EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL PROVISION FOR EVERY CHILD.

ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):31

1;viii) When considering proposals to reduce numbers of schools in any area, it must be considered whether they really do serve the community in which they are sited, whether that community can sustain them….

• Langdon serves its local community and the surrounding villages. • 66% of children come from within 2 miles of the school. o (36% of children come from within 1 mile of the school. 30% of children come from between 1 and 2 miles of the school o o 34% of children come from outside 2 miles of the school.) • It must be remembered that this is a very rural community, and most of the ground within 3 miles is fields. Virtually all children within that area come to Langdon. • Those children within that area who do not come to Langdon have made that decision based upon the historic lack of extended school provision. • Breakfast Club is being implemented in Autumn 2006, with an After-school club facility following in 2007. • Numbers for Reception indicate an upturn in numbers from September 2008, with 2008, 2009 and 2010 already very healthy (9, 7, and 5). Our booked numbers prior to CAF are usually 1 or 2. These children all come from the local villages, and presently attend the Parent & Toddler group held in the school Hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays. These figures are without the usual advertising, without the increase in numbers expected should other proposals be successful and despite the threat of closure.

• Other ways in which we serve our local community:- o We rent the hall out to local clubs. Presently these include:- ƒ Pilates & Karate o Plans for September already include:- ƒ IcT for the More Mature, French, German & Football and Fitness • These clubs are open to the public, as well as Langdon children past and present. • Proposed change of status to a Church of England school has increased links to local churches. • The Year 5 children are being taught bell-ringing, in order to contribute to Sunday Church Services • The Country-Life Club grow their own produce on the School Vegetable Patch and the village-owned School

Allotment. This is grown by the children, and will be sold at the Langdon School Farm Shop at the three-weekly village market. • We run a very successful and well-attended Parent & Toddler Group. • School Council run Coffee Mornings which will start in September as part of their citizenship programme.

1;viii) ….their physical condition…

• The school buildings are a mixture of older teaching buildings and a new (2004) office block. • The buildings are in need of general maintenance, but are in generally good condition. • We have a school field of substantial size. • A Site-Manager has been employed this term by the new Head to take responsibility for the upkeep and improvement of the school site, as well as develop all areas of the grounds for educational and social experience. • Areas in development are:-

o A Wild Area o A Squirrel Hide and assault course (to be designed and built by the children) o A Sensory Garden o The Langdon Orchard (designed and planted by the children) o The Woodland Orienteering Course (designed and implemented by the Year 6 children after their experience in Wales). • There are also well developed plans to develop part of the grounds into a livestock area, consisting of the School rabbits and goat, with visits from the local cow, Milky. Milky has already assisted the children in their citizenship studies of ‘cow to cone’ – how milk is manufactured to create ice cream.

1;viii) ….and their ability to deliver a full range of curriculum and social experiences (R29).

• This has been covered in Section 1) vii).

Summary:

• Langdon serves its local community in a great variety of ways. • Langdon takes the majority of its children from the local villages and provides their closest and most effective education. • This is sustainable, especially if other proposals are accepted. • The site is in good condition, if in need of development to make best use of its facilities. • The Langdon site provides room for improvement and expansion, and the staff and management are keen to explore these avenues to bring the school more in line with the Kent Primary Strategy and make it more cost effective. • LANGDON PROVIDES A MORE THAN EFFECTIVE EDUCATIONAL, EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL PROVISION FOR EVERY CHILD, ON A SITE RIPE FOR SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT, WITHIN A COMMUNITY WHICH IT NOT ONLY CONTRIBUTES GREATLY TO, BUT WHICH SUPPORTS THE FACT THAT TO SURVIVE, IT MUST ADAPT AND CHANGE.

ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):32 1;ix) A minimum of 0.5 release time needs to be provided for all Headteachers to enable them to undertake their school management roles (R41).

• At present the Head teacher teaches for 0.6 of the week, giving just 0.4 release time. • In September, with new staffing arrangements, the Headteacher will be teaching for just 0.125 of the week, giving 0.875 release time, in excess of 0.5 release time specified in the Primary Strategy. • The three year budget indicates that this is not only sustainable over the three years, but gets increasingly sustainable as the budget progresses. • These figures have been agreed and ratified by the Governing Body, and the Financial Advisor from KCC

Finance department. • These figures do not in any way diminish the spending on the children or the buildings, and will not adversely affect the education Langdon offers. It will improve it.

Summary:

• The Headteacher will only be teaching 0.125 of the week, giving 0.875 release time, in excess of 0.5 release time specified in the Primary Strategy. • This will enable the Head to Lead and Manage the school extremely effectively, ensuring that Langdon is the Beacon School we are aiming that it will be.

2) Langdon’s response to each area of the KCC proposal not addressed above

The Snoad Report, produced on behalf of the Governing Body of Langdon Primary School, covers most of these areas. However, I would like to make a couple of extra points in relation to one or two.

a. Alternative School Places

• I think that it is important to consider the rights of the rural community in these plans. • Dr. Craig commented at the Public Consultation meeting that it could not be considered a fair option for children from urban communities to be ‘forced’ to move to rural schools. • I would argue that conversely it cannot be considered a fair option for children from rural communities to be ‘forced’ to move to urban schools. • A large proportion of the families at Langdon are ‘country’ people. They live in the country and farm the land, or else they work for the farmers. We are not simply a middle/upper class community who want a ‘nice’ education for their children. • For these families, a rural education is as much a part of their life as a Faith School is for those living within a particular faith background. Were Langdon, and Ripple, to close there would be no close alternative education for these children, unless the parents have to adjust their values and life-ethos. • I would argue, with such a large proportion of the children coming from within 2 miles, Langdon provides a valuable education to this community, as well as others who choose this school because it is good. • OTHER POINTS ABOUT ALTERNATIVE PROVISION ARE MADE IN THE SNOAD REPORT.

b. Impact on Surplus Capacity (covered in Section 1;vi) c. Increased costs of providing education at Langdon Primary School (covered in Section 1;iv) d. Organisation of three classes (covered in Section 1;v) e. Teaching mixed age classes (covered in Section 1;ii) f. Teaching mixed key-stage classes (covered in Section 1;ii) g. The challenges facing Langdon to deliver the full range of National Curriculum subjects as well as a broad range of social experiences. (covered in Section 1;vii) h. Standards

• Key Stage 1 standards at Langdon are remaining high. This is due to:- o The high quality of teaching and key stage leadership. o The high quality of Special Needs Provision being maintained. o Good quality resources. o Good use of resources, both material and human in KS1. • Key Stage 2 standards at Langdon are low. They have, in previous years been relatively high, but since 2003 there has been a steady trend of falling attainment. This, I have no doubt, will be the subject of the next Ofsted Inspection, expected soon after our survival of this closure issue.

• However, the reasons for the low standards are not the following:- o Small classes.

o Mixed-age classes. o Older buildings. o The rural location. o Community Support. o Parental Support.

ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):33 • After careful examination these results can be attributed to the following:- o Lack of resources.

o Inadequate Leadership. o Poor teaching and consistency of teachers. o Poor morale within the school, both within the staff and the children. • ALL of these issues have already been resolved, VERY successfully. I am expecting results to show a steady increase over the next three years, until we are a standards leader in the UK. o Resources have been bought to facilitate better teaching of Literacy and Numeracy. o Computers have been bought to facilitate the teaching of IcT. o A new Head has been appointed. The new Head is TOTALLY committed to the development of the school, and is dedicated to implementing fully the proposal in Section 3. His standards are high, his expectations even more so.

o The new Head has already appointed a virtually new teaching team, all of whom are dynamic and fresh, with specialisms which will support standards growth. The strengths of remaining teachers are evident, and their enthusiasm and commitment to the new ‘vision’ are very evident in their attitude, approach and performance. o Morale has soared, as has been evidenced in conversations, performance and dedication over the last 24 weeks. Children have examined their own lethargy and recognised its source, changing their own attitude through hard work and determination. Staff have supported changes 100%, but have remained true to the character and ethos of the school. Honesty, openness and transparency have prevailed, and the staff have responded extremely well. The Governors and parents have also changed incredibly over this period, as can be evidenced in

ANY conversation had, or listened to, at the end of the day.

• FINALLY – • RESULTS FOR 2006 ON THE 29th JUNE STAND AS THE FOLLOWING: ƒ Maths has risen by 11%, from 33% L4+ to 44%L4+ ƒ Science has risen by 28% from 50% L4+ to 78% L4+ (including 1 L5) ƒ English not yet available. • Although in themselves these results are not acceptable, we have broken the downward trend established since 2003, and have started our rapid rise to acceptable standards. • These have been achieved in the 16 weeks between Christmas and the SATs (as incoming Assessments at Christmas indicated a continuing downward trend this year). • This increase reflects the change in practice implemented by the new Head and staff.

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3) Langdon’s Alternative Proposal

• We consider that there is enough need in the communities between Dover and Deal, with the growth in the younger communities in the villages and the drive to rejuvenate the village of Langdon, to maintain and sustain a small rural school. • We recognise that the school cannot stay as it is, and will have to adapt and change in order to become more financially viable to KCC. • As such we would like to adopt the following proposal as opposed to closure in September 07.

1) The School should increase its PAN to 12 per year group.

• This will increase our capacity to nearly 100 (96) and bring it nearly in line with the financially preferable 100 pupils .

• We are currently at a PAN of 10. • We are not currently at capacity due to poor results at KS2 (changing) and the lack of extended school facilities (these are being introduced in September). • Our numbers for Reception in 2008 – 2010 are looking good already. • Were other proposals to be adopted, parents still seeking a rural education would utilise Langdon. • WE BELIEVE THAT A PAN of 12 IS SUSTAINABLE. • THIS WOULD SATISFY KENT PRIMARY STRATEGY RECOMMENDATIONS R17 & R23

2) The School should increase from 3 to 4 classes.

• The school has the grounds/space to expand, without limiting the space available to the children for recreational/educational purposes. • This would aid the increase of the PAN to 12, as it would enable us to create a through-route into Langdon through the already-existing PARENT & TODDLER, the planned NURSERY/LOWER FOUNDATION STAGE and into RECEPTION/UPPER FOUNDATION STAGE. • This would enable us to teach Reception separately from Key Stage 1. • THIS EXPANSION IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE WITHIN OUR RESOURCES, AND WAS PLANNED BY THE SCHOOL BEFORE THE CLOSURE. WE BELIEVE IT IS SUSTAINABLE.

• THIS WOULD SATISFY KENT PRIMARY STRATEGY RECOMMENDATIONS R17, R22, R23 & R24

3) All efforts should be made to ensure that the children from the surrounding villages attend Langdon as their first preference.

• This would be to limit our impact on the surplus capacity of the larger towns of Dover and Deal. • Issues which are currently restricting 12 families from attending Langdon are:

o Lack of public transport to East Langdon from other villages.

o Lack of extended school facilities. • Utilising the Langdon Mini-bus for a school-run around the local area would encourage locals to attend the school (we already own the bus). • Providing Extended Schooling would aid working parents (September 06). • THESE STEPS ARE MANAGEABLE AND COULD BE IMPLEMENTED EASILY AND EFFECTIVELY. THESE IMPLEMENTATIONS WOULD BE SUSTAINABLE. • THIS WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE SATISFACTION OF KENT PRIMARY STRATEGY RECOMMENDATIONS R23, R24, R27 & R29

4) The Headteacher should manage the budget effectively to ensure high quality release time well in excess of 0.5 of the week (0.1).

• This is already in place for September 06, with the Headteacher only covering PPA time and teaching for 2 afternoons a week. • This will enable an effective and visionary Headship to be maintained.

• This will enable the support of staff to yield higher results through effective monitoring, modelling, performance management, team-teaching and the implementation of cutting edge teaching techniques. • THIS MOVE IS FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE (AS CAN BE SEEN IN THE 3 YEAR FINANCIAL PLAN) AND WILL HAVE FAR REACHING CONSEQUENCES FOR LANGDON SCHOOL. • THIS WOULD SATISFY KENT PRIMARY STRATEGY RECOMMENDATION R41 AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE SATISFACTION OF R17, R28 & R29

ed&libreports/2006/120706d B1(d):35

5) We should continue to develop our community links and become a ‘Village College’.

6) We should continue to develop our good practice in providing good quality transition packages to KS2 children to maximise the benefits of learning in a small school, whilst ensuring that a larger environment offers no hindrance to their development.

7) We should continue the good practice of the Head and Site Manager in developing the grounds to increase quality of provision, as well as utilise our excellent site as a learning space both for Langdon and other surrounding schools.

8) We should continue the excellent work of the highly dedicated teaching team to raise standards and provide a beacon school which Kent can use as a model to other counties of how to run and manage a small school.

• These elements of the proposal commit us to developing those aspects of Langdon’s performance which are good or improving (such as Standards). • We believe that Langdon should develop further as the hub of the Community. • Langdon views its community not only as the villages around us, but also the local primaries, secondaries and further educational establishments.

• We support and uphold KCCs vision of putting Kent amongst the top LEAs in the country, and believe that we can become a school which is SO SUCCESSFUL we can be used by Kent as a BEACON SCHOOL. • WE HAVE THE TEAM. • WE HAVE THE VISION. • WE NEED THE OPPORTUNITY. • THESE MOVES ARE SUSTAINABLE AND MANAGEABLE. • THEY WOULD SATISFY KENT PRIMARY STRATEGY RECOMMENDATION R17, R28 & R29

(The only Recommendation NOT satisfied is R18 - …schools should be helped to organise in WHOLE YEAR GROUPS…

This is not feasible at Langdon yet.)

This proposal enables Langdon to grow and develop, whilst also maintaining a rural school option for parents in the Dover district.

We have tried hard to adapt in order to satisfy KCC recommendations and believe that we have done so, without destroying the important social and nurturing aspects of Langdon Primary School.

This proposal is entirely possible and sustainable, whilst also improving our provision for those children presently at Langdon, and those children we will help develop in the future.

Langdon School would like to thank Mr. Doole and his office for their help and guidance over the Public Consultation period, as well as the many people who have visited Langdon in order to offer advice and discuss the proposal in depth. This opportunity has been valued and most enjoyable. Thank you.

Mr. Jonathan Fox Headteacher June 29th 2006

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