By: Director - Operations To: School Organisation Advisory Board – 19 March 2008 Subject: EDUCATION ON THE ISLE OF SHEPPEY – OUTCOME OF FURTHER PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM Classification: Unrestricted Summary: This report sets out the results of further public consultation on the proposal to reorganise education provision from a three-tier system to a two-tier system, with transfer at 11+, and on the shape of secondary education on the Isle of Sheppey. Introduction 1. (1) The current education provision on the Isle of Sheppey is a three-tier comprehensive system. The remainder of Kent (with the exception of one school) operates a two-tier system with pupil transfer from the primary to the secondary phase at 11+. The system in Sheppey is therefore out of phase with the rest of Kent. The majority of Local Authorities with three-tier systems have undertaken reorganisation into two-tier systems following the introduction of the National Curriculum with its Key Stages. Other three-tier systems in Kent re-organised into a two-tier model some years ago. (2) At its meeting on 24 July 2006 (report attached as Appendix 1) the School Organisation Advisory Board supported the proposal to consult on the principle of reorganisation from a three–tier system to a two–tier system with transfer at 11+. This followed early discussions in 2004. Consultation including 10 public meetings on the principle of changing to a two-tier system was carried out between September and November 2006 and the results were reported to the School Organisation Advisory Board on 13 December 2006 (report attached as Appendix 2) which recommended implementation. A Cabinet Member decision to implement this proposal was recorded on 10 January 2007. (3) Public consultation on the primary phase including 7 public meetings on detailed proposals for each first school and St George’s CE Middle School was carried out in March 2007, and the results were reported back to the School Organisation Advisory Board at its meeting on 16 May 2007 (report attached as Appendix 3). Permission to issue a public notice was given by the Cabinet Member on 24 July 2007. This public notice was then issued on 6 September 2007. There was one letter in response to the public notice. The 4 week statutory appeals period brought no statutory objections and arrangements were made to implement. (4) Consultation on the proposal for the secondary phase of education through establishment of an Academy on the Isle of Sheppey has been carried out by consultants (Mouchel) who were appointed by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. At its meetings on 17 October and 14 November 2007 (reports attached as Appendices 4 and 5) the School Organisation Advisory Board supported a proposal to issue a public notice to close Minster College, Cheyne Middle School and Danley Middle School and to replace them with an Academy conditional upon the Schools Minister signing a Funding Agreement. (5) In October 2007 a letter was received from Leigh Day Solicitors on behalf of a parent of children attending schools in the current three phases of education on the Isle of Sheppey. A second letter in December 2007 called for a Judicial Review of the decision to implement the primary phase of education claiming that it was unreasonable of Kent County Council to expect parents to be able to make an informed decision about the primary phase proposals without further information on the Academy proposed for the secondary phase. (6) After seeking legal advice Kent County Council decided to apply to quash the primary phase notice and to consult further on the proposals for the two-tier system in order to ensure that consultees were fully informed of the proposals for both the primary and secondary phases of education. This was the only route which offered the opportunity to implement as planned. Because of the timescale involved in responding to the legal challenge, even success in the case would not allow the 2 year implementation to begin in September 08. To defend any future challenge it was important to be able to demonstrate further consultation. (7) Two further consultation documents were distributed. These documents are attached as Appendices 6 and 7. Copies of the consultation documents issued in 2006 on the principle of change to a two-tier system and in 2007 on the individual proposals for the primary phase were made available at the Public Meetings and on the KCC website. These are included within the SOAB reports attached as Appendices 2 and 3. In addition information was provided by Mouchel on the Academy proposal including access to their website. The current brochure is attached as Appendix 8 and was available at all the meetings. Background and Accommodation Issues 2. (1) There are at present seven first schools on the island. These schools cater for pupils aged 4-9 years. The schools are: Eastchurch Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) School Halfway Houses (Foundation) School Minster-in-Sheppey (Community) School Queenborough (Community) School Richmond (Community) School Rose Street (Community) School Federated West Minster (Community) School (2) In addition there is already one all-through primary school catering for pupils aged 4-11 years. This school is: St Edward’s Roman Catholic (Voluntary Aided) School (3) There are at present three middle schools catering for pupils aged 9-13 years. The schools are: Cheyne (Foundation) School Danley (Community) School St George’s Church of England (Voluntary Aided) School (4) There is at present one wide ability upper school catering for pupils aged 13-18 years. This school is: Minster (Foundation) College (5) The total number of pupils on school rolls in Sheppey in January 2008 was 5362. Table 1 gives details of the total school capacities and surplus places in the current three phases. Table 1. First Schools (includes St Edward’s Catholic primary School) Schools’ Net January 2008 Surplus Places Capacity Roll Current position 2631 2138 493 Middle Schools Schools’ Net January 2008 Surplus Places Capacity Roll Current position 2020 1714 306 Upper School School Net January 2008 Surplus Places Capacity Roll Current position 1576 1510 66 The Proposal 3. (1) The proposal for a two-tier system of education would create primary and secondary phases. Primary Phase (2) The primary phase would comprise nine primary schools (including the current Roman Catholic primary schools and St George’s CE Middle School as a primary school) to cater for pupils aged 4-11. Kent County Council’s preferred option for the primary phase is to change the age range of the seven first schools from 4-9 to 4-11 and to change the age range of St George’s CE Middle School from 9-13 to 4-11. • In September 2008 pupils who have just completed Year 4 at a first school would stay at the school for Year 5 and in September 2009 the Year 5 children would stay on for Year 6. The schools would then be teaching the full primary age range. • In September 2008 St George’s CE Middle School would not have a Year 5 intake and would therefore have an age range of 10-13 years. In September 2009 those pupils would transfer to the secondary phase and the school would admit pupils aged 4-11 and be teaching the full primary age range. • There is at present no primary provision at the eastern end of the Island (Warden Bay/Leysdown area). The proposal for Eastchurch CE School includes additional new provision to be established in the Warden Bay locality. Secondary Phase (3) The secondary phase would provide for pupils aged 11-18 either through an Academy located on two sites, or through maintained schools on separate sites. Kent County Council’s preferred option for the secondary phase is the establishment of an Academy on the Minster College and Cheyne Middle School sites. Separate consultation is taking place on establishing an Academy. (4) If an Academy was not agreed, KCC would retain and refurbish the buildings used for Minster College and one or both of the middle schools. The age ranges of the schools would change and secondary education could be provided through the implementation of one of the options below. i. The establishment of two maintained secondary schools on the Minster College site and Cheyne Middle School site. The school on the Minster College site would provide for pupils aged 11-18 and the school on the Cheyne site for pupils aged 11-16. Danley Middle School would close under this option. ii. The establishment of two maintained secondary schools on the Minster College and Danley Middle School sites. The school on the Minster College site would provide for pupils aged 11-18 and the school on the Danley site for pupils aged 11-16. Cheyne Middle School would close under this option. iii. The establishment of three maintained secondary schools on the sites of Minster College, Danley Middle School and Cheyne Middle School. The school on the Minster College site would provide for pupils aged 11-18 and the schools on the middle school sites for pupils aged 11-16. (5) These proposals are being made on the basis of discussions undertaken over a number of years. On the basis of all the consultations, including the current one, there now seems to be widespread support for the principle of changing to a two-tier system. (6) Kent’s Primary Strategy supports change from the current system to one of primary and secondary schools (Recommendation 16). A two-tier system would be in line with the rest of Kent, and with most of the national education system.