Agenda Item Number 7a Appendix 4
Appendix 4
Academies and Free Schools Update
1. Introduction
1.1 The Learning Service has developed a team around the academy conversion process who ensure schools and Governing Bodies are kept updated about academy processes, work closely with the conversion and sponsor divisions of the Department for Education (DfE) and work effectively and efficiently to support schools and sponsors who wish to convert by the timescale agreed. We now have 5% of maintained schools that have become academies in West Sussex and will have at least 7.5% by September 2012. This will be 24% of secondary schools and 5% of the primaries; this is close to anticipated trends.
1.2 West Sussex County Council recognises that the decision for a school to convert to Academy status rests with the governing body and so, while it encourages all schools to consider the benefits of Academy status, it cannot coerce schools to convert.
2. Context
2.1 West Sussex County Council successfully worked with two sponsors (Woodard and United Learning Trust) under the former government to open four secondary age Academies. The County Council supports the current coalition government’s ambition to encourage diversification in educational provision. This includes facilitating the process for those schools that wish to convert to academy status, supporting the DfE school improvement agenda by working with those schools identified as underperforming by the DfE criteria on sponsored academy status and to support any requests for information by those wishing to develop a Free School. Several sponsors have been included in disseminating information to schools or localities and the Learning Service have worked with school managers and governors where requested.
2.2 The Cabinet Member has consulted widely with schools and school governors and both Diocesan Directors of Education on the Academies issue. While a few schools have been quick to move to Academy status, in the majority of cases Headteachers and Chairs of Governors are adopting a cautious approach. Most schools, particularly primary schools, indicate that they are broadly satisfied with the services and support they receive from West Sussex County Council and that they remain to be convinced of the business case for conversion. However, there is growing interest in a collaborative, or federated, approach to developing Academy status.
2.3 This report contains the regular information and updates provided for the cabinet member which are circulated to all members and MPs.
Agenda Item Number 7a Appendix 4
3. Current and planned Academies and Free Schools
3.1 There are now twelve Academies and one Free school open in West Sussex, of these there are four primaries and eight secondary schools. Five schools (two secondary and three primary schools) have converted to academy status. A list of these schools is included in the Annex for information.
3.2 A further eight schools have already applied for academy orders and the academy project team are working with these schools to ensure completion in the next few months. There will be five by April 1st and a further three for September 1st. A list of these schools is included in the Annex for information.
3.3 There are three definite proposals for Free Schools that are aiming to submit proposals by the end of February to the Secretary of State. This includes a proposal for a secondary academy in Southwater, an all through 4-19 school in Chichester and a primary school in Haywards Heath. The Haywards Heath proposal would be using the magistrate’s court.
4. Potential conversions
4.1 A structural solution is proposed for Three Bridges Junior school which will create one all through primary school with the successful infant school. Hazelwick School has named Three Bridges Junior school as the school that it supports. A possible academy solution could be considered after the amalgamation. This could also include other schools in the locality.
4.2 A consultation has begun to make Laburnham Grove Junior School into an all through primary this would be part of a structural solution. Consideration for conversion to an academy would not take place until after the change in phase had been completed. Edward Bryant School has applied for Multi Academy Trust status so that it could begin to provide possible local solutions as a sponsor for schools in the immediate locality.
4.3 Some outstanding primary schools have been working closely with the Principal Adviser (Support and Intervention) to consider conversions. Several localities have been exploring ways forward including federations which could precede moving to academy status.
4.4 Several schools in the Crawley SW Locality have been in discussions with The Kemnal Academy Trust linking to Thomas Bennett Community College which will become an academy in April 2012.
5. Actions taken to support the conversion process
5.1 The academy programme board has ensured that there is regular updated information on the academy process through the updates to the cabinet member, the development of the academy toolkit and the launch of the academy pages on the West Sussex Grid for Learning with direct links from the West Sussex home page. The toolkit and web pages also link directly to the current information on the DfE website.
Agenda Item Number 7a Appendix 4
5.2 The Learning Service has been delivering briefings on conversion and federations to the majority of secondary schools and their governing bodies and has also been working closely with a range of primary schools through localities or individually as requested.
5.3 The Learning Service has been working closely with a number of primary schools who have been identified either through Ofsted categories or through the West Sussex analysis. The priority list has been identified and a range of options are being considered with this key group. In every case a support school that is outstanding/good or a National Leader of Education (NLE) or Local Leader of Education (LLE) has been identified to work alongside the school improvement advisers. In some cases executive heads have been put into place.
5.4 Other actions have included:
• Discussions with further group of primary schools close to the floor, identified by the National College for School Leadership who are now agents for DfE. • Developing close working relations with other key sponsors including outstanding schools in West Sussex and some focus work with other primary schools especially on possible Multi Academy Trusts. • Further discussions with a range of other sponsors e.g. Chapel Street, Creative Education Trust, Academies Education Trust, and Co-op. • Meeting with other Local Authority contacts in SE7 to share ideas and approaches to working with schools and to streamlining conversion processes. • Working through Primary Headteacher briefings and a small strategic group of primary Headteachers to identify the DfE focus on primary conversions and discuss ways of supporting colleagues. • Key work with Governing Bodies through the governor training programmes and information updates.
5.5 The academy team are currently planning “academies fair” to run in the summer term for Headteachers and Chair of Governors with presentations by sponsors, current academy Headteachers and Chair of Governors/Trustees, possible localised solutions as well as inviting representatives from the DfE. Further information will be disseminated through the briefings to schools and will be published on the website.
Contact: Mary Carrigan Principal Adviser (Support and Intervention) 01243 642366
Annex: List of West Sussex Academies
Agenda Item Number 7a Appendix 4 Annex
Annex
List of West Sussex Academies
Original Academies prior to 2011 Midhurst Rother Academy Shoreham Academy Sir Robert Woodard Academy The Littlehampton Academy
Academies 2011-12 Southwater Infants, Horsham; Academy status 1st July 2011. Southwater Junior, Horsham: Academy status 1st July 2011. Hazelwick, Crawley (Trust School): Academy status 1st August 2011. Warden Park, Haywards Heath: Academy status 1st September 2011. Medmerry Primary School, Selsey: Academy status 1st September 2011. The Academy, Selsey: Sponsor: Kemnal Trust Academy status 1st September 2011 Discovery New School Free school 1st September 2011 The Regis School, Bognor Regis: Sponsor: United Learning Trust (ULT) Academy status 1st January 2012 The Warden Park Primary Academy, Haywards Heath: Sponsor: Warden Park Academy Trust Academy status 1st January 2012
Expected date of conversion confirmed as 1st April 2012 Thomas Bennett Community College Governors ratified decision to apply for academy status with link to The Kemnal Academy Trust ( TKAT ) Expression of Interest submitted and accepted Edward Bryant Primary, Bognor Regis Outstanding school Expression of Interest submitted Academy order granted Tangmere Primary, Chichester Sponsor: TKAT Seal Primary, Selsey Sponsor: TKAT Bewbush Primary, Crawley Sponsor: TKAT
Expected date of conversion – September 2012 Broadfield East Junior, Crawley Governing Body approved conversion to academy status Sponsor –TKAT Agenda Item Number 7a Appendix 4 Annex
Portfield Primary, Chichester Sponsor: TKAT Southway Primary School, Bognor Regis Sponsor: United Learning Trust