CHILDREN’S SERVICES OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE 30 JANUARY 2008 OUTCOME OF THE CONSULTATION ON ESTABLISHING A NEW ACADEMY SCHOOL IN STROOD Report from: Rose Collinson, Director of Children’s Services Authors: Neville Hayles, Project Manager/Consultant Simon Trotter, Assistant Director, Learning and Achievement 1. Purpose of the item This report sets out the outcomes of the consultation on the Council’s proposal to create one new co-educational academy for all young people in Strood on the Chapter School site in brand new buildings. 2. Recommendations 2.1 This Committee is asked to consider the responses to the consultation together with the advice and analysis from officers and to make recommendations for consideration by Cabinet. 3. Background 3.1 Cabinet considered a report on the future of secondary education in Strood in September 2007 and asked for a report back, following consultation on the development of an academy. This report summarises the outcome of the consultation process. 4. Results of the consultation 4.1 The consultation period ran for ten weeks from 8 October 2007 to 17 December 2007. The process included: · Public consultation documents were circulated to the following: staff, students, parents and governors at Temple and Chapter schools; secondary, primary and special schools across Medway, all Councillors, local MPs, union representatives, Diocesan Authorities, all Medway libraries, Kent Children’s Services, Kent & Medway Learning & Skills Council, Medway Primary Care Trust, Medway Strategic Health Authority and the eight Kent feeder primary schools · 9 public consultation meetings held in October and November (4 at Temple and Chapter schools and 5 at local schools) · a day - long drop in session at the Civic Centre where people could ask questions and give their views · 4 staff consultation meetings (2 at Temple School and 2 at Chapter School) · 2 meetings with governors from Temple and Chapter schools (1 at Temple (1 at Temple and 1 at Chapter) · letters sent to parents/carers from the Director of Children’s Services · publication on Medway Council’s website. 4.2 There was a total of 490 responses, of which 429 were official questionnaires/comments and 61 email/letter responses received within the consultation period. A further 15 responses were received after the end of the consultation period. Of the 429 questionnaire responses the breakdown was as follows: 146 – parents; 8 - staff/parents; 2 - governors; 3 – parent governors; 67 – staff; 163 – students; 4 – staff governors; 11 – other; 2 – residents; 2 – councillors; 21 – unknown. 4.3 Chapter School set up a petition, entitled, ‘Support Our Chapter Kids’ (SOCK), which in summary, rejects the merger of Chapter and Temple schools with closure of both. It also asks the Council to hear the views of staff, students and parents with regard to retaining the ethos, the management and culture of the school and suggests the development of an academy over a protracted timescale. The results of the petition included: 7749 signatures and 1645 online petition responses. Chapter students presented a further 528 actual SOCKs [written comments on paper socks]. An additional 580 signatures were handed in at full Council on the 17 January. Formal Questionnaire 4.4 The formal questionnaire addressed three issues with a summary of responses contained in the points below. 4.5 One mixed school in Strood as the right option Yes 55% No 40% Unsure 3% No comment 2% 4.6 Of those who thought that one mixed school was the right option, was an academy the right one? Yes 35% No 41% Unsure 3% No comment 21% 4.7 Other views about which site might be best for a new school. Chapter School 37% Temple School 21% Another site 3% Other comments 16% No option/comment 23% Issues raised in consultation meetings (Including the following: meetings with governors, parents, staff, students and feeder primary schools). 4.8 Governance: Clarification on timescale for the appointment and nature of Governing Body appointments and overall matters of governance and strategic management. Some suggested retaining Chapter leadership; others sought more detailed proposals on leadership and assurances of the Council’s role in the academy. 4.9 Human Resources: Both schools raised a substantial number of issues in connection with human resources including: the organisation and staffing structure of the proposed academy, timescale for appointments of staff at all levels, redeployment or transfer arrangements, if any, details on redundancy arrangements, the nature of employment contracts, details and arrangements relating to redeployment, pensions and salary protection. 4.10 Student admissions: Concerns were raised over student numbers as there are already falling rolls in the affected schools and how this might impact on the new academy. Conversely, some expressed views that development of a new academy could mean students who might previously have gone to The Hundred of Hoo School would go to the new academy. Concerns were also raised regarding places for existing students, the availability of special educational needs support and the loss of a single sex school choice. Staff in both schools were unsure what information to communicate to parents and prospective students at open days to enable them to make informed decisions. 4.11 Standards: There was a view that the good quality and leadership at Chapter School would be jeopardised through the establishment of a single institution and that a more appropriate strategy could be adopted to address the issues at the weaker organisation - Temple. Some believed it made no sense to close a good school. There were some concerns about the track record of academies particularly with regard to leadership, standards and performance. 4.12 Curriculum: There were anxieties over planned curriculum management and its range, particularly with regard to the development of vocational education. 4.13 Ethos, culture, and image: The differences between an academy and the existing schools were a concern. Chapter supporters were worried that Temple School problems and poor community perception would be transported to the new school. Temple supporters were deeply dissatisfied by the negative image being portrayed of the school. 4.14 Transition: Clarification was sought on transitional arrangements and how this would impact on the existing schools. 4.15 Information/communication: Not all staff, students and parents were aware of the precise details: the proposals, the process and their possible impact. 4.16 Site/Buildings: Site issues included: the belief that new buildings would change very little; the importance of retaining playing fields and the use of alternative sites. Some expressed views that the whole programme was ‘premises driven’ and that a further evaluation of sites should be undertaken, which would conclude either Chapter or Temple sites could be used for the new school. 4.17 Place Planning: There were anxieties over the proposed academy meeting local demand in view of possible changes in demographics. 4.18 Funding: It was thought the academy agenda was driven by money. Governors’ views: 4.19 Temple governors supported the academy proposal. However, they did favour establishing the new building on the Temple site. 4.20 Chapter governors were not opposed to the creation of a co- educational school in Strood. However, they favoured an amalgamation process in which Temple would close and Chapter would stay open, admitting boys from Year 7 in 2009 and in subsequent years existing pupils would transfer to Chapter at the end of their current Key Stage. Such arrangements could then be followed by an academy proposal, which would then only concern the reorganised Chapter School. Students from Chapter were also particularly concerned that any reorganisation would risk losing the supportive family atmosphere of the school. Students’ views 4.21 Some of the Chapter comments were included in the SOCKs and raised at the protest march, these related to the timescales involved in establishing the academy; steps taken to ensure the maintenance of standards achieved at Chapter and the retention of Chapter teaching staff. 4.22 The views expressed by Temple students, on the other hand, welcomed the academy proposal. They saw the potential for a new building with better facilities to improve opportunities for boys and girls, with a pupil roll which would reflect demand more closely, thereby bringing stability to the system. Other options 4.23 The Governing Body of The Hundred of Hoo Comprehensive School made two alternative proposals. Their Option A was to establish an academy based on three schools: Chapter, Temple and The Hundred of Hoo. Provision would be arranged on three sites: Chapter and Hoo sites would offer 11-16 facilities, both of which would be co- educational; Temple would be a mixed 14-19 site, offering vocational options for 14-19 year olds together with traditional post 16 courses. 4.24 Option B was to close Temple and The Hundred of Hoo and establish a mixed academy on the Hoo site: Chapter would be unaffected in this proposal. 5. Advice and analysis 5.1 The number of questionnaire responses (429) was not large and therefore not necessarily representative of the local community. Fewer than half the staff at the Temple and Chapter schools and a small proportion of students responded. The SOCK petition has to be regarded with caution: the petition statement was long with three statements; therefore signatories could have been signing up to any one of the statements in the petition. There have been reports that the wide canvassing of the petition created a situation where signatories may have had little knowledge or understanding of the proposals under discussion. 5.2 A number of points raised at the consultation meetings, rather than being objections to the setting up of an academy, were seeking clarification on developments and seeking to establish guarantees on a number of specifics. In some cases such guarantees could not be given as the points raised were too specific.