Stakeholder Engagement and Consultation Report
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! ! ! Stakeholder Engagement and Consultation Report September 2014 ! Contents Pages Executive Summary 3 Key Findings 4 Recommendations 5 Introduction 6 Consultation Process 7 - 8 Outcomes of the Consultation 9 - 13 Appendices 14 - 27 ! 2! ! ! Executive Summary The ten- week consultation process for Halley House School commenced on Tuesday 8th July, 2014 and concluded on Monday 16th September, 2014. Two drop-in Consultation Events were facilitated as follows: 1. A-Side B-Side Gallery in London Fields, on Wednesday 16th July, 2014 6.00pm – 8.00pm 2. A-Side B-Side Gallery in London Fields, on Wednesday 8th September, 2014 1.00pm – 3.00pm The two meetings attracted a combined total of eight attendees. A number of the attendees at the two meetings were local parents who were interested to learn more about the school’s vision, ethos and educational values. A repeated statement made by local parents who supported the establishment of Halley House School was that they agreed that there was a need for more primary school places in the London Borough of Hackney. The respondents to the Statutory Consultation who did not support the establishment of the school evidently disagreed with the free school model and system. Ultimately 83% of the responses were supportive of the school’s establishment and supported the specific purpose of the consultation, namely whether the Secretary of State should enter into a Funding Agreement with Bellevue Place Education Trust for the establishment of Halley House School. ! 3! ! ! Key Findings Throughout the full period of the Statutory Consultation, respondents have expressed their support for the: • Proposed Vision and Ethos • Proposed curriculum • Motivation of the Proposer Group: Bellevue Place Education Trust Key Findings from the Statutory Consultation are: 1 Support and demand for the establishment of Halley House School was further evidenced by the respondents who, during the consultation period, expressed their support for the establishment of the new school including its ethos and vision. 83% of respondents to the Statutory Consultation Questionnaire supported the establishment of Halley House School. 2 A repeated statement made by local parents who supported the establishment of Halley House School was that they agreed that there was a need for more primary school places in the London Borough of Hackney. 3 A number of respondents who were parents raised concerns about a possible increase in traffic volume of Arcola Street, evidently a known ‘short-cut’ road, during school drop-off times and pick-up times. 4 Throughout the Statutory Consultation period – particularly during the two Consultation Events – parents asked to be reassured that the school would open on time, in September 2015. 5 A number of respondents who were parents asked for clarification as to how the admissions policy would work and whether the London Borough of Hackney/The Learning Trust were offering their support to the establishment of Halley House School. ! 4! ! ! Recommendations A Bellevue Place Education Trust needs to continue to act on the evident enthusiasm among local parents and stakeholders (including the London Borough of Hackney), from the Hackney/Dalston community, for the establishment of the proposed school and its opening in September 2015. B Ongoing publicity, including that via the Halley House School website and Facebook page, should seek to reiterate: (a) that it is the continuing intention of Bellevue Place Education Trust that the school will open in September 2015 and; (b) the steps that need to be completed to ensure that this is the case over the forthcoming twelve months. C Bellevue Place Education Trust should upload a copy of the school’s admissions policy on to the school website when it is ratified, and this aspect of the new school’s operation should feature at the school’s open events. D Forthcoming publicity, including that via the Halley House School website and Facebook page, should continue to inform parents and stakeholders about the background and experience of Bellevue Place Education Trust and its initial successes within its established free schools. E Bellevue Place Education Trust should continue to assure members of the local community that it will take account of specific concerns about a potential increase in time specific traffic volume (and associated parking needs) that could arise, particularly on Arcola Street, due to the establishment of the new school. This will be reinforced with a substantial travel plan to be developed in collaboration with the Education Funding Agency and appointed contractors. ! 5! ! ! Introduction All proposed Free Schools which move into pre-opening phase are obliged to undertake a period of Statutory Consultation – the key aims of which are: • To ensure stakeholders are informed about the free school proposal. • To gauge support from all audiences by highlighting the distinct offer of the Free School. • To ensure all identified stakeholders receive information about the free school. • To offer all stakeholders a range of opportunities to feed back their views. • To reassure stakeholders that the introduction of the free school will have a positive impact on pupils, and the wider community. In September 2015, Halley House School will open to its local community with an initial intake of two classes of 30 children in the Reception year. The school will then grow organically until it reaches its eventual capacity of 420 number pupils in 2021. The curriculum provided at Halley House School will be tailor made to give all children a thirst for learning, a motivated engagement in their school and the best chance to attain high academic success. There will be a strong emphasis on developing confidence and skills to be excellent communicators in all situations. Essentially, the school will have a very strong sense of community, with nurture and strong relationships at its core. Halley House School will located at the Metropole College’s former building at 52 – 58 Arcola Street, in the London Borough of Hackney. Ultimately, it is intended that by September 2015, Halley House School will be completely open to the community it serves and will seek to share its resources with others within the Hackney locality and its surrounding community. Essentially, it will seek to create relationships with its neighbouring schools: sharing learning and teaching resources where possible. Metropole College’s former building at 52 – 58 Arcola Street ! 6! ! ! Consultation Process Methodology The consultation process for Halley House School commenced on Tuesday 8th July, 2014 and concluded on Monday 16th September, 2014. A project team worked closely with the Proposer Group to identify a full list of stakeholders, including local primary and secondary schools, local community groups, faith groups and officers/elected members from the London Borough of Hackney (see Appendix B – page 15). The consultation process utilised a wide range of strategies and deliverables to ensure that each target audience had a number of opportunities to attain information about the proposals and were able to respond to them in a range of ways. For example: Copies of a consultation booklet were distributed electronically to stakeholders including: • Local primary and secondary schools • Community groups • Daycare establishments • Faith groups • Teaching Unions • Local ward councillors and local MP’s The consultation booklet summarised the proposals for Halley House School and included a Consultation Questionnaire/weblink to enable parents, local residents and stakeholders to register their views (see Appendix A – page 14). All stakeholders will continue to be consulted as the project moves forward, with an interested stakeholder database being updated on a regular basis. The Halley House School website can be viewed at: http://halleyhouseschool.org.uk/ The website incorporates: • (Up to September 2014) statutory consultation section • School’s vision and ethos • Proposed curriculum and education vision • Announcements and news • Proposed admissions policy, admissions application form and registration details • Recruitment section • Frequently Asked Questions section ! 7! ! ! Leafleting of local vicinity In mid-July 2014, residents who lived within the immediate vicinity of the proposed catchment area of Halley House School received a hard copy of the consultation booklet which promoted the school and its forthcoming launch. Consultation booklets were issued to essentially, residents on nearby roads who could be affected by either/or: • A possible increase in traffic volume or those seeking to find a parking space • Noise emanating from the school It should be noted that commercial premises were also provided with a consultation booklet, including those situated on nearby Stoke Newington Road and those surrounding Dalston Kingsland Train Station/Ridley Road market. A number of roads and housing estates within 10 minutes walking distance where further leafleting took place to alert residents about the proposed school are listed in Appendix C – page 25. Press Releases Details concerning the Statutory Consultation were issued to the local and regional media in mid-July 2014. This notification invited parents and stakeholders to attend the two Consultation Events. The details were sent to publications and organisations including: • Hackney Gazette • Hackney Post Social Media A Halley House School Facebook page can be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/halleyhouseschool In late September 2014, the