Take up of Free School Meals (on income grounds). Message from the DfE: "Dear Roy Thank you for your email below. I’m sure you know that, since our previous email exchange in May, the FSM take-up figures from the January school census were published on 11 June as part of the Schools, pupils and their characteristics statistics. You can access these statistics via this link:- https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2015. See tables 3a/b/c/d in the National Tables document, and tables 8a/b/c/d/e in the Local Authority document. The statistics show that the proportion of pupils eligible for and claiming FSM has dropped nationally across all age groups, and so it does not appear that infant FSM rates have been adversely affected by the introduction of universal infant free school meals. As the economy improves and more parents find work, this leads to a decrease in the number of pupils eligible for free school meals, which shows that the Government’s long term economic plan is working with fewer children living in poverty. We will continue to advise local authorities and schools to maintain their work to encourage parents to register for benefits-based FSM, which we know is possible because of the experience of local authorities which have previously offered universal free meals. To help schools and LAs with this DfE has made best practice guidance and a model registration form available, but ultimately is for schools to take responsibility for enrolling their FSM pupils." I've done a bit of research and data analysis and have come up with the following: January PLASC figures: Change Change Total 2013 %pts 2014 %pts 2015 change %pts YrR 0.6 Yr1 -1.0 Yr2 -0.4 Yr1 -0.2 Yr2 -0.6 Yr3 -0.8 Yr2 -0.6 Yr3 -0.5 Yr4 -1.1 Yr3 -0.1 Yr4 -0.6 Yr5 -0.7 Yr4 -0.5 Yr5 -0.7 Yr6 -1.2 Yr5 0.2 Yr6 -1.3 Yr7 -1.1 Yr6 0.2 Yr7 -1.4 Yr8 -1.2 Yr7 -0.2 Yr8 -1.8 Yr9 -2.0 Yr8 -0.9 Yr9 -1.6 Yr10 -2.5 Yr9 -0.8 Yr10 -1.2 Yr11 -2.0 I'm afraid it does tend to bear out the assertion that there's been a decline across all age groups and in Oxfordshire the reductions in take up of Free School Meals have been across all year groups with the greatest reductions in the cohorts that have never been eligible for the UIFSM entitlement. As the absolute level of take up is lower in older year groups the proportionate reduction (% rather than %pts) has been even greater e.g. the Yr8 cohort in 2013 saw an overall 2.5 %pts reduction by 2015 equating to 22% whereas for Year 2 in 2013 the reduction by 2015 was 1.1 %pts which was 9%. Roy Leach School Organisation & Planning Manager November 2015 School Organisation Stakeholders Group Report 2 17 November 2015 Academies, Free Schools, University Technical Colleges and Studio Schools Update Completed academy conversions and changes since previous meeting There have been fourteen new academy conversions completed since the last meeting. All schools converted as part of a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) and two new local trusts have been set up. These are West Oxford Schools Trust and The Warriner Multi Academy Trust. Schools affected are listed below. Newly converted Date of conversion Academy Trust academies Matthew Arnold School July 2015 West Oxford Trust North Leigh C of E July 2015 Oxford Diocesan Schools Primary Trust (ODST) Bampton C of E Primary July 2015 ODST Bicester Community August 2015 Activate Learning College (BCC) Education Trust (ALET) The Warriner School August 2015 The Warriner Multi Academy Trust Hornton Primary August 2015 The Warriner Multi Academy Trust Sibford Gower Primary August 2015 The Warriner Multi Academy Trust Bishop Carpenter C of E August 2015 The Warriner Multi Primary Academy Trust Queen Emma Primary October 2015 The Mill Academy Finstock C of E Primary October 2015 The Mill Academy The Batt C of E Primary October 2015 ODST Burford Primary October 2015 ODST Wolvercote Primary November 2015 The River Learning Trust Tower Hill Primary November 2015 The River Learning Trust In addition to the above three existing academy trusts have changed their trust composition. Didcot Girls and St. Birinus Boys have become a combined MAT as Didcot Academy of Schools, The Henry Box School has become a MAT as The Mill Academy Trust, and The Cherwell School Academy Trust has become The River Learning Trust. In addition two more local academy trusts have gained sponsor status. These are Gillots School and Didcot Academy of Schools. Overview of Current Activity The current programme of academy conversions and other provision is set out below. Schools with academy Programmed conversion Academy Trust orders date St Mary’s C of E (A) December 2015 ODST Infants William Morris Primary February 2016 Glyn Learning Foundation (GLF) St. James C of E March 2016 Vale Academy Trust Primary, East Hanney (VAT) Brize Norton Primary March 2016 ODST New Schools Date of opening Academy Trust UTC Oxfordshire September 2015 ALET (Didcot) Great Western Park September 2016 GEMS Learning Trust GEMS Academy, Didcot NW Bicester Primary September 2016 White Horse Federation School (WHF) Longford Park Primary September 2016 GLF School, Banbury Bicester Technology September 2016 ALET Studio School Aureus Secondary September 2017 GLF School, Didcot Barton West Primary September 2017 Cheney Academy Trust School The Swan School September 2017 The River Learning Trust Chalkhill Primary School, September 2018 GLF Didcot SW Bicester Secondary September 2018 To be decided School In Oxfordshire as at 1st November 2015 there were: Phase of No. of academies % of all publicly Notes education funded provision in phase Secondary 29 83% 50% 11-16yrs. 86% 11-18yrs. 100% 14-19 yrs. 100% All through to 18 yrs. Primary 58 24% 8 sponsored Special 6 40% 1 sponsored Additional notes: 3 Free schools (one 4-18, two 4-11), 1 Studio School (14-19), 1 University Technical College (14-19) Academies Programme 2015 – 20: Strategic Groupings of Schools At its meeting on 20th October Cabinet agreed an updated policy position regarding the above programme. It recognised that the Council has a strong track record of supporting schools to become academies. To avoid the risks associated with fragmentation and isolation, particularly of small rural primary schools, it was proposed that the Council adopt a more assertive policy of actively encouraging the incorporation of the remaining maintained schools into sustainable formal collaborative groupings, primarily through the Multi Academy Trust model but also through the extension of the 'collaborative company' model and the pooling of more resources and responsibilities. The Council agreed the following recommendations. 1. To adopt the principles set out below. a) No school ‘left behind’ by virtue of ethos or size. b) Consideration of geographical proximity of schools. c) Recognition of active formal partnership links. d) Robust consideration of potential of Multi Academy Trusts to promote good and better standards of education and effective working with the Council in carrying out its statutory duties such as place planning. e) Recognition that a strategic plan for school groupings is required to maintain standards and accountability amongst education providers in the county. f) Recognition that too many different trust arrangements will potentially dilute the local effectiveness of schools and adversely affect the Council in fulfilling its statutory duties, for example, to provide sufficient good quality pupil places. g) Seek dialogue about expansion opportunities in the county sought by trusts located in the county. h) Engage with academies in all phases that meet the criteria to be approved as a sponsor with a view to encouraging them to seek such status and offer local solutions in education provision. i) Work with RSC to hold non performing trusts to account. j) Work with RSC to promote expansion of good performing trusts in county. k) Free School bids from suitable approved sponsors to be encouraged in areas where no basic need solutions are available from current resources and to promote diversity of choice for parents throughout the county. l) Recognition of the formal position of the three Dioceses represented in Oxfordshire schools regarding consent for those schools to convert to academy status. m) Engagement at county level about appropriate academy solutions for C of E schools with ODST. (Schools are currently advised to pursue individual solutions direct with the Oxford Diocesan Board of Education). 2. To adopt a more assertive policy in identifying appropriate sponsors for schools required to convert to academy status. 3. To promote appropriate groupings to form new Multi Academy trusts and encourage the growth of existing Multi Academy Trusts based in the county. 4. To further develop and promote the collaborative company model, both to incorporate more schools in these and to extend the scope of resources and responsibility. 5. To use collaborative companies as a ‘stepping stone’ to the formulation of Multi Academy Trusts. The full report to Cabinet is available at the link below. http://mycouncil.oxfordshire.gov.uk/documents/s31331/CA_OCT2015R15%20Strate gic%20Groupings%20of%20Academies%202015-20.doc.pdf This represents a significant shift in emphasis for the Council’s role in the ‘mixed economy’ of schools within it carries out its statutory duties to both maintained schools and academies. Officers are developing new relationships with existing and emerging trusts and collaborative companies in the County with a view to influencing the pattern of provision. In addition schools continue to request and receive individual visits and information related to their specific situation.