School Organisation Consultation

Date / Wednesday 23 May 2012
Time / 7pm
Chair / Melanie Harris, Local Education Officer, Surrey County Council
Present / Mark Burton, School Place Planning Manager, Surrey County Council
Donna Wardell, Senior School Improvement Advisor, Babcock FourS
Vicky Lanham, Headteacher, Charlwood Infant School
Dave Bunn, Chair of Governors, Charlwood Infant School
Audience of approximately 40

1 Welcome and introductions

2 Presentation from Mark Burton

3 Presentation from Donna Wardell

4 Presentation from Vicky Lanham

5 Presentation from Dave Bunn

6 Questions

·  When will there be Year 3 children in the school?

·  In September 2015, or 2016, depending on the outcome of the consultation.

·  Why can’t the pupils currently on roll flow through from the Infant into the Junior department?

·  In order to take junior age pupils in the future we need to create spaces within the overall capacity of the school. This means we have to reduce the numbers of infants starting at the school over the next two or three years. If we designate the school a primary school from September we have to allow all registered pupils the right to stay there until they are eleven. It is against the law to remove a child’s place once they are on roll at a school (unless the parents decide to move their child, or the child is excluded for serious misbehaviour). Therefore, it is not possible to admit 30 infants and allow Year 2 pupils to stay on in the hope that sufficient parents will decide to remove their children in Year 2. If too many children stay on then there won’t be enough space at the school to accommodate them. There is an option within the consultation paper that the school should begin to have Year 3 pupils in September 2015 (as opposed to September 2016). If parents support that option they should indicate this on the consultation response form. The Local Authority’s role is to take a strategic overview of the school place planning needs across the whole area.

·  Is it not possible to ask parents to apply for a Junior school place?

·  There is no such legal entity as “Charlwood Junior School” and therefore parents cannot be asked to apply for it. If we set up a separate Junior School it would be a complex and time consuming process which would be unlikely to benefit existing pupils.

·  Could additional classrooms be build on the recreation ground?

·  No, this space is for playing fields only.

·  Wouldn’t it be easier and cheaper to find a way to operate as a Primary school immediately rather than paying for children to be transported to Burstow and other schools for their Junior education?

·  We have to adhere to the law as it currently stands. Any attempt to have the law changed would be extremely time consuming and unlikely to benefit existing pupils.

·  Would it be possible to do a “straw poll” of parents now to find out their future intentions?

·  The Head has already spoken to a number of parents, who have indicated that they wouldn’t necessarily move their children. Also, it would not be prudent to proceed on the basis of conjecture. We couldn’t rely on any undertakings that parents give at this stage, as they are free to change their minds later.

·  How many pupils who are currently on roll are from outside Charlwood/Hookwood eg Horley? Are the Charlwood/Hookwood children missing out because Horley children have been sent here in the past?

·  There are approximately 6 pupils from Horley per year on roll – i.e. not enough to significantly affect the current situation.

·  We need local schools for local children.

·  SCC agrees with this. One of the reasons for making this proposal is to secure the long term future of the school. SCC focuses on the strategy for ensuring that there are sufficient school places available.

·  Will the dining room be big enough once the school becomes a Primary?

·  Yes, lunchtimes, playtimes and pick up/drop off times will all be staggered.

·  I live in the village. I have a child in Year R, who won’t obtain a Junior school place under this proposal. I also have a pre-school age child. As I don’t want my children to go to school in Horley I will have to look further afield (eg Rusper) which will mean a lot of travelling to different schools for several years.

·  There is a suggestion within the consultation document that the proposal could be implemented from September 2015, instead of 2016. If parents would prefer this, they are encouraged to complete the consultation form accordingly.

·  With regard to mixed age classes, I find it hard to see how teachers can provide high quality education for the youngest from the younger Year group as well as the oldest from the higher Year group?

·  Many schools have mixed age classes. The key is good planning and differentiation, which teachers are very skilled at.

·  Will this proposal have any effect on applications to the pre-school?

·  We hope not. Admissions to the main school are entirely separate to admissions to the pre-school.

·  What will the admissions criteria be for the new school?

·  If the proposal goes through then the admissions criteria will need to be discussed and agreed. In general terms, priority is given to pupils who are Looked After, and then with Special Educational Needs. Beyond this, it may be that a fixed catchment area (covering the Charlwood and Hookwood ward) could be agreed, with priority given to children living in the catchment who have siblings already at the school, next priory to children living in the catchment, and then any remaining places allocated on the basis of home-school distance.

·  It will be very important that all interested parties are included in the consultation process. Could SCC do a leaflet drop in the parish? Could Health Visitors give a list of all families with babies and young children in the area? The village school is at the centre of the community and it is vital that everyone is aware of the proposal.

·  SCC has already provided information to local pre schools, nurseries and schools. We target likely stakeholders to ensure an efficient use of resources. The PCT has been sent information on the consultation. Health Visitors are only allowed, by law, to use the information they have for Health purposes. The consultation document is on the SCC website, on the Charlwood & Hookwood community website, on the Parish Council website and on the school website.

·  Newdigate School only found out about the consultation yesterday. They should have been given more notice. The Parish Councils only received the consultation document yesterday.

The meeting closed at approximately 8.15pm.

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