100 signatures reached
To: Governors of Honeybourne First, Bretforton First, Littletons CE First, Cleeve Prior CE First, Badsey First and Offenham CE First
DELAY FIRST SCHOOL PROPOSALS IN THE BLACKMINSTER CLUSTER
Please delay your proposals until there is proper plan in place to safeguard the education of children beyond their first school.
Why is this important?
First schools' plans in the Blackminster pyramid to keep year 5 children into year 6 from 2016 will seriously damage the provision at Blackminster Middle School for any year 6 students who still choose to go there and for year 7 and 8 students. It is likely that the school will be unsustainable with just two year groups and could close. There is no plan for where children in year 7 and 8 would be educated if this were to happen.
There is no plan in this pyramid, which includes the De Montfort School, Bengeworth CE First, St Richard's CE First and St Andrew's CE First schools to become a two tier system. Any wish for such a huge organisational change has not been explored.
The signatories below are concerned about any or all of the following considerations and urge the Governors of the named First Schools to fully consider the potential negative impact of their proposals on the education of children beyond First Schools before implementing them.
- The proposed changes are not part of an overall strategic plan for our area and no work has been done to explore parent views beyond the First Schools in question, the impact of future pupil numbers on places in schools, issues around funding and continued sustainability of schools, staffing expertise and suitable accommodation for children remaining in small village schools.
- The Local Authority have made it clear to heads and governors that they are not proposing any review of the three tier system in this pyramid: they cannot fund any changes which have not already been planned. There is no shortage of places so no need to effectively duplicate schools places in Y6, nor are there any educational drivers.
- The proposals from First Schools are all being carried out individually, there is no coherent plan or rationale for the changes. This is forcing schools to have to work out individually how to move forward rather than working collectively.
- The timescale suggested for change is unrealistic.
- The experience of all other areas restructuring from 3 tier to two tier is of major disruption to children's education for several years. This is despite those restructures being strategically planned for and fully funded by their Local Authority. In this situation, there is no plan and no funding.
- There is a real danger that good and excellent teachers will be lost in the potential restructuring and it is good teaching which makes the difference to children's progress, not structures and processes.
- The uncertainty about the future of the pathway in the pyramid and the provision for pupils beyond first school may make parents look to other schools out of catchment. This could damage all schools in the pyramid.
- School leaders are being distracted by the proposals rather than focusing on the enormous statutory changes such as a new curriculum and changes to assessment. All schools in the pyramid should be focused on school improvement and securing outstanding education across all phases.
- The current system is effective but there is always room for improvement. That should be our focus. Working together is key.
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How it will be delivered
To be confirmed.
