Barrowcliff Schools – Stakeholder Consultation January 2009

 

Barrowcliff Schools – Stakeholder Consultation

 

January 2009

 

 

Dear Parents, Carers and Stakeholders,

 

We feel that we have some very good news to share with you and would appreciate your views as we value your opinion.

 

The governors and staff of the Infant and Junior schools have been in discussion with local authority officers regarding some positive developments for both schools.

 

The proposals are as follows:

 

1.         Both schools to federate and become one school within the next 2 to 3 years, with one headteacher and one governing body.

  

2.         Both schools have been offered enhanced status, which involves working with children who need emotional, social and behavioural support.

  

3.         Both schools have been invited to take part in a new Government initiative to rebuild or remodel primary schools.

  

Our reasons for believing that these proposals are positive for the children and families of Barrowcliff are:

 

     a) Federation

 

v     The two schools have always worked closely together

 

v     Falling rolls – by 2011 a joint school would have 280 children, plus the nursery children.

 

v     Joining as one school means children do not have to transfer from one school to another, at the age of 7.

 

v     New build money will only be given to all through primary schools, not separate infant and junior schools.

 

v     The junior head intends to retire in 3 years and this appears to be a good time to federate the schools. The junior head will play a full part in overseeing the transition from two schools to one and the introduction of the new special needs base.

 

·         There is a national difficulty in recruiting head teachers in all schools at the moment and we already have a very good head teacher in the Infant & Nursery school.

 

·         For the size of the school in 2011-12 it would be cost effective to have only one headteacher.

 

b) Enhanced Status

 

v     Currently there is no coordinated provision to meet the needs of children with BESD (Behaviour Emotional & Social Difficulties) in primary schools in our area.  All schools have children with BESD and they need support, to work effectively with them. 

 

v      We are positive about this proposal because it will benefit all children in our area without having a negative impact on our school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                  v     The Barrowcliff site is central for the East Coast area and has the capacity to house a base for new staff to work from and assess children.  The maximum number of children visiting the new base at any one time would be eight.  However the majority of the work would be outreach, with the staff working with children in other schools.

 

v     The current proposal is for the Nursery building to be used for the enhanced provision base and the Nursery children to move into a new, purpose built area within the Infant School.

 

v     Both head teachers will line manage the staff in the assessment base, until the schools are fully federated in September 2011.                                    

 

c) Rebuilding Primary Schools

 

                 North Yorkshire has received £12 million to spend over a 3 year period on primary schools.  

                 In order to qualify:

 

 

 

 

 

v     Separate infant/junior schools have to join together.  We already meet and work together regularly, share policies and work with the same families across both schools. 

 

v     Schools have to have surplus places.

 

Both head teachers have already been in discussion with the local authority and we now want to involve all parents, governors, staff and children in plans for the future.

 

We believe that if we are going to join together we need to remodel the school building to reflect this.  We would like to improve our classrooms, our kitchen and at the same time, provide features to benefit the whole Barrowcliff community.  What would you like to see as part of this development?

 

Please don’t assume that everything has already been decided – it hasn’t.  We really would value your comments.  We also want to involve you in future planning decisions.

 

The attached form is for you to make your comments and then return to either school by Friday 13^th February 2009

 

You can download this form from either of the school websites and email it to:

            admin@barrowcliff-inf.n-yorks.sch.uk

admin@barrowcliff-jun.n-yorks.sch.uk

  

 

 

 

We intend to hold a meeting later this term to keep you informed and answer any questions you have.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this document.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D Evans / M Rogers on behalf of the governors & staff

 

 

Consultation Response

 Please click on the links at the bottom of the page to view a downloadable version of this document.

 Please add any comments and return to either school by Friday 13^th February 2009.