Agenda item

(Report by Director (Operations))

(1)       This report set out the results of the public consultation.  It sought the views of the School Organisation Advisory Board on issuing a Public Notice to close The Cornwallis, Oldborough Manor and Senacre Technology College to re-open them as two academies on the Cornwallis and Oldborough Manor sites.

(2)       Mr Burgess stated that he felt the creation of two academies would be a positive step, and should be seen as a good opportunity for gaining access to resources that can enhance the education of the children at the school.  He stated that these positive effects had been seen at the Marlowe Academy in Ramsgate, and as such would support a proposal that would emulate this within a school in Maidstone.

(3)       In response to a number of questions from Mrs Angell, Mr Jones explained that both public meetings had been held at Cornwallis School as it could accommodate a large turnout, he explained that a detailed travel plan would be developed as the consultation moved forward.  Mr Jones also undertook to provide Mrs Angell with more detail on how children with SEN would be catered for on the new site.  Dr Craig confirmed that the Special Schools Review referred to in the report was the one undertaken in 2003 and that the re-designation and expansion of Five-Acre Wood School was a possibility.

(4)       Mrs Angell also asked for clarification about the comment on page B1:30 that Maidstone was 'way down the priority list' for Building Schools for the Future.Dr Craig stated that Maidstone LEA forms Phase 13 of a 15 Phase Building Schools for the Future Programme.  Currently, the BSF programme is at Phase 3, so Maidstone is currently lower on the priority list than other areas in Kent such as Gravesham, Swale and Dover which form parts of Phases 3 and 4 respectively.  He further explained that money to pay for the Academies comes straight from DfES and requires little KCC financial input, so is essentially ‘free money’ whereas with the BSF programme a PFI or procurement route is normally involved and requires a capital resource input from KCC.

 (5)      Mrs Angell asked if all academic provision at post-16 level will be based at the Cornwallis School and if only vocational courses would be offered at the Oldborough site.  Mr Jones confirmed this was the case, but emphasised that the intention was to raise the aspirations of pupils at the Oldborough site and that although academic provision at post-16 would be sited at the Cornwallis site, it would cater for pupils from both academies who wanted to take an academic route at the post-16 stage.  Dr Craig added that this design was an innovation, in which two academies would be federated, thus benefiting from the financial and educational resources available to new academies, and where working together would be of benefit to all concerned.

(6)       Mr Poole stated that he was fairly happy with the proposal.  He asked Mr Jones to provide the Board with more details on the resource implications, to which Mr Jones responded that a figure of £40m had been suggested by the DfES, but no definite figure for the proposal was yet known.

(7)       Dr Craig added that the proposal outlined in the report was dependent upon funding becoming available.  In addition to any monies received from the DfES for the proposal, the capital receipt from the sale of the Senacre site would also be added to the fund for the two new academies.  Therefore, Dr Craig said that this proposal would need the support of the Advisory Board in order for the next stages to progress and the amount of funding available would be confirmed by the DfES at a later date.

(8)       Mr Horne stated that access to funds to improve the current education provision at the schools involved in this proposal, was obviously much quicker if the Academy route outlined in the report was supported and progressed.  He added that although a precise figure was yet unknown for the proposal, the likely amount which could be up to £40m would be used to great effect.

(9)       Mr Horne asked if the organisation of the Academies (for example, the suggestion of one academy having two schools within one large academy) would form part of the Consultation.  Dr Craig stated that this would not form part of the Constitution, as the internal organisation of the Academies would be for the management team within the schools to decide.

(10)     Mr Bristow was very supportive of the proposal.  However, he had some concerns that there had been a lack of overwhelming support from the Cluster Boards, perhaps due to the fact that proposals for academies to be created sometimes breeds discontent.  Mr Bristow also asked how faith groups can play a role, and if this can be developed or indeed needs development?

(11)     Mr Jones stated that the main concerns, voiced by one of the Cluster Boards concerned future pupil numbers and the proposed larger 6^th form at Cornwallis.  He and other officers will seek to reassure schools in the Maidstone area about this if the proposal moves forward.  He added that there is currently a Baptist Church on the Oldborough Manor site, and all involved in this proposal are committed to working with the local community.

(12)     Mr Koowaree asked how the 4,000 copies of the initial consultation document were circulated.  Mr Jones told the Board that all parents received a copy by post, as did governors, staff, members of the diocese, the heads of all the primary schools in the area, the heads of all other secondary schools in Maidstone, local Borough Councillors, local MPs and local KCC Members.

(13)     Dr Craig added that it was unusual for initial consultation documents to be sent by post, as they would normally be sent home with pupils.  He said that a 4% response rate was a good sign, as those in favour of proposals rarely respond, yet those in opposition would often register their objections at this stage, so it appeared that most people were in favour.

(14)     Mr Northey stated the he was in favour of the proposal.  He had some concerns regarding the proposal with the school at the Cornwallis site being so large, adding that efforts need to be great from the outset to ensure that the school structure is well organised, and students and staff feel comfortable and supported in such a large school.  Mr Northey felt that it was reassuring to hear that KCC will help in setting up the school and will not abandon the school to self manage on such a large scale.

(15)     Mr Northey asked if work will be done to ensure that the School Organisation will be organised to that the management team and staff will feel able to effectively work in and run a school of this size.  Mr Jones stated that at a later date, an in-depth consultation regarding the design and organisation of both academies will happen.  The focus would be on creating a school that could cater for a range of pupils with diverse needs.

(16) Dr Craig agreed with Mr Jones, adding that the size of the school at the Cornwallis site in the 11-16 age range will not actually be any bigger than the existing provision.  Dr Craig stated that this was not an expansion, but an adjustment of numbers in a school where the Ofsted report rated the school as very good.  In addition, Dr Craig added that the proposed academies would have the money to attract a high quality staff and management team, which would stand the school in a great position for the future.

(17)     Mr Cullinane stated that change on this scale as outlined in the proposal needed much attention and real focus, but overall he could see the benefits of securing so much funding from the DfES.  He asked for confirmation that the proposed sixth form size of 550 pupils at Cornwallis School was correct.  Dr Craig stated that this was the case, and giving information that had been received from Marilyn Hodges (Director of Strategy and Performance) said that the DfES had asked to have the sixth form increased to this size, and the Learning Skills Council had approved this increase.

(18)     Mr Cullinane said he had concerns that this was such a large site, and would have an impact on those aged 11-16, so the proposal would need more detail in order to show that these figures were sustainable in the long term.  Dr Craig added that current figures for places at post 16 did not take into account the increase in house building in the area, and so sustaining a post 16 educational facility of this size will not be a problem.

(19)     Mr Burgess stated that he could see the benefits of the Oldborough Manor sixth form facility specialising in vocational courses, adding that courses such as these were not just for the disengaged, but would encourage more students to stay on post 16, especially with the improved facilities that this proposal would make available.  Mr Burgess stated that he wholeheartedly supported this proposal, as it was an excellent opportunity for Kent as a whole, and more specifically for the children in Maidstone.

(20)     Miss Carey told the Board that she was disappointed at the low levels of wholehearted support for this proposal, but as 2,000 parents had not seen the need to respond, she assumed the proposal had their support.  Miss Carey felt that this was a good and solid proposal, which addressed underperformance and embraced a good school within the proposal which was very positive.  In addition, Miss Carey stated that the Governing Bodies should take this proposal out into the community to gain more support.  Overall, Miss Carey stated that the proposal was a good one, and should gain the support o the School Organisation Advisory Board.

(21) Mrs Dagger stated that she supported the proposal.

(22)     The Advisory Board unanimously agreed to:-

 (a)      the issuing of a public notice for the closure of The Cornwallis, Senacre Technology College and Oldborough Manor Schools on their replacement with two Government funded Academies; and

(b)       the sale of the Senacre Technology College site to provide sponsorship for the development of both academies, which in turn, delivers capital funding for the project from the Government.