Archived decisions

Appendix 1

Six-term year: consultation and communication arrangements

1. Introduction

1.1 Any proposal to implement a six-term year would have implications for a very broad section of the Hampshire community - children, parents, school staff, County Council staff, business including childcare and early years providers, community organisations and the general public.

2. The consultation and communications strategy

2.1 The strategy would be designed to:

· ensure that all interested groups were well informed

· allow those with an interest to express their view

· provide the County Council with the evidence necessary to make an informed decision.

2.2 The target audience would be:

· Hampshire parents, children and young people

· Hampshire schools - headteachers, teachers and support staff and governors

· Hampshire community education centres - managers and management committees

· Hampshire County Council staff, particularly in those departments working closely with schools

· Hampshire business and employers, including childcare and early years providers

· Hampshire residents

· District councils

· External partners such as other local education authorities

· Other partners such as the church dioceses.

2.3 Consultation objectives would be to:

· obtain views from those groups affected by any change to a six-term year

· determine the level of awareness of any need to change the school year, with a particular focus on what may be the best outcomes for children as learners

· identify the advantages and disadvantages of present arrangements

compare the latter with the advantages and disadvantages of the six-term year.

2.4 Vehicles for consultation would be:

· Letter and questionnaire to schools from the County Education Officer, enabling headteachers, staff and governing bodies to express the views

· At least eight focus groups with parents across Hampshire, representing both primary and secondary education. Depending upon the issues raised, a decision may need to be taken as to whether the findings need quantifying through a wider study of parents

· A special supplement in the County Council's magazine, `Hampshire Now,' including a pull-out questionnaire for readers to complete and return

· Consideration of the six term year proposals by the Hampshire Citizens' Panel, the demographic structure of which represents the general profile of the county

· Online comment forms on the County Council's website, Hanstweb

· In-depth telephone interviews with a range of businesses including childcare and early years providers, home to school transport companies, travel organisations, employers and so on

2.5 Vehicles for communication would be:

· Articles in the internal "Spotlight" magazine to inform County Council staff, including schools (Spotlight is on Hantsweb)

· A special supplement in the County Council's magazine "Hampshire Now" to inform residents (also on the County Council's website, Hantsweb )

· Press announcements reporting on progress

· Dedicated on-line information on Hantsweb

3. Conclusion

The timetable for consultation would be implemented during the months May-October 2002 in order for the results to be incorporated in a paper to be written for the Policy and Review Committee and the Executive Member for Education, in November or December 2002.