Burnham Copse Infant and Junior Schools

Consultation on creating a Primary School

Notes of a meeting held with Governors and staff at Burnham Copse Infant School on 28^th September.

Officers present were:- Chris Holt, Peter Colenutt and Glenn Parkinson. There were 34 governors and staff present at the meeting which commenced at 4pm.

Questions and comments raised at the meeting were as follows:-

Staffing issues

_ What type of contracts will be set up for staffing posts in the new school.

_ What will happen if all existing staff cannot find jobs in the new school.

_ What will be the role of the headteacher, bearing in mind that they will have to run the two existing schools as well as setting up the new primary school. Will support be available in view of the large amount of work that will be necessary.

_ Is it possible that some staff will be made redundant if they are unable to find a post in the new school.

_ What arrangements will there be for staff selection and appointment for the new posts. Would it be necessary for existing staff to fill out an application form.

_ There will be implications on the staffing structure if a new primary school is created but remains within two buildings. It will be difficult to maintain staff supporting structures in two buildings.

_ Extra staff will be needed beyond that normally provided for a one form of entry primary school if numbers initially exceed 210. These additional staff beyond the normal staffing structure will have to leave as numbers reduce down to the 210 figure.

Funding

_ Where will the funding for the new headteacher come from.

_ Will the existing budgets of the Infant and Junior school transfer to the new primary school and, therefore, if one of the schools has a budget deficit will that also transfer to the new school.

Building issues

_ If the new primary school building is not available until Easter 2008 and is only creating permanent accommodation for 210 pupils how will you accommodate numbers over this level initially.

_ What will happen to the vacated school building.

_ Creating a one form of entry primary school is not large enough and does not allow any expansion to reflect any growth in pupil numbers in Tadley.

_ Would the new school be able to be expanded beyond 210 places if this proves to be necessary.

_ If land is sold on the existing school sites and numbers and new housing built, the pupil numbers from this new housing will need to be taken into account in future educational provision.

_ How do you propose to accommodate pupils during the building works in order to minimise disruption to teaching.

Planning of school places

_ How far in advance do you consider plans for possible new housing sites in the area. Do you consider talking to employers to understand their long-term plans and any implications for school places in the area.

_ If there is a major new housing development do you always build new schools or consider extending existing schools instead? If existing schools have surplus places then they could perhaps meet demand from the new housing.

Governor issues

_ How will the temporary governing body and the new permanent governing body for the primary school be established.

Consultation process

_ What opportunities exist for others, that you have not directly written to, to comment during the consultation process.

_ It appears that people currently having children in local pre-schools do not know about the proposal and seem to be outside of the consultation exercise as they are not currently parents of pupils within the school. How can this be addressed.

Notes of a meeting with Parents held at 6.30 pm on 28^th September

This was attended by approximately 32 people consisting of parents, governors and the local county councillor Marilyn Tucker.

Questions/issues raised were:-

Building issues

_ Which school site will the new school be on. Is it possible to get a copy of the brief used as the basis for the accommodation to be provided for the new primary school.

_ Parents want the swimming pool to remain for any new primary school.

_ If the planning permission is not achieved for new housing on any land that is sold would the proposal to create a primary school still go ahead.

_ Will the school get any financial benefit from the sale of any land.

_ How is the sale of land managed, would it be subject to a bidding process.

_ Due to the nature of creating a primary school and the substantial building works necessary there will be disruption to the education of pupils. This impact needs to be minimised as far as possible.

_ The school building used to create the primary accommodation necessary must be the most appropriate to deliver the right outcomes.

_ Will there be another meeting to discuss which building is adapted.

Pupil numbers

_ The uncertainty of the future of the schools is contributing to the fall in pupil numbers. The situation needs to be resolved as soon as possible and could the school be put in one building now.

Governor issues

_ Will there will be a new governing body.

_ Concern was expressed over the balance between Infant and Junior governors on the merged governing body. Communication to the parents from governors is poor and there is concern over the time taken with the process and the effect on pupil recruitment/retention.

Decision on proposal

_ What would happen if the proposal is not supported and agreed by elected members.

_ Is the decision to be made by members in December written in "tablets of stone" or can it be changed if subsequently shown that problems exist with the proposal.

Consultation process

_ Where was the consultative document sent and who received it.

_ How are you addressing consultation with the rest of the community who do not receive the consultation document.

_ How can they be consulted as nothing is shown in the local shops etc or in local newspapers.

_ Is there is plan to talk to local nurseries and playgroups in the area in order that they can pass relevant information on to their parents. Concern was expressed that people have overhead staff in nurseries and playgroups saying not to send their children to Burnham Copse school as the school is to be reviewed and may close.