Proposal to establish a pimary school at Bradley

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• Message from Councillors Smith and Smithson

The proposal

What would this mean?

There are two possible ways to establish a new primary school for 420 pupils aged 5 – 11:

• establish a new primary school by running a competition OR
• apply for “exemption” from a competition to establish a new Church of England primary school.
  In either case we would have to legally “close” both schools and immediately open the new school.

Establishing a new primary school in Bradley – running a competition

The Government requires all new and replacement schools to be established through a competition. This is to encourage a wide range of new and existing providers to bring new energy, ideas and skills to a more diverse pattern of schools, with distinctive character and ethos, promoting excellence and choice. Further details of the processes for school competitions.
However, the government is likely to grant an “exemption” from a competition when

• a new all-through primary school is proposed to replace separate infant and junior schools
• the existing schools are church schools and the proposed new school is a church school. As this is the case here it is very likely that an exemption from competition will be granted.

Why create an all through primary school?

The potential advantages of all-through primary schools are:

• uninterrupted progress and continuity from early years to age 11
• a wider range of learning resources can be shared and the greater curriculum flexibility makes it more easy to tailor learning experiences to meet individual needs - this is particularly important for children with special educational needs
• a wider age range of pupils can give more opportunities for social development which can raise self-esteem and help to promote responsible behaviour
• longer term relationship between the school, parents, carers and outside agencies to support pupils effectively from the Foundation Stage through to the end of Year 6.
• staff have longer to get to know the children and the consistency of staffing and provision for vulnerable children gives greater security for parents and carers
• children can attend the same school as older or younger brothers and sisters for longer
• a single leadership team and governing body gives;
  • consistency in terms of policies, practice, standards and expectations
  • clear improvement priorities
  • common approaches to curriculum planning, assessment and target setting
• staff working within a larger team have more opportunities to take on responsibilities and undertake professional development
• more effective use of the accommodation, facilities and resources - reduced duplication and economies of scale

Transition arrangements

How would the proposed changes affect my child currently at Bradley CE (VC) I & N or Bradley CE (VC) Junior School?

Route 1 - A new Church of England primary school established on 1st September 2010 with an “exemption” from a competition

• Current Year 5 and Year 6 pupils at Bradley CE(VC) Junior would not be affected by the proposed change and would transfer to High School in the September at the end of Year 6

• Current Year 3 and year 4 pupils at Bradley CE(VC) Junior would transfer to the new Bradley CE(VC) Primary in September 2010
• Current Year 2 pupils at Bradley CE(VC) Infant & Nursery would transfer to Year 3 at Bradley CE(VC) Junior in September 2009 and then transfer to Year 4 in the new Bradley CE(VC) Primary in September 2010
• Current Year 1 and younger pupils at Bradley CE(VC) Infant & Nursery would transfer to the new Bradley CE(VC) Primary in September 2010
  

The chart below shows how the changes will affect pupils each year as they progress through school.
Find the current year group for your child and follow the row across

Route 2 - A new primary school established on 1st September 2011 through a competition

• Current Year 4, 5 and Year 6 pupils at Bradley CE(VC) Junior would not be affected by the proposed change and would transfer to High School in the September at the end of Year 6
• Current Year 3 pupils at Bradley CE(VC) Junior would transfer to the new Bradley Primary in September 2011 and would then transfer to High School in September 2012 the end of Year 6
• Current Year 2 pupils at Bradley CE(VC) Infant & Nursery would transfer to Year 3 at Bradley CE(VC) Junior in September 2009 and then transfer to Year 5 in the new Bradley Primary in September 2011. They would transfer to High School in September 2013 the end of Year 6
• Current Year 1 pupils at Bradley CE(VC) Infant & Nursery would transfer to Year 3 at Bradley CE(VC) Junior in September 2010 and then would transfer to the new Bradley Primary in September 2011
• Current Reception Class and younger pupils at Bradley CE(VC) Infant & Nursery would transfer to the new Bradley Primary in September 2011

Support for staff

Retaining our skilled teaching and support staff to maintain high standards of teaching and learning is fundamental to our plans. We have been working with staff groups and trade unions to develop a HR framework to support staff transitions that will ensure processes are fair and support individuals in terms of their career ambitions and personal aspirations.

Governors

If two or more schools are proposed to become an all through primary, the existing schools are closed and a new school is opened. A temporary governing body is set up in advance of the opening date in order to prepare for the new school. This temporary governing body would include members of the governing bodies of each of the existing schools and the aim would be to achieve a balance of representation from both schools. The governing body would be responsible for deciding the staffing structure and making appointments. The emphasis of the temporary Governing Body will clearly be on preparing for a smooth transition and ensuring that
the new school makes a good start.