Why was the timeline not part of the consultation
document (as you wrote in your letter).
The timeline flowchart was drawn up to illustrate how
the consultation process, as outlined in the original consultation document,
sits within the overall timetable. The flowchart was made available to
residents attending the meeting on 24 July 2012 and then posted on the
consultation webpage.
Why was there no mention of the possibility of the
sale of land at The Russell School in the consultation document (yet it is
mentioned in the missing timeline)
The consultation document formed part of the informal
consultation process and relates principally to the educational provision of
pupils at Strathmore School
Why does the consultation document claim that new
buildings are vital to Strathmore improving its OFSTED rating from ‘Good’ to
‘Outstanding’ when the OFSTED report makes no mention of the buildings, and
cites a) teaching issues and b) the performance of the governing body at
Strathmore as the issues that need changing.#
The
Local Authority is of the view that new buildings would enhance the provision
at the school and this will lead to better outcomes for pupils. The previous Ofsted report does point to
the buildings restricting the educational opportunities on offer at the school.
There are also many recorded maintenance and condition issues regarding access
and the fabric of the building that need addressing.
Was it indeed suggested to parents in the 24th
July meeting that rebuilding Strathmore on the current site was a possibility?
If so, what has changed?
This matter was addressed at the meeting. Many of the
required improvements to suitability and condition cannot be addressed through
refurbishment alone and the extent of works that could be completed would cause
major disruption to the school. A re-build of the school on the current site
would cause even more disruption and likely involve many phases to keep the
school open.
Is it true that the Council has already allocated
funds from reserves for development work at Grey Court and Clifden? Why has no
money from reserves been allocated for The Russell?
There has been an
allocation of funding to the development of the sixth form at Grey Court in line
with the Council commitment to the development of sixth form provision in all
mainstream Secondary Schools/ Academies. There has been an allocation of
funding to the new primary School site at Clifden Road as part of the planned
expansion of primary school places in this area of the borough.
Can you confirm the valuations that the Council has
received on the Strathmore and Russell School land, and also the estimates the
council has received for the rebuild
There is no
formal valuation on the land and the costs at this stage are at best
preliminary. Detailed work will be required to firm all of these numbers. Clear
estimates will be given if we go to Statutory Consultation
Why, if the consultation is about the best model of
care for the children, have parents been given no evidence either way for the
proposed model on which to base their judgement?
The Local Authority holds the view that the proposals
offer the best model for meeting the diverse needs of this group of pupils. The
proposals are for discrete purpose built facilities that also provide the
opportunity for greater inclusion in mainstream activities where this is of
benefit to pupils. Although
research in this area is limited evidence would suggest that attitudes and
careful management of inclusion are key to its success. The proposals
meet both the Local Authority’s principles for improvements to special
educational provision and the ‘improvement test’ as recommended by the
Department for Education. The details of this are outlined in the consultation
document.
Could you confirm you are aware of the on line
petition against this proposal and that you have noted the numbers signing it?
Could you also confirm you are aware that Russell school parents voted against
these proposals?
We are aware of both of these. The online petition
focuses on the sale of land whereas the Local Authority’s consultation is on
the provision for pupils with significant special needs. In reaching any
decisions on these proposals the Local Authority will need to consider the
views of all stake holders but particularly the views of parents with children
at Strathmore School.
Could you confirm there is no truth to the rumours
circulating that Council officials asked Governors not to share aspects of
their thinking with the wider school and local community?
Governors were
asked to keep financial information confidential based on the issues
highlighted above – the estimates were not validated. The Council has tried to
achieve a balance of giving information to relevant decision makers and
stakeholders at the School to assist them in the decision making process whilst
not creating unnecessary anxiety to the public given that all discussions were
preliminary and may not proceed. If they do proceed to statutory consultation
more concrete information will be presented.
Can you confirm that the council has not commissioned
any other studies into potential impacts of developing on the
Strathmore/Russell school sites (which would seem somewhat premature given this
is an informal initial consultation).
An initial
concept was prepared for Governors of Strathmore and The Russell School to give
them a sense of the proposal and the range of possible options. This was a
confidential work in progress in order to assist Governors in making an in
principle decision to move forward. Without the support of Governors the
projects would not have progressed.
Can you confirm that in the two days Russell School
parents were informed they had to complete the on line consultation document,
that the document was down and incapable of taking comment?
We are only aware of the online consultation
questionnaire not functioning in the early stages of the consultation period
and this was fixed. We are aware that some people had difficulties in filling
out the consultation questionnaire and where we were alerted to this a paper
version was sent out to the individuals concerned. Website activity shows that
individuals were submitting returns until the questionnaire was removed from
the webpage at the end of the informal consultation period.
Why was no meeting arranged for Russell School
Parents as it was for Strathmore?
The two public meetings arranged were open to all
parents. One was hosted locally at Strathmore School and the other elsewhere in
the Borough at Windham Croft Centre. The intention was to provide an
opportunity for as many interested parents to attend the meetings. The dates
and venues were posted on the consultation webpage, included in the
consultation document and sent out to parents via the three schools concerned.
Local voluntary groups and charities were also alerted.
Why were parents not told in writing that land at The
Russell school could be sold to developers until after the consultation forms
had been returned?
The consultation was principally on the educational
provision for children with significant and complex learning difficulties at
Strathmore. The potential sale of land on The Russell site relates to the
redevelopment of The Russell School buildings.
Can you confirm that other funding options will be
looked at for the development that do not include any sale of school land. Can
you also confirm that the Council will not sell the Strathmore land if other
funds are found?
Currently the
Council is of the view that all funding options have been explored but we will
continue to explore external funding options, as appropriate within the
timescales. If other funds are identified the Council will consider all
available options at the time and consult on those, with a focus on improving
outcomes for children and young people.
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