New Dulwich school on Bellenden Rd, GIVEN PERMISSION

[Renata Hamvas]

OK apologies,

Renata

[jimmyraj]

This is a promising development. As someone living around 200m from the site with a child looking to enter reception in 2015, I've expressed our interest in the idea.

To Renata and James - seems like it's a little too late not to descend into political brawl. What I don't quite get is both of your close interest in it, when it's not in either of your wards though I do appreciate it relieves pressure on the wider education system as a whole. Shame none of the Lane councillors can get themselves involved in this debate, though not surprising.

If it's a case of raising awareness, definitely agree some signposting outside of this forum would be worthwhile. There are numerous community noticeboards in the area that could host a printed version of this, eg on the corner opposite Review bookshop.

[greenwater]

I'm very pleased to see progress on this - more choice can only be a good thing in my eyes. Sonia - have you thought about sending a brief communication to local nurseries and asking them to distribute to their parents? Could be an effective and targeted way of reaching your audience... I've asked mine to pass on the message anyway :). Keep up the good work to help improve our community.

[James Barber]

Hi jimmyraj,

My interest is to ensure we have enough local school places. This proposed school will relieve pressure on East Dulwich schools - especially Goose Green School.

The option Southwark Council is pushing I believe is not ideal for the area or the school. It risks Dulwich Hamlet not being the provider.

[joskat]

Completely understand there is a need for primary school places in the area but where will all these children go to secondary school? Perhaps the thinking is everyone moves away or sends their kids to private school in this area.

Also I never understood why Bellenden School couldn't be made bigger or even use the old site by splitting the school between two sites. Nursery through to Year 2 (Infants) in their current location with Years 3 to 6 (Junior) at the old school or vice a versa.

Suppose it just boils down to money, funding streams etc, oh and the likelihood that having the word Dulwich in the title will provoke more interest!

[James Barber]

Hi Joskat,

I don't think they're planning on using the Dulwich name in the title.

Expanding the existing Bellenden School would be one option. It currently only has one form entry. Ofsted rate it as good. Perhaps hugely expanding a good school, i.e. tripling its size, while trying to improve it further wouldn't work. I would suggest it would be quite a feat.

Dulwich Hamlet are an outstanding school. Replicating that should be relatively in comparison straight forward.

Secondary school is the next big project.

[DulwichHamJnrSchool]

We attended a briefing at the council offices in Tooley Street today regarding Southwark's performance across a number of key areas including education. It was great to hear the Leader of the Council, Peter John, express his obvious support for opening a new school in the Old Bellenden buildings,working with Dulwich Hamlet.

It was also exciting to hear about the sheer amount of regeneration in the borough including in the Peckham area. It seems that the amount of energy, artistic talents, and commitment to change from local residents, will result in a school that is well suited to provide for the future generation of south londoners.

Please keep emailing your interest and details as we are building our database and will be contacting those who have been in touch in regard to a public meeting.

[email protected]

[CHLOE781]

Hi James Barber - my husband and I are very excited about these possible plans for 'The Belham' school espcially as we live on Maxted Road and have a little one who would be starting primary school in Sept 2016. I do think that the immediate area around Maxted Road offers some good state primary schools - albeit their resources may/will be stretched in the future, especially (though ancedotally) in light of all the children that seem to be around now! I do think your point made in passing about secondary schools is absolutely imperative as the impression I have of the local area is that the standard of secondary schools is not anywhere near that of the local primary schools, relatively speaking. As a parent who really wants to stay in the area and in London in general for that matter, I really think a lot more work needs to be done on improving the standards of our local secondary schools and ultimately, in my opinion, this is what we're all working towards viz. primary school.

[DulwichHamJnrSchool]

Thank you to all who have emailed in support of Dulwich Hamlet Educational Trust's proposed new primary school on the site of the old Bellenden school.

We will be holding a public meeting to discuss the proposals on Wednesday 2nd October at Faith Chapel Pentecostal Church, 198 Bellenden Road. The meeting will start at 6.45pm prompt with an expected finish of no later than 8.30pm.

The current Chair of Governors at the Hamlet, Simon Burton, and the Head Teacher, Sonia Case, will be in attendance with other Hamlet governors and Southwark representatives.

Please note that we will unfortunately be unable to provide refreshments, but are aware there are several local establishments people may wish to visit for refreshments before or after the meeting.

Please circulate this information to anyone who may be interested in attending. We will be distributing flyers to local businesses next week. We also have a contact form which will be available at the meeting, but that you may wish to complete and email back to The Hamlet in advance, or print and bring along on the 2nd. The form is available if you email [email protected]

We hope to meet as many of you as possible on the 2nd. If you are planning to attend, we should be grateful if you would reply by email so that we have an idea of the numbers expected.

[Grotty]

Very excited about this meeting this week. I walk past the school every day and wish it would open as a primary sooner rather than later. Know of lots of local families who are also very interested. Hope it works out...

[DulwichHamJnrSchool]

Just a reminder regarding the public meeting being held tomorrow in the Faith Chapel Pentecostal Church hall opposite the old Bellenden school building. The meeting starts at 6.45pm and is an opportunity to hear more about the proposal for a new school opening in 2015, a chance to ask questions and to offer any skills that will support the project. There are no refreshments in the hall but know there are local places in the vicinity that you can retire to afterwards. Contact [email protected] for further information.

[DulwichHamJnrSchool]

Thank you to all who were able to attend the meeting at St Faiths yesterday evening, as well as to those who have been in touch but were unable to make it.It was good to see Cabinet Member for Children's Services in attendance as well as some local councillors.

We were thrilled by the interest and enthusiasm you showed in the project, and the number of skills that have been offered to help us in the opening stages. We will shortly work our way through the "expressions of interest" forms and develop a strategy on how best to utilise all this Bellenden talent.

There is a lot of work to be done as we explained. The process now requires us to apply to become a Free School, with the application form to be submitted in early January 2014. We know we have the active support of Southwark Council and clearly huge support from the local community. We presented our educational vision/approach to learning, and hopefully communicated how that was transferable. We also made clear that there is considerable work ahead in regard to capital investment in the building and refurbishing the internal space(s) to make them fit for purpose. But very exciting, nonetheless.

Keep supporting us- if you haven't yet expressed interest, please do so.

[Belhamcommunity]

Just wanted to give an update to this thread. We are posting as part of the Core Applicant Group - local community members and parents who attended the public meeting in October and who are working with the Dulwich Hamlet Educational Trust to support their application to create a new community primary school on the site of Bellenden Old School.

As part of the free school application process we need to give supporting evidence to demonstrate the demand and need for a new primary school in the area. There was a fantastic turn out at the public meeting and many people have already expressed their support for the school - but we would be really grateful if any interested prospective parents or members of the local community who haven't yet registered their support would be able to do so.

This can be done very quickly online at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/belham

There is more information available on the proposal for the new school here: http://www.dulwichhamletjuniorschool.org.uk/thebelham.htm

There will be a drop-in session with the Head teacher of Dulwich Hamlet Junior School, Mrs Sonia Case, and members of the Core Applicant Group on Saturday December 7th from 11am to 1pm at the Bellenden Old School building. Please do pop by if you missed the public meeting and would like more information or the opportunity to ask questions about the school proposal.

[Grotty]

Has there been any progress with this application?

[James Barber]

Yes Gorrty.

Application in progress and I'd be amazed if the Department of Education/Educational Finance Agency don't approve the free school application.

[Grotty]

James, the interview with the DfE was scheduled in March. Do you know if this went ahead or how it went? Or when a decision is likely to be made? Thanks

[dhjs]

The interview was in March and we were told that we would be told in May but when we asked whether that would be the the beginning or the end of the month, we were told "may"!

We are very confident that it will be a positive outcome and are looking forward to working with the architects and contractors to get the buildings turned into a stunning school.

[nesrin]

The old bellenden school was felt unsuitable and a new one form entry school was built very Close by . The rational being that modernising the old school buildings would be more expensive. Times change and sites being so limited the old building would be made to work but modernised.

[tomo]

Any further news on this?

[*CGPC*]

Decisions are very unlikely to be announced until after Purdah now, so I would expect next week at the earliest (and that's assuming that decisions have indeed been made already and we're just waiting for the announcements...).

[Miss Helen]

p

[embo71]

Any news on this ..???

I think a decision was supposed to be made in May...

Thanks,

Em

[j-mo]

There was a tweet on 12 may that said decisions had been delayed until early June

[dhjs]

We promise that when we hear from the Dfe, we will be letting people know on this forum; we are in anxious nailbiting stage and hope that we might be told this week.

[embo71]

I have just had a mail, looks like the school has been approved!

Good times...