Haberdashers' East Dulwich - 751 families supporting

[Belle]

James said the council leader, and as he later mentioned, that is Peter John. He also mentioned the council member for children's services, that is Cllr Dora Dixon-Fyle. It should be fairly straightforward to follow the process: anyone can come on here, Facebook/Twitter or email /phone James or make contact via the website for information. I'm on the steering group and have made myself known to my son's primary school, as I know others have on the steering group in their respective schools, which means in practice that parents in every school in the area should have at least one named person they can make contact with if they have any enquiries.

[simonethebeaver]

It would be great if this thread could be used to discuss what local people would like to see in a school, rather than an ideological argument. Almost 350 local families have now expressed support for the idea. I know that the current legislation doesn't please everyone. I'm not entirely convinced by the free school policy myself. But pragmatism has to rule if we're to get the school we need. Hopefully we'll end up with a school provided by a name that many people are happy with.

Please, let's talk about the things that are important to you in a school. On your wishlists, what does the new ED secondary provide? What issues are important to you? And maybe we can leave the argument about the principle at the door for now, because it really is derailing the thread.

[TE44]

Thanks Belle, I really would like to see a school where parents are involved, and I think it would be good for

people outside the schools steering group parents to meet the steering group. It is not always easy for people to

post and express there views, I myself find I have typed something, when re-read, which has came over unclear.

I met a young single mum the other day with her daughter, I told her about the forum, not in relation to schools, and she told me although she had a phone she rarely has credit. It would be a nice way to include people.

Simonethebeaver, Firstly I would like to know the chosen provider, maybe this is on twitter or facsbook , i'm on neither. Would it be possible for one of the steering group to put up ideas that have been given from

parents the steering group are in contact with. The admission policy, a school that recognises room for

change has been mentioned here, an academic school which encourages creativity, a disipline where respect is a two way thing, an enviromental built school which will enable practical teaching (solar),

It woul also be good to hear the providers ideas of the sort of school they want.

Thanks for posting it just feels good to hear from the parents of the steering group, although we may have different ideas I believe you will do your best for the children, good luck.

[simonethebeaver]

TE44, there isn't a chosen provider yet. There are discussions in progress with providers with a record of providing the sort of schools in the local area that people want to see set up in East Dulwich. As we've said already, Harris is not involved, nor are any big academy chains.

[TE44]

Thanks, I didn't know whether the choice between the two providers had been made, will this be made before the

application is submitted, how will the decision be made.I think this is a great

chance to show transparency and involve people.

[intexasatthe moment]

Education is such an important subject and so many people seem to know so little about the political influences ,the way admissions policies work ,the current role of the LA 's admission forum etc that a discussion about a new school is bound to be wide ranging .

I don't think people should be upset by this or worry that the thread is being derailed .

I would like to see a school with an admissions policy based on fair banding ( ie banding which would result in an intake whose make up reflected the national ,not local ,spread of attainment ) with geographically defined areas within which a lottery system operates .

I would like the payscales of all staff including management to follow NUT scales . I would like the management team to be small .

And I think TE44's comments are very valid . There is a need to try and include people in this issue and to accommodate those without twitter and facebook accounts . Maybe provide more detail here ?

[edanna]

I want my children to go to a school where each child is treated as an individual, encouraged to find and pursue their interests and talents, whether those are creative, academic or sporty. There should be a pastoral system that gives staff the time to take an interest in the wellbeing of every child, with staff and a culture that cares about the pupils, not just results.

[simonethebeaver]

Transparency is really important to the steering group and ways to engage with the whole community are already on the agenda of our next meeting in the next few days. Obviously, within the decision making process, it will be impossible to please everyone. Including probably all members of the steering group! The aim will be to ensure that the school meets the needs of community. Ultimately of course, parents have the choice not to use the school if it doesn't offer what they want, but we hope that won't be the case. I would hope for example that edanna would feel happy with it.

The application to open a school will be taken forward by whichever provider is chosen, with advice from the steering group on parents' interests and local concerns.

[abrown123]

Is The Charter School being considered as a provider of the new school? It started from scratch about ten years ago and now has a very good reputation in the area, so they have experience of setting up a successful school.

[intexasatthe moment]

I'm sure mention was made up thread of two sponsors that had been approached .

Can't find it now which is odd . Think one of them was Haberdashers but I could be wrong .

[albert]

The Charter School should be approached. It seems to tick nearly all the boxes and has a relationship with all primary schools in the area already. The two schools, depending on location, would be able to share some facilities and some specialist staff; Latin Mandarin???? It seems strange that people want to approach Haberdashers and Prendergast first. (Not all of their schools perform well).

[TE44]

I believe it is haberdashers and Prendergast.

[intexasatthe moment]

Inclined to agree about approaching Charter . Seems odd to approach Haberdashers and Prendergast . But maybe there are reasons .

[James Barber]

The idea of free schools is to create choice. So ticking that box is part of any free school application. Also people have rightly highlighted we already have sufficient Harris secondary schools with two in the area.

[bornagain]

Yes, agree about Harris, but why not Charter? Are they not keen? Or have they not been approached? If not why not?

[intexasatthe moment]

sure James will be right back at us with a clear explanation .

[James Barber]

Hi bornagain, ITATM,

A number of providers have been approached and we are in discussions/fact finding with some IN CONFIDENCE.

So I and the steering committee can't comment further at this stage.

We will be able to fully comment Monday 31 March.

[bornagain]

simonethebeaver (who I think is on the steering group) said:

"Transparency is really important to the steering group and ways to engage with the whole community are already on the agenda of our next meeting in the next few days. "

This is quite in contradiction to the last response from James who essentially told this thread (ie at least a part of the community) to mind our own business!

ETA it wasn't just intexas and I who asked (I know we have badgered you at times re: education related questions :D) - others also asked the question re: Charter.

[intexasatthe moment]

I must say I'm racking my brain as to why the names of the potential providers has to be kept secret .

Would the one/s not chosen be upset ?

I wonder too if we could know the subject matter of the discussions and what the facts sought are .

But I'm sure I'm being naive and missing things .

[Shuggy]

There is really no conspiracy here?although, I guess I would say that as someone who is on the steering committee!

The steering committee is made up of 20 parents from the 400 we have signed up in support of a new school. By canvasing opinions on here and in the playgrounds of the local primary schools we believe that the consensus is for a co-ed, non-faith, non-selective school with a fair admissions policy for local children --that is also excellent.

There is little enthusiasm for Harris which is already very well represented in the local area and remains a choice for ED parents to send their children too.

So we decided that the best way to meet the criteria was to approach well-respected school federations with existing track record. We communicated this strategy to supporters on here, on Twitter, on the Facebook feed and in leaflets in the book bags of parents with children in years 3 and 4 in local primary schools. At this point the support went up significantly. We could have gone down an open tender route with commercial academy chains, but as a parent-led free school application we are not restricted by this and so we are able to sound out and approach educational institutions who would be committed to building a school that meets the criteria, and open in 2016.

Which we have done. Those that we have spoken to have requested that we do not make public their involvement yet, simply because discussions are at an early stage. That?s it. We think it right to respect that rather than jeopardise their involvement but continue to communicate every bit of information as and when we can.

I guess some parents will object to a new local school-- although it's hard to imagine why -even if you don't intend to send your children there, surely 150-180 children each year going to a new school will free up places at the other local schools? All we can do is try to deliver what the consensus asked for, and 400 people have signed up for: an excellent co-ed, non-faith, non-selective school with a fair admissions policy for local children.

[bornagain]

Thank you Shuggy for a clear statement of where you are re: the new school. I think you are right when you say that from where you sit on the panel everything is clear and transparent - but from outside looking in, it appears less so.

While those parents whose children will be directly involved ie those in years 3 and 4 currently have a personal interest in this venture, the proposed school because it will be funded through the public purse will be of interest to the entire community (whether they have children or not) and hence the need for transparency.

I take an interest in the whole education debate locally and it does concern me that the drive to set up individual schools distracts from looking at the overall education strategy for the borough as a whole. For example there are schools that are not full in other parts of the borough - so perhaps efforts should be made to enable these places to be taken up first before setting up a brand new school?

It is a great shame that the local authority who is in the best position to orchestrate a borough-wide strategy can't because of the current government's policy.

[James Barber]

Hi bornagain,

Some schools in Southwark have spare places. But families in Dulwich aren't willing to send their kids the three bus changes required to go to them.

Pragmatism says we need a new secondary school in East Dulwich. Already many families move out of the area to live somewhere they can get a great secondary school.

Southwark's original stance when I met them in November was they have enough places and parents should be willing to send their kids whereever Southwark has spare places - new secondary school on the Aylesbury estate opens this September for example.

Frankly that's cloud cuckoo land and I'm relieved that Southwark Council has agreed, when we met with them last Thursday, to change this policy to support our new secondary school campaign.

And yes I am relieved that the free school option means parents do now have a final say in education.

[intexasatthe moment]

Thanks Shuggy . Actually I guess a potential sponsor school might not want their involvement known at this stage in an effort to stave off worried parents of their pupils fearing that the school might overstretch itself and that their children might somehow suffer in the process .

JB - I'm fairly sure The Academy @Peckham isn't oversubscribed ,and that surely isn't far for ED parents to travel .

[grabot]

I'm joining this late, but what's the ambit of it? I understand that East Dulwich needs a secondary school to avoid children having to travel too far, but some of the discussion suggests that the selection criteria might not be purely based on distance. Wouldn't any other criteria be self-defeating? If the school is ultimately successful and bases its criteria on, for example, academic criteria, then it is possible that the likelihood of a child from ED getting in is the same as a child from Croydon?

I understand that people can "game" distance, but that can be detected and resolved, and in any event I suspect that is a minority.

My basic position, if the criteria is distance, I am in favour; it will be a useful asset to the community.

[bornagain]

re: Peckham Academy - there indeed are vacancies - James posted it himself - see one of the attachments of the schools with vacancies this year.

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,1278956

Actually for ED kids Aylesbury Estate is not hard to get to - one bus - either 176 or 40 - will take you there.

I can understand why ED parents would prefer a lovely brand spanking new school in leafy ED compared to a school on a council estate in gritty Walworth (shudder - spare the thought!)

BUT in the interests of the community as a whole (and this includes all those people who do not have children or have children who are no longer in education) politicians should be looking at ways of making these schools which appear to not to be that attractive, attractive. It is a waste of resources throwing money after new projects when there are ways of utilising existing resources.