New Secondary Schools for Richmond 3

[BayJay]

Hello and welcome to the Mumsnet thread about Richmond Borough Secondary Schools. The discussion started in February 2011 in two parallel locations here and here.

In November 2011 the most active of those two threads, in Mumsnet Local, reached 1000 messages (the maximum allowed) so we continued the conversation here.

Now its May 2012 and that thread has also filled up, so the conversation will continue here ......

Yes, I agree that there were/are problems with councils that don't look across their borders despite the Greenwich ruling - Kingston council to some degree. Equally, I think it's wrong for Richmond LEA to expect Richmond pupils to fill up academies when they are close to boundaries and are outside LEA control. On the other hand, if they don't improve or fill up, that poses more questions to be addressed about how those schools are being run and whether they can be regarded as a mainstream option.

The RTT reports: Latchmere House prison 'too expensive' to be school site: . . Hopes for a much-needed school in a prison on the border of Richmond and Kingston have been dashed by councillors who admitted both boroughs do not have enough money to buy the land.
and Free schools get permission to lease Richmond Council sites: Two free schools in Richmond will be given permission to lease council-owned sites in Mortlake and Hampton. Both Thompson House School and St Mary?s Hampton Church of England Primary were given the go ahead by Michael Gove to become independent free schools. Richmond Council is proposing to lease Thompson House the Old Courthouse site in Mortlake and Hampton?s Oldfield School site to St Mary?s.

Chris, yes I thought that Latchmere House story was rather odd. The site is owned by the Ministry of Justice, so if a free school proposed to use it the council wouldn't need to buy it.

Perhaps the RTT just misinterpreted what was said in the meeting.

The BBC report mentions the work by London councils to lobby government and work with the mayor. I really hope something will come of this initiative.

There was a link on that page to a previous report about the 'startling turnaround' in London's schools, where they quoted an FT report's finding that 'by 2011 pupils in some of the poorest areas of the capital were outperforming children in more affluent areas'.

Muminlondon, yes, that London turnaround story is strongly linked to the success of the London Challenge.

If you read the report referred to in that London Challenge article it particularly praises the contribution of Education London, parent company of RET, who are in turn the educational partner for the Turing House free school proposal.

That's interesting, thanks for the link BayJay. I wish this thread had been running and/or I had been better informed when the academies consultations were going on in Richmond.

RISC reports: . . The High Court hearing of our Judicial Review will be on 16th November, plus part of the day on 17th . . We won't necessarily get a decision on that day - the judge could decide to deliver their decision and full judgement at a later date . .

Correction The High Court hearing of the Judicial Review will be on 15th November and part of the day on 16th

I just read this story about the VA school application from Portsmouth www.wwgazette.co.uk/2012/09/new-4-5m-primary-school-proposed-for-whiteley/
There 2011 free school application was turned down due to concerns about inadequate demand, curriculum plan and targets. They were not even called for an interview. So now the Council and Diocese are using the shortcut VA route to get a school to open in September 2013.
Gove has to me completely insane if he has left a loophole in the new Act - the credebility of his whole education policy is at stake here. Keeping the VA back door route open is a really unfair for all those who put in a lot of honest and hard work to make Free school applications and are subject to compete for scare resources.

The RTT reports Green light for Richmond Park Academy sixth form:
. . Headteacher Lesley Kirby said: ?The whole academy is delighted with our new status and we are looking forward to working with colleagues from within and outside the borough to build a really superb range of sixth form opportunities for Richmond students.? . .

Here's a link to the Southampton story and the CofE's Consultations on proposals to provide additional primary school places for Whiteley. There is no mention of any faith-based criteria for admission.

They are trying to avoid competition, irrespective of their admissions policy. Also VA schools can change admissions policy anytime .

Who can propose a VA school - does it need to be a church or can be any sponsor like RET, AET etc. Can Turin house not apply for a VA community school if it is a easier and guaranteed process ?

"Who can propose a VA school"
Its an interesting question, and I don't know the answer. High-level definitions of VA schools (e.g. Wikipedia) refer to them being run "usually" by a religious body, but perhaps any charitable trust that is able to contribute 10% of the capital funding is eligible. Don't know I'm afraid.

Interestingly, the Wikipedia definition of a VA school also says a VA school trust "owns the school buildings", but I can't see that stated as part of the DfE definition, so presumably its incorrect or out of date.

Anyone may set up a voluntary school if they have the means and then ask the LEA to 'maintain' [= 2. Of a school in the UK: supported from public funds.(OED)] it:

Voluntary . . 9. a. Of institutions: Maintained or supported solely or largely by the freewill offerings or contributions of members or subscribers, and free from State interference or control; spec. in Educ. with reference to schools, etc., maintained by voluntary bodies.
1944 Act 7 & 8 Geo. VI c. 31 §8 [Education Act]: Primary and secondary schools maintained by a local education authority . . shall, . . if established otherwise than by such an authority, be known as voluntary schools. [OED]

Maintained schools may be either 'controlled' or 'aided'.

So this route to a new school is still open but only to persons and organisations that have the means to partly pay for it and the influence to get money or land for it from other benefactors, in this case the Council, which is giving the church the site because they, having just bought it, have decided they don't need it.

The story about Whiteley is interesting because it's obviously really the Council that wants to open the school and is providing most of the "means" but the Church of England is on board too so they can badge it as a VA school. It even says that it is the council officers who will be holding the public meetings to explain the proposal to parents. No doubt the Council will continue to be very involved in how it is actually run. Therefore if the Gove interpretation is correct councils that want to avoid the new free school route to get a new inclusive school can now do so provided they get the Church of England or another "tame" religious institution that is willing to be inclusive on board? It seems rather different from the typical view of the VA school as being outside the interference of the secular, politically-biased local authority of whatever political persuasion! I suppose our Catholic VA school is not that different as the local authority is providing it with the site that it paid £8.5 m for and then realised it didn't need and is deeply concerned about whether it goes ahead or not! So if Gove is correct, wouldn't they be better off following the VA route in Kingston and using the University as the voluntary body? I can't see this court case being over in 1.5 days - it's getting more and more complicated.

"wouldn't they be better off following the VA route in Kingston and using the University as the voluntary body?"

What an interesting thought! If Gove's interpretation of the law is upheld, and then Nick Whitfield's North Kingston Free School proposal is rejected, then the VA route would be the logical next step for him. And of course, like the Twickenham VA school, they could plan to convert it to Academy status asap after opening. Job done!

As Nick Whitfield is in charge of LB Richmond too he already knows all about VA schools and the legally watertight avoidance mechanism so he doesn't even need to wait for the court case or to put in a free school bid before he goes ahead with a University VA school?! Why enter a head to head battle with those pesky Christians who are also claiming the North Kingston free school funds!? (I'm assuming that it's unlikely the Government would fund two free schools for North Kingston?) Surely someone should write to him and point this out?

Arrange 10% funding from a sponsor, get free site from your friendly Council - is there really this shortcut to open a new school ? Does make a mockery of the academy/ free school intent.

I'm assuming that it's unlikely the Government would fund two free schools for North Kingston

Three things have changed since the original campaign by parents: (a) Grey Court is now first choice for North Kingston parents, (b) most north Kingston primaries gained links by 2012 and now all other Kingston children have fair access, and (c) with a sixth form it matches the Kingston schools.

A new school in that location will either have empty places or, if Grey Court takes more pupils from on the bus from Richmond (and a few over the bridge from Teddington) it will affect Christ's and could in turn affect RPA.

But if Teddington parents are interested in a new Kingston school it might free up a free places at Teddington for local parents.

I've only ever known one family in Teddington send kids over the bridge to Grey Court and I can't think why anyone would choose a new school some way away in Kingston in preference to Teddington School which is established and popular and to which most of their child's friends will be going. But you never know! I remember we chewed over whether there was a need for a new school specifically in North Kingston as opposed to serving the Borough of Kingston a while back and decided there weren't really enough statistics available to say whether it was needed in North Kingston because there wasn't enough room at Grey Court for all the North Kingston children that were being added to primaries.

It may be the case with any new school that it wouldn't fill up at once. I get the feeling North Kingston parents felt aggrieved when they were excluded from Richmond's link system, yet when they did get their links they protested very hard about the policy being removed.

Very interesting programme about free schools on Radio 4 by the way.

HT for the new St Richard Reynold's school in twick has been announced, Richard Burke. Anyone know him? Current head of Christ's i believe.

I've heard he is Catholic. He's on the admissions forum.

Independent Catholic News reports: Hundreds attend Open Day at new Catholic school for west London

. . More than 800 parents and potential students attended an Open Day for St Richard Reynolds Catholic College in Twickenham . . The secondary school presentation had to be given three times to ensure that all those who turned up were able to hear and see it. As well as finding out about admissions arrangements, curriculum and facilities, visitors at the Open Day were also informed that the school will teach Latin. Parents and pupils were also able to see a sample of the uniforms . .

No mention of the JR.

Just found the announcement about Richard Burke as head of St Richard Reynolds.