Richmond Borough Schools Chat 7

[muminlondon2]

Lots and lots of discussions on local schools and education issues preceded this thread, including Richmond Borough Schools Chat 6.

Anyone who wants to carry on that discussion, and offer information and opinions (without being moderated by any particular individual or interest group, bearing in mind all the usual mumsnet guidelines about respect and not getting personal, etc.) - feel free.

Tough environment? Anyone would think there's an undersupply of kids. It's not rocket science. Most people would be happy to go to their local school so long as it was as good as other almost-local schools. TA and HA don't have any excuse other than a lame sponsor which has struggled to attract strong leaders and teaching staff. If they were as good as Teddington they'd be full by now.

The intake at TA/HA has never really changed since before Kunskapsskokan came along - half or more from Hounslow, half as many in the top sets compared to Teddington/Waldegrave, twice as many low attainers / deprived / ESL. Turing House taking 100-150 pupils from the same catchment area won't help. But if it changes its admissions to prioritise those on pupil premium, and the head contributed a day a week to help of his school improvement expertise, I'd agree Turing House could make a positive contribution to all four other secondaries in Teddington, West Twickenham and Whitton.

Interesting timing re the resignation of the RPA HT - two days after the deadline for secondary choices.

She doesn't say where she's moving to - maybe retiring?

I noticed the Turing head's old school, now Oasis Coulsdon, has done really well on Ebacc this year - 33%, up from 5% last year. Now that really is made easier with a larger top set, most of whom could be entered and a large majority could achieve. National stats for middle attainers only= had 32% entered and about a third of those passing. So unless intake has changed radically the head there must have done some good. Perhaps he only has one school to look after

RPA Head is going to another AET school, Kingsley Academy in Hounslow ..... link here

...suggests she has more faith in them than in the local MAT idea.

The Guardian today highlights the problem of school funding for schools.

I'm angry that so much money was wasted on the legal costs of academy conversion, brokerage, etc. and funding lots of new free schools, yet now the freestanding academy model is not working, LAs have been reduced in effectiveness, and schools are being coerced to form mini local authorities and offer school improvement services within MATs without the back office support of the LAs, or programmes such as the London Challenge. And yet there are ever more hoops to jump with new exams, etc. This is coming at the same time as serious recruitment shortages. Next they'll be following junior doctors and heading off to Dubai.

suggests she has more faith in them than in the local MAT idea.
Or that she was running scared of the MAT (which is not going to happen anyway, now) or...the results were about to catch up with her, so she scarpered while she could.

The Guardian article is based on a press release from NAHT - the heads’ trade union - accompanying a very sketchy report of a survey they have done:

‘New figures released today by the National Association of Head Teachers show that nearly two thirds of school leaders (64 %) are making ‘significant’ cuts or dipping into reserves to stave off deficits. Four in five school leaders (82 %) said that budget cuts would have a negative impact on standards.

Russell Hobby, NAHT general secretary said: “Flat cash education spending at a time of rising costs is pushing many schools closer to breaking point. Employer costs for national insurance and teachers’ pensions will increase by over 5 % from this school year, adding to already over-stretched budgets. School leaders are being forced to cut spending in all areas, including essential maintenance (50 %) and – most worryingly – on teachers and teaching assistants (49 %).”

Almost half of school leaders (45 %) thought their budget would be untenable on current projections within two years. Two thirds (67 %) said they would not be able to balance the books in four years’ time. Seven % of those surveyed were already running a deficit.’

The Breaking Point report

The coming cuts will bite most deeply into the secondary schools with weak sixth forms running at a loss and unable to compete successfully for the abler pupils they need to improve their results.

Wow. There's a comment on the RTT story saying TA's sixth form is evaporating, with just 4 enrolled. Sounds like they're really on the rocks.

As many predicted before all this started - will rapidly reduce to a few viable 6th forms - Waldegrave, Grey Court - maybe Orleans.

Sounds like Hampton Academy is in a slightly stronger position than Twickenham Academy and might take those sixth form pupils this year. Turing House and the new Richmond College school are cited as 'recruitment challenges' - no doubt both in terms of pupils and teachers. If the academies do form a new MAT they could move away from the Swedish teaching model: it would give them wider appeal long term. That's assuming the basis of support for Turing House was its more mainstream approach.

I don't see a "recruitment challenge" for TH. There is huge demand coming through from primary, any good/outstanding school will fill. As for recruiting teachers, obviously there is a national issue but given the calibre TH has got at present they are finding outstanding teachers despite this.

Twickenham Academy notes the 'recruitment challenge' in its Academy Council Minutes 13th October, section 11.

The information jellytoto was referring to is under para 6.3 - 'only 4 students recruited to Year 12 this year, compared with 50 last year, and Ofsted would be told that the sixth form would be put on hold until results for the rest of the school improved'. There's a discussion of the importance of continuity in teaching, as 'classes whose teachers had been here for a full two years did much better' but it was hard keeping Maths progress consistent (which logically suggests a higher turnover of staff).

Figures on applications this year to Turing House and Twickenham Academy will be interesting, as this proposal was announced after the deadline for applications. But if TA becomes part of a new trust, the wider school community of four schools, parents and teachers, will have an interest in seeing it improve, and would hope it has a fair chance to do so.

I suppose teachers look at schools with the same critical eyes as parents when they're moving job and if they join a school that's not already good they at least need to know its on its way so they can be part of the improvement for the sake of their CV. Maths teachers have a lot of needy schools to choose from. Praps TA will be more attractive under new control.
Turing had some application figures in a newsletter recently. It was over 500 I think, though not broken down by preference. Sounded healthy though. I think the 4 school trust idea makes the Turing admission point seem very logical, to spread the impact over more than just TA.

Today’s print RTT has (p 22) a letter from Alex Knight: ‘Hampton Academy is brilliant.’ He has a pupil in Year 10.

I am told the meeting at Teddington School about the 4 school trust was rather stormy as parents feel there is a lot to be done at Teddington before senior leadership take off to TA and HA.

The consolidation of 6th forms is definitely going to have to happen sooner rather than later. Where do most students from TA and HA go for 6th form? - if many live in LB Hounslow do many go to a Hounslow 6th form college? May not be too many extra to absorb.

LProsser
Well said.
Teddington is by no means stable yet, in terms of staff turnover & morale, and pupil behaviour.
And yes, the 6th forms will be consolidating.
As many predicted a the outset, after a shakedown, and sadly wasted years for some pupils (has anyone asked yet about how many are having to repeat a year some of the less effective schools?), there will be just a few centres of excellence that are viable.

Hello local mums, i was following this threat for a year now, big thank you for all the invaluable information.
I would really appreciate your advice. Our son (3,5) has just been diagnosed with a severe permanent hearing loss that can be corrected by hearing aids. It's so much for us to take on and we are now lost and don't know which schools would probably suite us better. We were looking at Kew Riverside, Queens and Holly Trinity. Do you know/heard any feedbacks on how they work with special needs kids? I'm wondering if we could have any priority to get a place in the above schools (most likely we are getting a place in Darrel or a New free school). Might be you have any other valuable information for us as we are just at the beginning of our school's road and learn how to leave with a new challenge.

Thank you in advance!

Hi Sun
In order for you son to get priority he will need a EHCP. Have you started to apply for one yet? Do you have a teacher for the hearing impaired? If not get in touch ASAP . You should be able to contact them via Acheiving for children. The HI teacher should guide you. Have you been to visit the schools and spoken to the senco's. Don't write off Darrel however the new free school probibly doesn't have much experiane as yet.

Sorry problems with tablet! Also get in touch with NDCS for advice and advocacy. Sorry not direct experience with the Kew schools only hearsay. Also there are some rules about background noise and carpeting etc which maybe useful for appealing but check with NDCS

fyi www.afclocaloffer.org.uk/organisations/14416-educational-service-for-sensory-impairment-essi?term=hearing

RTT Online has Additional primary school places could be created in East Sheen and Hampton as two primary schools seek to expand:

Hampton Infant School will add 30 extra places in September 2016, taking its intake from 90 to 120. The junior school will then expand to 120 places from September 2019. East Sheen Primary School will also add 30 places, taking its intake from 60 to 90 places from September 2016. According to a council report, the expansions would each cost £3m . .
…………
Cabinet paper Proposed Expansions Of Hampton Infant School And Hampton Junior School (19/11/15) includes a useful summary of the 10-year strategy adopted in December 2010 and its implementation.

Lots of talk about a revised funding formula in the news: guardian article.

For ref '14/'15 funding for Richmond is near the bottom of the London list at £4,507 per pupil, Kingston at £4,602 and Hounslow at £5,211. Hammersmith is near the top at £6,248. England Average: £4,550.54 according to SecEd

‘Your Local Guardian’ (another badge for the RTT) has: East Twickenham parents demand answers over lack of primary schools places - Devastated parents have pleaded with politicians, Richmond Council and supermarket giants Lidl to reach an agreement over a primary school for east Twickenham. Plans for a new school at Ryde House, Twickenham Road, fell through in January, leaving desperate parents scrambling around for places for their children. A letter, signed by 20 people, has been sent to councillors, Achieving for Children (AfC), Twickenham MP Tania Mathias, the Education Funding Agency and Lidl asking for help . . Cllr Hodgins, council cabinet member for education, said: " . . There is progress being made but, unfortunately, it is behind-the-scenes discussions between Lidl and the EFA."

There’s nothing in the story from Lidl, who own the site.