HELP PLS - Free school political manoevering about to lead to eviction of current pupils

[Karuna13]

Hi

The school situation in Bristol has been grim for some time with a huge shortage of primary places and poor secondary schools.

An ex-independent school site (St Ursula's) has been bought by the local council and is now the subject of major political manoevering with 3 bids for Free Schools / Academies competing for this one site.

Factional agendas from the D of E, local MPs, councillors and lobby groups seem to mean that the current pupils at the school are being overlooked and are in danger of being 'evicted' whichever bid eventually succeeds.

Many of the children at the school are only there because of the lack of places in any state alternative in their area and have been caught up in this uncertainty for the last year.

An epetition has been set up to show support for the current pupils to try to influence the council in their key meetings next Tuesday and Thursday.

I'm sure you can imagine the trauma and uncertainty this whole process has caused for families with children currently at the school.

If you could take a minute to sign the epetition at save2011.epetitions.net/ it would be hugely appreciated.

Many, many thanks.

Can you explain a bit more? Sounds quite a complex situation. On the face of it current pupils might seem to have priority, but the school could simply have shut and they would then have had to go elsewhere too. And I might feel frustrated if I were a local parent who lacked the resources to go private, saw an opportunity for a new state school open up and close in one fell swoop because existing pupils had complete priority. Would there be a sense of catchment? How would places be allocated if the free school arrangement came to pass? I really feel for the parents of any school that has to close but I also know Bristol and can't see how it would be fair for the existing students to carry on, just without fees.

Lookandlearn - you are right. It is a very complex situation. The way I see it, a struggling independent school was given a last minute lifeline last Sept and has been operated by Oasis but fee paying since then. This arrangement appears unlikely to continue and the school building is likely to be used by a completely separate group, non fee-paying, with the backing of the government and the council.

The existing pupils are victims of a failing private school, not actively being ousted by the new school. I cannot see how it would be feasible for a new school, which is likely to just have reception and year 7 intakes to have a few children in each of the other years to contend with, put through GCSEs etc.

I appreciate it is appallingly stressful for the pupils and families involved but in my opinion that is the fault of Oasis making false promises, rather than the free school people.

Forgot to add, the proposed admissions would be from a specific catchment map of the local area which is currently not adequately served, especially at senior school level.

I think that you have to start from the premis that all new schools will be academies or free schools, that is what the government are expecting to happen. So if there is a lack of available school places and an available school building within the catchment then that is almost for sure going to be a sensible decision by the Council to use the building if possible.

I say if possible because the big issue is who owns the site. It could have continued to be an independant school if someone had been prepared to put up the cash but nobody presumably had the cash to purchase the site. Hence the Council have bought the site and will use it for an academy or free school. Regretably independant schools closing is not unusual in this financial climate and whilst it does cause real difficulties to the pupils concerned there is little that can be done other than find alternate schools, private or state.