Been offered brand new free school or last choice

[Lazymama2]

We're not sure what to do as have been offered a place at a brand new school which is with walking distance but has not been 'fitted out' yet (buildings are there). There is very little concrete info on term dates, start and finish times, curriculum and obviously no past performance on which to base a decision. Also no older kids to look up to. Other school is our last choice and has improved from satisfactory to good. DH does not want Dd to go to this school and would prefer private. I, on the other hand, quite like idea of a brand new school.

Thoughts/ideas anyone?

PS please dont turn this into a debate of state vs. private as I believe every parent does what is best for thier child/family circumstances and im not for/against one or the other.

The Minister decided to split the site, and informed Islington that he was "minded to do so". He proposed half the site go to Bellevue Ltd and the other half be used for another Free School" being set up for children with really severe special educational needs (ie not suitable for mainstream schooling) Islington responded by offering a different site for the special school and saying they wanted the half for housing, on a "half the loaf better than none" principle. But anyway you appear to be satisfied with only half the site for the new school - I would be interested in your views on the ASAG opinion on this.

www.asag.org.uk/march5thmeetingr.html

It's not ideal, it will limit the scope for any future expansion for the school.
I think the site would be better served as educational/ community use.
I'm not sure of the exact type of housing proposed but I think mixed developments of private/ part rent/ and fair rent would be better for integration.
I'm disappointed with the amount of hostility against the school and also the actions of both Islington council and DFE for not resolving this issue at a much earlier stage, the delay and uncertainty has put a lot of people off including me.

On space part of the issue is that the rules about how much space a school has to have, which applied to the old Ashmount site and were also strictly observed for the new premises for Ashmount school at Crouch Hill Park, do not apply to Free Schools, it turns out - relevant thread on Mumsnet, in the same topic as this one

"schools with no playgrounds or outdoor soace"

NOW, got cut and paste to work!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/primary/2063313-Schools-with-No-Playgrounds-or-Outdoor-Space

I have a question having read this thread.

If I understand correctly free schools are business funded and not government funded? But they don't charge for entry?
They also don't have to follow the NC? Are they OfSTEd inspected?

Because if the answer to all those questions was 'no' then I don't see how you can be forced to accept that school for your child's education? Surely the state should be providing enough state school places?

Sorry to barge in and sorry of I've totally misunderstood the situation. I'd like more information if I may?

@youarewinning. Free schools are state funded but the money goes straight from central government to the school not via the local council.
In terms of OFSTED free schools are inspected just like other state schools and all have a pre opening inspection report to ensure they are ready to open and are inspected again before the end of the first academic year.

@youarewinning

To answer your other questions Free Schools as part of being "Free":

1. Do not have to follow the national curriculum

2.Do not have to follow minimum space standards for playgrounds etc

1. Do not have to employ qualified teachers (or follow any kind of national pay scales)

1. Do not have to follow national nutritional guidelines on school meals

In contrast Local Authority schools are required to do all these things.

This is why, if you are considering a Free School for your child you need to investigate carefully the PARTICULAR school, as Free Schools vary so much. Which of course is part of the idea of them.

However they are (still) subject to OfSted inspection. There was a move to exempt them from OfSted inspections after an alarmingly high proportion of Free Schools failed their inspections, but the head of OfSted let it be known that he was furious at the suggestion, and Mr Gove then confirmed that he retained full confidence in OfSted and there were no plans to stop OfSted inspecting them.

I think the main objective of the free school was to address the gap in achievement between public sector and independent schools.
Whether that succeeds remains to be seen, but I think the competition alone will push up standards in general. (Yes there are also great public schools.)
A free school is run by the trustees including parents who will have a say on the budget and employment. It becomes part of the local community.
It's budget is not set by the local authority or subject to that bureaucracy (and guidelines as noted above). Hence they can vary individually which can be a good thing in terms of choice.
In the case of Whitehall park school it has attracted some very good teachers which we understand will be scrutinized by the trustees and parents on an ongoing process.
We have been told that they will be following the national curriculum, with an emphasis on academic excellence. Children will be treated as individuals who will be nurtured to achieve the best of their abilities, to prepare them for later life.
Free school meals are being provided as is the case with Islington schools.
They can't have the small class sizes of independent schools or some of the very specialized teachers but they can pool resources and will do
in partnership within their existing network. Joint activities are planned.
An email today confirmed that their sister school Rutherford House, in South London received 300 applicants for 2 classes after only 1 year of existence, its a good indication.
I understand Ofsted are visiting (Rutherford) soon, its a shame about the timing as that report would have been very handy.

"I think the competition alone [from Free Schools] will push up standards in general"

You mean like described in this story?

www.hamhighbroadway.co.uk/news/struggling_tottenham_free_school_may_be_handed_to_rival_academy_sponsor_hartsbrook_e_act_academy_highgate_1_3364763

No, I mean the already High standards set by this particular trust. I already agreed that each school needs to be looked at individually. I'm sure we can all find some pretty appalling public (and private) schools that have been threatened with closure, but that would be petty.
Let's put it this way, if the prospect of this new school opening, wasn't terrifying some school governor's and ex chair's of a nearby 'competing'
school, then they would not need to fill the internet with 'anti Whitehall park school campaigns' and just let us make up our own minds. :)

@juztaparent the irony is that after so much anti Whitehall Park School rhetoric from certain governors/ ex chair's, the 'competing school's' cut off distance this year is so small anyway it doesn't touch the Whitehall Park area and is therefore currently not affected one jot by Whitehall Park School opening!

I'm always a bit sceptical about new/free schools that promise to 'treat each child as individual, aspire for the highest of standards, make sure that all pupils achieve their potential' etc etc.

I think most existing schools aren't exactly hoping that they have the lowest of standards. It's very easy to promise these things, but harder to achieve them as unfortunately some of the new free schools have shown.

I also disagree with Juzta that the aim was to narrow the gap between state and private schools. I thought that the aim was to introduce further choice and to have a free market approach to the building of new schools.

Juzta you seem very lacking in scepticism. Admirably so perhaps. How do you know they are very good teachers? How do you know all this about their sister school? You seem very close to the source.

Oh and a question, what happens if there are too few pupils for the WH Park school? The FOI stuff that Nlondondad did suggests that there were only 70 something applications in total. How many have been offered the school and are accepting it over one of the established schools that they've been offered? How many do they need to be viable?

I'd be interested to know what would happen if you were physically unable to pick up a child from school? Thinking of 3AS with no transport and schools in different locations but same finishing times, if you simply left a child there (theoretically of course) and arrived 30 min late would it trigger Social Services? If so would they have a duty to do something, if so what?

..sorry wrong thread...Duh!

I wouldn't touch a free school with someone else's barge pole.

@Playfortoday I'm not 'close to the source' you can gather any information you want by visiting Whitehall Park School's website or talking to them directly.
I've been to 3 'get to know' meetings arranged by the school at the Hornsey Lane community center. There's another this evening for those on the waiting list. I'm also on their mailing list and receive lots of updates.
I met the Head teacher, she is already the Head of St John the Baptist School in Hoxton. We met 2 deputy head teachers last week and one was already a deputy if I recall correctly and responsible for her curriculum.
They talked about their qualifications, reasons and visions. You need to consider that they are giving up their current good jobs for what they consider as a challenging and exciting opportunity.
Also as there would be only 2 classes to start with the head and assistants would be able to 'Lavish' attention on the Children. (Their words)
Regarding the cut off point for viability we were told 12 was the limit.
If I wasn't a bit skeptical. I would not have been searching and found this thread. I agree that it's easy to promise but harder to achieve.

Actually Laura Birkett, who I have no doubt is a pleasant person, is not Head teacher of her school. The "Executive Head" of the school is Sian Davies. Laura Birkett's school is part of a federation, united under a single Head (Ms Davies) and Governing Body. Laura Birkett represents the overall Head, so far as her school is concerned. So being appointed Head at Whitehall Park is a promotion, and nothing wrong with that, but to represent her as the Headteacher at the school she is coming from inaccurate. If Whitehall Park have represented her as a Headteacher in their publicity, well then that would be false advertising (again). The Advertising Standards Agency have already ruled against them once, and, no doubt, could do so again...

threads like this make me glad
(a) I do not live near London
(b) my kids are at the latter end of school so have been less affected by these idiotic free school ideas

www.st-john.hackney.sch.uk/
St John the Baptist School
Head of School Laura Birkett

@Justaparent

Exactly:

NOT "Headteacher" which is a "legally protected title"

The Executive Head, Laura's boss, is Sian Davies

The information is on the same web link

Is it possible that Bellevue are engaging in a bit of CV polishing?

Do you not perhaps think that describing a teaching professional as 'perfectly pleasant' is patronising in the extreme? Particularly in light of how she is commended in her latest ofsted report.

'The school is exceptionally well led by the head of school, who, together with governors, has brought about significant improvement in the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement since the previous inspection.'

Juniorjones have you accepted a place at Whitehall Park School yet? I have an offer and I know the deadline is on Wed but still feeling unsure. I went along to the 'Meet the leadership team' tonight and while they were able to answer a lot of questions they did acknowledge that we obviously will be taking a leap of faith into the whole venture.
Have you attended all of the previous meetings and do you feel fully reassured by the team and the plans and timescale?
At least six parents there tonight had either not been offered any school place by Islington or one which wasn't any of their six preferences and at the other side of the borough so there are some who simply don't have a choice. We were told approx 24 would have to accept to become viable and that they had almost reached that target from those who had accepted so far.

Markmyplace I have been to quite a few of the meetings and have got to a place where we feel reassured about how it will work and the team running it and behind it. It's a difficult decision and a leap of faith especially where the timescales are clearly tight. It makes me feel better about it that everyone is having to take the same leap of faith. Hopefully that means a degree of commitment by parents to making the school a success, despite the negative campaigning that has taken place locally. It's unfortunate that a lot of the political debate seems to have forgotten that there are small children involved.

For the avoidance of doubt - before anyone suggests it - I am not close to source but a parent of a four year old who has done a lot of research

Almost all of the schools where I am are Academies. There is very little difference between Academies and Free schools - except that Academies were once LA schools.

As with all schools, LA school, Academy, Free School - each school needs to be considered on it's merits - that includes the site, the curriculum, the teachers, the people managing it etc.