New primary - will set up effort required detract from education?

[Efferlunt]

Hi looking for some advice from primary teachers or parents with experience with this. My son starts at a new Primary in September. The head and year R teachers already appointed and seem very good. Other teachers will obviously be appointed as the year R children move up through the years. I'm a bit worried about every teacher he has always being new in post and having to organise a new curriculum from scratch. They seem to have put a lot of resources into the school and have hired experienced teachers so I'm wondering how much of a problem this will actually be. Any insight? I don't want it to be a big experiment!

Is it a free school?

No run by the council, which provides me with more reassurance I hope. It's actually a comprehensive that will become all though from 4.

very unusual for LEAs to work that way IMHE

I'm sure it will be fine! If there is an experienced Head and Reception teacher for just one class they will be able to do a cracking job. I would be a bit worried about there never being older role models EVER. Are they also starting a Y7 intake now?

I was talking to a teacher starting in a Free Secondary in September. 7 staff starting, 5 of whom are NQTs and it's the Head's first Headship. That I would be worried about!!

Rumour has it that the all-though idea was an attempt to get around the restrictions on councils opening 'new' schools under rules that favour free schools. The head has been the head at outstanding primaries previously and year R teachers are well respected locally having been poached from other local schools. Think if will be great for reception but have to take on trust that it will continue to be the case.

How many forms are there?

If there are more than one each teachers workload, in terms of planning, is already cut down compared to one form entries.

There are so many positives to a new school. Eg they're going to think about everything and not just do stuff the way it's always been done. That I would just look for them.

All existing schools have many problems....

Oh and the teachers won't all be new to the school. Next year some of the R teachers will become Y1 teachers, etc. so probably won't end up with that many new teachers over the next 7 years. Compared to other schools with an avg staff turn over.

There are two forms. Full so 60 pupils. I'm starting to feel quite positive about it.

DS1 started at a new school this year. I was unsure how it would work out but the schools situation on our London borough means we effectively had no options. It has been brilliant surpassed all my expectations. Not only do they have fantastic resources, but it feels like everyone involved needs to make it work so the enthusiasm has been incredible.

I have noticed it does create a slightly different environment as all the children are the oldest sibling (or with a large age gap) so it feels a bit more sheltered- still more Thomas the Tank Engine than Ben 10 no bad language being passed down from older kids. It's really noticeable compared to other children I know of the same age in established schools.

Dd started at a new school in year 1 although it was an amalgamation of three schools in a new building with a newly appointed HT. It was really smoothly done in no time whatsoever schools X,Y and Z were forgotten and were united in the new school. The school soon earned a good reputation and numbers increased by almost 50% in the first four years and the school was extended.
I would think it would be easier to start a new school from scratch than it would be to amalgamate three schools, their pupils and staff.

Do you live in South Hampshire Efferlunt?

I do Donthack

Really reassured by people's thoughts so far.

I am a little bit jealous of the people I know who have children going there, it all sounds so exciting! We are sticking with our catchment school (by the leisure centre) as wanted to be able to walk to school but if we lived closer we would definitely have picked the new school. Do you know people going? If not pm me and I will put you in touch with the people I know x