New School Not built - What questions should I ask

[Ahmawa]

I am going to see the head of a new school. The school hasn't been built. They haven't got anything in place - I drove past the area where the school is supposed to be located.

It's supposed to open this September - they said it would be temporary portacabins for the first year.

The head herself has come from a nearby school.

So is it possible for them to get everything done within 3 months - recruit teachers, get the cabins in, sort out the grounds etc. Or is this a fools errand?

Anything that should be on the top of questions list?

On a purely practical level - how will lunchtimes be arranged? What outdoor space and provision will there be? What will happen whilst building works are taking place? What access to specialist spaces will they have?

With the answers, dig into how much is actually already arranged and definite, and how much is just them saying they’ll look to do this that and the other, or they hope to do x, y and z.

It is possible to do the infra-structure in the time available, if it is all based around mobiles but I would be much more concerned about the potential for getting the staff in place for a September start. It could well be that the school will start with a staff that is all supply teachers and therefore will be a very steep learning curve.
The first question I would ask the head teacher is whether or not there is an actually date for the mobiles to be moved on site.If there is no date for that then I would question whether anything is going to happen for September.

I wouldn’t touch this school with a barge pole. It’s not purely the buildings that need to be in place, its staff, planning, policies, systems, resources - none of these are small tasks. I wouldn’t want my child going through the testing period.

Thats my concern. They are putting these in place now. The only upside it that the class size will be about 17.

But without any other school offer what realistic options do I have?

Should I go back to the council and say they have offered me is not a real place.

To be fair, they have nearly 4.5 months, not 3.

Some other information has come to my attention. The new headteacher of this new school Mrs A was was an assistant head for 4 years and then head for 2 at her previous school A. During that time the school went from good to needs improvement to back to good.

The ex head of School A, Mr B then left to become head of another school B which was then put into special measures. He was not there long and was replaced at school B after a year.

During this period from Mrs A became married to Mr B. So should I consider this in making a decision. That the spouse of Mrs A has been head at 2 schools in which he has let standards dropped.

I can't see how that would be the least bit relevant.

If the school is building from reception upwards then with 17 pupils you won't need a whole team of teachers, you will just need one (plus a TA or two) and at a pinch the Head could teach. Different if they are filling more years. I think it depends what sort of parent you are as to whether the pioneering stage of a school would appeal to you.

The school is building from a reception upwards so will be full in 7 years.

I am more concerned with the quality of teaching. Can you find quality teachers within four months? Do teachers tend to stay in one school or do they shift around a lot.

As I understand it, teachers give half a terms notice for leaving? So finding a 'quality teacher' shouldn't be any harder than for any other school having to find a replacement.
I could imagine an up and coming teacher might value the challenge of being in a school from the start and having the ability to shape it?

My comment aside, I personally wouldn't want a new school as I would want older children around to act as role models etc. Seven years of being the oldest children in the school isn't ideal imo.

Teachers have to hand in their notice by the 31st of May to leave in the summer. I would want to know they would be recruiting before this. I think a school in this situation may struggle to get an experienced already employed teacher unless they are offering something unique a that a teacher wanted.

Teentimestwo - really good point re role model from older kids.

Well my choices are limited. Its either a 3.5mile drive to a school in another LA or home schooling.

As my daughter will be starting next year. I am not sure what to do.

Remember school choices are not permenant.

I went to see a similar school admittedly we would have been the 2nd or 3rd intake but it was amazing how they had arranged the temporary school I loved the atmosphere
(Old deer school on richmond) we got into our nearest school but there is a bit of me that was sad