Secondary Schools Review in Chaos

The Council has published its proposals for the review of secondary schools in Southampton. The issue is going to be decided by the Lib Dem cabinet on 12th June.

Note to Cabinet 05/06/06

Cllr J Moulton

ITEM NO:B1a - SECONDARY EDUCATION REVIEW


St Marks School / Civil Service Ground site:

- The idea of a new school on the existing St Mark's School Junior site with the ex Civil Service Sports Grounds as playing field has received considerable public interest and public support. The St Mark's site as providing a possible location for new city centre school has also received a lot of interest.
- This was noted at scrutiny and acknowledged. It is noted in the summary of the responses to the consultation. It is also noted in the ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED section of the report. However there is nothing regarding the St Marks site in the RECOMMENDATIONS section of the report.
- The RECOMMENDATIONS section should include a recommendation to examine the feasibility of a learning campus on the site of St Mark's Junior School.

Objection to the closure of Grove Park School:

- The closure of Grove Park school (on the Grove Park site) was not a proposal in the consultation.
- Parents have not been asked to give their views. Those that have given their views are opposed (including teaching staff).
- It is an excellent site with playing fields.
- There has been considerable investment in community facilities at the school over recent years and this will be wasted if the school is closed.
- Grove Park is an improving school.
- Originally the proposal was to close Woolston school, which has no playing fields. This has been taken off the agenda due to political pressure. Instead now it is proposed to close Grove Park, which from an independent view point can only be regarded as a wholly more appropriate site for a school.
- If the school is closed the land will be sold off for development. I object to this. It is irrational to sell off sports fields at Grove Park, whilst at the same time to consider compulsory purchasing existing properties next to Woolston school to give that school much smaller sports facilities.
- The closure of Grove Park is a knee jerk reaction. It is totally unacceptable to reveal the proposal two weeks before the Cabinet decision is due to be taken.

General Comments:

- It is not strategic. It does not look at choice of schools which parents want (how many single sex, co-educational schools are needed in each area of the City).
- It is piece meal approach, attempting move ahead with changes which are perceived to be easier politically and delaying changes which are perceived to be politically more sensitive.
- The focus is entirely on reducing the number of schools, to bring up the average pupils numbers, to hit Government targets.
- It does not focus on children and improving performance.
- It has been rushed and is ill thought out. This sort of re-organisation should have been planned years ago. It is simply chasing Government money and targets.
- It is not forward looking. What happens if pupil numbers rise in the future? We have c20,000 Poles in the City. What will happen when they bring their families to this country to settle?
- What thought has been given to encouraging local families not to send their children out of city as means of increasing roll numbers?
- What scope is there for reducing forms of entry in some schools, as a way of bringing surplus places down?
- The Education and Inspections Bill has now passed its Third Reading in the House of Commons. The Bill implements the proposals for new ‘trust schools.' No consideration has been given to setting up of trust schools in Southampton.
- There is no analysis of the interaction with primary schools. Indeed primary schools were not even consulted in advance of issuing the questionnaire to parents.
- The consultation was inadequate. Insufficient information was provided to parents. The idea of a community campus is vague and unclear to parents. It is smokescreen to cover up the true agenda which is to close schools in the City.
- The financial case is also incredibly thin. The capital side is very general. The revenue savings (reinvestment) are not spelled out clearly.
- For such a radical change, which will upset hundreds of parents across the City, involve disposal of valuable public assets and the expenditure of considerable sums of money, it is totally inadequate.