IN THIS DOCUMENT I outline some possible changes in the way schools in Aylsham are organised as a basis for discussion.

No decisions about any options have been taken yet.

The only decision taken so far was that taken by the Norfolk County Council Executive (Education) Committee on 17th May. That Committee decided to consult with you on a range of options including an option which is described as the committee’s preferred option.

The Aylsham area has a complicated education system in which some children transfer to the High School at age 11 and others at age 12. That system makes it more difficult for schools to help children achieve their full potential and the County Council has decided to review the system.

We believe that if all children started high school at 11 then all children would have a chance to achieve even higher standards. If changes to high school entry are being discussed, we also need to discuss how to organise primary and nursery schools to link with this.

This review aims to provide better educational opportunities for our children with the resources that we have. Local change is not being proposed for its own sake. Please consider this document and let me have your views and comments.

Director of Education:
Bryan Slater

Background

Norfolk’s review of the way schools are organised began in 1998 and looks at the structure of schools around the County:

v working area by area,

v giving highest priority where there is dual age of transfer to high school,

v not seeking to save money but to use it more effectively,

v focusing on educational quality for children,

v matching school structure and the national curriculum.

Dual age transfer is being removed in Dereham and Wymondham in September following consultation in 1999. In Thetford, the age of transfer is being changed from age 12 to age 11 for all pupils.

This is because the County Council is committed to raising the levels of educational achievement of young people in Norfolk.

This is because in some parts of Norfolk, children transfer to the same high school at different ages and this can cause real difficulties of organisation and curriculum continuity. Where first and middle schools exist there is a mismatch between the end of keystages at ages 7 and 11 and transfer at ages 8 and 12.

This is because the review is not about saving money. If, by spending money more wisely, this can contribute to raising levels of educational achievement then such change must be considered.

This is because we want children to be able to attend a school locally and recognise and value the contribution that our village primary schools make to rural life. One of the best ways of ensuring this is to encourage and support co-operative arrangements between village schools and to encourage local children to attend them.

This is because with parents and schools working together we can improve educational continuity for children and develop learning opportunities for adults and young people. We want to make the best use of school facilities and one way to do this is by looking at early years, adult education and other community involvement opportunities in schools.

This is because all pupils should be accommodated in permanent accommodation where pupil numbers prove that there is a long term need.

Aylsham is now being reviewed because

v there is dual age of transfer to high school,

v transfer to middle school is not at the end of keystage 1,

v the overall review process planned that the review should take place now,

v village schools can be strengthened.

v There is an opportunity to improve educational effectiveness by all children starting at secondary school at the age of 11 and having all through primary schools.

v The transfer of children between schools can be linked to national curriculum key stages.

v Resources released from any changes can be used to provide permanent accommodation where this is needed.

v Village schools can be strengthened by ensuring more local children attend them.

v With all children transferring at the same age curriculum planning and continuity can be further improved.

v Informal discussion with headteachers around the county and in Aylsham about change.

v Area working group discussions with County Councillors.

v Talks with the Diocese.

v Decision by the Executive (Education) committee about needing to seek wider views in the Aylsham area, especially those of parents, based on some specific proposals.

v Information meetings held before half term.

Further options may be developed during the consultation and the Executive (Education) committee will wish to consider these before it makes any decision.

At high school age

v does not address issues of curriculum continuity,

v pupils continue to transfer at two different ages,

v there are no additional accommodation requirements.

v enables improved curriculum continuity, planning and liaison,

v disruption for some children in the short term,

v requires extra accommodation at the high school,

v address issues raised by Ofsted which otherwise the High school has to spend time addressing.

At primary school age

v retains dual age transfer to high school,

v no additional costs, but no money released for improvements either,

v retains existing older buildings,

v village schools continue to lose pupils to Aylsham town schools.

v all children leave their primary school at end of a keystage,

v minimum disruption to secure 11+ transfer to the high school,

v no savings and so capital funds required for permanent high school accommodation is not locally available,

v village schools continue to lose pupils to Aylsham town schools,

v existing levels of parental preference are retained,

v approximately £ 21,000 per year for year 7 pupils transfers to high school,

v more school places are retained in Aylsham than are needed,

v no additional or improved buildings are required in primary phase.

v all children leave their primary school at end of a keystage,

v loss of schooling on St Michael’s site,

v requirement to provide alternative denominational places,

v allows the two schools to focus on separate key stages and develop distinctive styles,

v approximately £ 21,000 per year for year 7 pupils transfers to high school,

v releases one fixed sum (£40,000 per year).

v all children leave their primary school at end of a keystage,

v loss of schooling on St Michael’s site,

v requirement to provide alternative denominational places,

v educational continuity throughout the primary phase,

v wider staff expertise in a larger school,

v all four primary phase schools close,

v approximately £ 21,000 per year for year 7 pupils transfers to high school,

v releases two fixed sums (£80,000 per year) which would be available to support capital borrowing for school improvements.

At pre-school age

v retains existing strengths of the Aylsham nursery,

v does not address the condition of the building and the limitations for nursery schooling identified by Ofsted,

v each nursery place is provided at relatively high cost, compared with places in nursery classes.

v sounder basis for continuity of education and care,

v 104 part time places compared with 84 at present,

v does not provide more nursery schooling in the villages,

v cost per place less than at present and could produce approximately £50,000 per year to reinvest in local educational provision,

v overcomes some limitations of present building (which could be vacated partly or completely).

v increase in places overall. Places in Aylsham reduce to below number in year group, but places in a village setting increase,

v sounder basis for continuity of education and care,

v 104 part time places compared with 84 at present,

v cost per place less than at present and could produce approximately £50,000 per year to reinvest in local educational provision,

v overcomes limitations of present building (which could be vacated partly or completely).

v accommodates all Aylsham children, with places to spare, and provides places in a village,

v no cost saving over present arrangements,

v sounder basis for continuity of education and care,

v 104 part time places compared with 84 at present,

v provides nursery schooling in the villages,

v cost per place less than at present,

v overcomes some limitations of present building (which could be vacated partly or completely).

A collaborative childcare and education centre for the area providing a range of services in:

v health,

v social services and

v education.

v strong opportunity for agencies to collaborate to address key priorities,

v opportunity to support voluntary sector in wider area,

v need to draw on external partnership funding (eg new opportunities fund),

v issues relating to existing building remain.

From these different possibilities at various stages of education, a limited number of coherent structures for the area of Aylsham can be envisaged. The following section describes options which are thought to have merit and on which we are asking for your views.

It is important to note that if any changes were made in Aylsham itself, children attending the village schools would continue to move to the High school at age 11.

In each of these options there are other ways of organising pre-school provision.

There is an opportunity for you to give your views about pre-school arrangements on the response form.

Children aged 11 transfer to the High School from a 7-11 junior school and two 5-7 infant schools, each with a 40 place nursery class, and a 40 place nursery class is opened elsewhere for example Buxton. The governors have suggested that the three primary schools could be managed by one headteacher with senior managers on each school site.

Option 3
(proposal from John of Gaunt first school)

Children aged 11 transfer to the High School, one 7-11 junior school and one 5-7 infant school with a range of nursery options on the site of the infant school.

Children aged 11 transfer to the High School and one all through 5-11 primary school with a nursery class and a further nursery class in a village (eg Buxton).

There are two ways of bringing about such a change. The change could be made at one time or it could be phased. If the change was phased:

v The new primary school could open in September 2001

v St Michael’s First School could remain open until September 2002 but not take a reception intake in 2001. All the Year R children would enter the new school, as would the former year 3 children from St Michael’s. This would leave St Michael’s with two year groups for one year.

In coming to a decision about any of these options, County Councillors will want to take account of:

The original reasons for the review are set out earlier in this document.
The key issue is the improvement of school standards.

Your comments are very important.

We hope that you will use the reply paid envelope or freepost address to send in your comments. The form will help to structure your comments but you may send supplementary pages if you need to.

All responses will be summarised in a report for the September meeting of the County Council Executive (Education) committee. A file of all responses made will be available for inspection by County Councillors.

In addition we are holding consultation meetings

Norfolk County Council will not make any decisions until September. When it meets in September it will decide whether or not to publish statutory notices about a proposal for change.

If change is proposed, this is followed by a two month period for objections and then scrutiny of the proposal by an independent School Organisation Committee.

If change is agreed by January 2001 it could be achieved in September 2001.

Norfolk County Council will keep the current system for funding in Aylsham under any system. This review is not about saving money.

If change which needs new building is to take place, we need to invest money to provide permanent buildings. In the preferred option this would be achieved by using revenue released by the new pattern of school organisation and the sale of a site.

Other options do not generate sufficient income to build permanent accommodation but there might be sufficient resources to fund mobile classrooms. If mobile classrooms are provided, it is unlikely that we will be able to be able to afford to replace them with permanent buildings in the foreseeable future.