Dulwich Hamlet Junior School- application to become an Academy

[orchard]

I see that Dulwich Hamlet Junior School is considering becoming an Academy and there is a "community consultation meeting" tomorrow evening (Thursday 20th Jan). What effect will this have on other schools in the area - Goodrich, Heber, Goose Green, Bessemer ? Will it take a large chunk of funding away from Southwark? Would appreciate the views of some on this Forum who are very well informed about such things.

Edited to make clear from title I am talking about the school not the football club!

[Havana]

My sister has got 2 children at Dulwich Hamlet and from her perspective, she thinks becoming an Academy is a great thing because, for that already outstanding school, it won't make that much difference to them - except more money in its coffers. It will however take money from Southwark's budget (at present school returns 10% of budget to LA - as I understand it) something which is bound to affect other local schools.

[orchard]

Thanks for info. I can see from the perspective of a parent with a child at an outstanding school, it may make sense.

[bawdy-nan]

The school says they currently return 13% of school budget but don't get that back in services. They'll also not benefit from the new pupil premium (fewer pupils with free school meals). From the schools perspective there's a huge financial imperetive to make the change.

[Fuschia]

http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/core/page.do?pageId=16372315

[Mellors]

Its outrageous that more money is going to be going to already outstanding schools to the detriment of those schools in the borough who really need it (and will, likely as not, never be able to reach outstanding status due to external factors).

Whilst I completely understand the financial reasons for conversion to Academy status from the school's perspective, the wider picture is that this will surely only lead to a greater divide between "good" and "bad" schools. Grammar schools by another name, anyone?

[sillywoman]

Hmmm. maybe the Hamlet could use some of that extra 13% to improve their appalling special needs provision?

Bitter? Me? Nahh:X

[tatum]

sillywoman Wrote:

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> Hmmm. maybe the Hamlet could use some of that

> extra 13% to improve their appalling special needs

> provision?

>

> Bitter? Me? Nahh:X

As a member of staff who works in the school I am sorry that you feel like this as we are all very proud of the support that we give to all children, including those who have special needs. Have you expressed your concerns to the management team? What are your ccncerns in particular?

[sillywoman]

PM'd you tatum to say you should definitely not be proud of your SN provision, some reasons why and to avoid highjacking the thread.

[Gadget]

Goodrich? Not doing so well I hear? What about that becoming a free school?

Wasn't there a very well attended concerned parents meeting last week?

[Dulwich_ Park_ Fairy]

Goodrich? Not doing so well I hear? What about that becoming a free school?

Wasn't there a very well attended concerned parents meeting last week?

It wasn't a meeting for, or specifically of, concerned parents, it was the Parents Forum which is hosted by the school once a term.

[Fuschia]

Gadget Wrote:

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> Goodrich? Not doing so well I hear? What about

> that becoming a free school?

Existing schools can't become free schools. A free school is a new school set up by parents. http://www.education.gov.uk/freeschools

[orchard]

Edited as not relevant to this thread.

[Gadget]

Parent Governors are voted in by the parents of a school and so we as parents are delighted that they meet with us regularly to allow us to air our views, ask questions and to find out what is happening at school. The meeting was exceptionally well attended (60 plus parents) most of whom voiced their fears, worries and concerns as to what on earth is going on at our school. The Governors were brilliant and need our support. There is another thread on this matter stating that several of the classes at Goodrich are not full. This is going to continue. At least 5 families have removed their children from Goodrich recently (in the last 6 months)to go to other local state schools and I know of at least 4 other families who are actively seeking alternative state schools in this area.

[Jomi]

I hope when they become an academy that the poor social and psychological welfare support of children improves in line with the extra money....and yes I have complained to the Head many times and am now escalating my complaints to the Governors....

[lightlady]

Do you really think that all the provision provided by any LEA can be bought in by a school for less money? All SEN provision including cost of assessing children will have to be bought from private providers. Local education authorities provide educational psychologist support, a service essential for statutory assessment for statementing. This will have to be funded directly by the school. In service training for teaching staff will also have to be bought in. I hope all parents at Dulwich Hamlet will think seriously about Academy status. Things may not be perfect now but they could be a good deal worse for children who need extra support.

[mumra]

Other services provided by the LA, as well as supporting SEN provision, are all the training courses that teachers currently go on and use. These include the statutory training for Newly Qualified Teachers and all the training and advice for teachers around assessing children appropriately so as to provide quality teaching and learning that is pitched correctly for their needs. Termly training for primary Head Teachers and and Deputy Heads, as well as termly courses for primary subject leaders of Literacy and Numeracy and Science is all part of the provision, and for the next term whilst LAs hold a part of the budget centrally, all of these courses are free (as they have always been) and supply cover is paid (in Southwark anyway). I would be very suprised if the Hamlet would admit to have never needing to use this service, as it would mean their teachers would never have benefited from the CPD opportunities freely available to them.

[bawdy-nan]

Actually I don't think the SEN thing is true - at least not according to Professor Google. I would be very interested in hearing the case against getting academy status. I'm instinctively against the change but am finding it hard to formulate a case against in this instance.

[lightlady]

I don't know what you put into google but if you enter Parents alliance against academies you will find more information.

[Fuschia]

Some services (such as statementing) will continue to be provided by the LA

More info here: http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/academies/becominganacademy/a0061399/academy-funding

The main disadvantage of academy status is the fragmentation of the education service, and the detriment to schools remaining within the LA as the money to be deducted from the LA budget will be more than actually gets passed to the academies in the area, due to the method of calculation to be used.

It can't be right if a school in a well off area, doing comparatively well, creams off resources from the schools serving needier sections of the community. Sticks in the craw, somewhat, and hardly teaches positive values to the children. Too much "I'm alright, Jack" for my liking

[tiddles]

I am anti academies as purchasing power is fragmented as mentioned by fuschia and there is bound to be a polarisation between schools that will be hard to overcome. The other thing is, who knows what lays ahead. When one particular school I know who was trying to find out what was entailed (reluctantly I would add) they did not seem to be able to get straight answers - since they policies had not been put in place - it was being made up as they went along almost. I would not be surprised if these academies have to start finding their own funding or a private sponsor in a few years time.

Or perhaps I am just too cynical!!

[Emily]

I would probably support the Academy plan as schools don't want to hand their budget to the council because of the red tape.

[samstopit]

There is a SEN Green paper coming out in early March. Hopefully it will make it harder for schools to be graded outstanding if they don't offer good SEN provision.

[Fuschia]

Emily Wrote:

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> I would probably support the Academy plan as

> schools don't want to hand their budget to the

> council because of the red tape.

?? What do you mean, exactly?

The money under discussion is in lieu of services -

Special educational needs (SEN) support services

Behaviour support services

14-16 practical learning options

School meals and milk

Assessment of free school meals eligibility

Repair and maintenance of kitchens

Museum and library services

Licences and subscriptions

Central staff costs (maternity, long term sickness and trade union duties)

Costs of certain employment terminations.

Asset management costs

School improvement services

Monitoring national curriculum assessment

Education welfare service

Pupils support (e.g. clothing grants)

Music services

Visual and performing arts services

Outdoor education services

Certain redundancy and early retirement costs

Not really red tape... it has been a long time since LEAs kep money back from schools for anything other than priority/statutory functions

[Jomi]

I believe that the additional costs currently covered by the borough would also include the school insurances, including public liability, long term sick pay, maternity pay, and the benefits of centralised purchasing for most of the sundries etc that a school uses, I can only hopefully assume a school would calculate the impact of this in calculating whether it is a benefit to come out of the Borough's umbrella or not........I have not been able to attend the school academy meetings to know whether these things have been considered but it has all moved ahead very quickly so it was a little difficult to comment following one letter and one parents meeting. It seems rash to me to be part of the first of anything like this and I suspect that 'tiddles' is right and that they will be seeking private investment or sponsorship in the future....lets face it - it is a convenient time for the government to be moving themselves neatly away from accountability for children's education...how nice to be able to say that a school had responsibility for its own budget and that the failures in our children's education (because of lack of funding) is nothing to do with them........

Perhaps I am even more cynical.......!