New Dulwich school on Bellenden Rd, GIVEN PERMISSION

[James Barber]

Well done to the whole team and all the supporting families that have seen their applciation for a new Belham free school approved - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-schools-bring-total-number-of-free-school-places-to-175000

Well done. This will bring an extra 60 places.

The last I recorded over 125 supporting families for this new school to be based on Bellenden Road on the old Bellenden School site.

So far 86 families have lent their support to this proposed new school. They needed 80 but please do continue to shwo even more support to make the case even more compelling.

Will you join them?

If yes then please email [email protected] with your name, home postcode child DoB starting in reception either Sept'15 or '16 and please do cc me so I can keep people posted here.

It's great news to hear that Dulwich Hamlet Educational Trust leaders have agreed to create a new school on the old Bellenden School site, Bellenden Road. So a tad north of East dulwich but hopefully it will still serve many East Dulwich families.

A governor has told me they'd be looking to open September 2015 or September 2016.

The school will have two forms of entry - that's 60 children per year.

Two or three FE's is the optimum size for a great education. Less than two form entry probably wouldn't be viable without cross subsidy from the existing Dulwich Village budgets.

Southwark Council the owners of the old Bellenden School site are keen to provide the site for this purpose. This is gresat news as until now Southwark Council have been rather negative about free schools and academies.

Dulwich Hamlet Educational Trust leaders will be applying via the free school process for government money. Probably submitting the application early January 2014 for September 2015 opening. Typically a new school or renovation costs around ?5M (St.Anthony's RC schools renovation is costing this).

For a two form entry they'll need at least 80 local families, ideally close to the old Bellenden school site (junction Bellenden Road with Maxted Road), lending them their support.

If you have children that would need to start primary school reception September 2015 or September 2016 then I'd recommend you contact the school [email protected]. They'll need to know your name, address with postcode, child DoB and obviously your email address.

To ensure a viable school ASAP they're likely to want to take reception and Year 1 pupils Setepmber 2015. But I'm sure this will be clarified over the next few months.

[greenwater]

Great news...

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi all,

The head of Dulwich Hamlet, Sonia and Simon, the Chair of Governors have been in regular discussions with Council Officers over the use for primary education purposes of the Bellenden old school site. Everyone is working together to get this right. There are different options as to how the site is to be used, and to the route to be taken. Simon and Sonya have just this week had a meeting at the Department of Education and there are many discussions going on in the background. It is currently, however, school holidays and schools have minimal staff on site and therefore it may not be the best option for prospective parents to be emailing the school at the moment. There will be a meeting for prospective parents in the Autumn, once school holidays are over. There will then be forms of interest for prospective parents to fill out with contact details. On another note,the site is not in Dulwich, it is in the Lane Ward!

Renata

[James Barber]

Hi Renata,

I see now harm in people emailing the school that they support this intiative,

In fact if the school chooses to go via the Free school option - which I hope they do as it will maximise their control of the situaiton - then they'll need 80 such offers of support to successfully navigate the process.

I've also offered to share the experiences we've had in East Dulwich of how to successfully navigat rthe free school process.

[notthetvdietician]

Hi, this is interesting - can you tell us what you mean by 'close' to the old bellenden road school site

thanks,

[James Barber]

Hi notthetvdietician,

Families that are close to the site.

Any family could lend their support but for such a historically popular school at Dulwich Hamlet two form entry in more densely populated area than the centre of Dulwich Village then we can use other precendets for similar popular schools such as Heber School.

For the last few years Heber School, which is Good rather than Dulwich Hamlets Outstanding, has had a catchment area of around 450m.

Hope that helps.

If they apply as a free school and had a parents support committee then they could be given preference in any admissions process.

Hope that answers your question.

[notthetvdietician]

Hi James

Thanks for your reply (sorry, should have signed my message - its Jenny),

According to my highly accurate line drawing on google maps we are 975m away from the new school site so it seems that we are a little far away, which is a shame as otherwise I'd be interested in getting involved.

On a separate issue I've just looked on ofsted and our closest schools are Heber and Rye Oak - both are 650 meters away... assuming rye oak has a similar catchment area, what do you do if you are in a school catchment void?

It seems you've been giving this a lot of consideration and I think I may be a bit late to the conversation so please point me to stuff that's already on the forum or out there on the web if its already there.

thanks,

jenny

[James Barber]

Hi Jenny,

I'll PM you as not ideal to discuss your personal circumstances on an open forum.

Regards james.

[catma]

For residents of the area will there be a consultation process on any impact this may have on the local environment? Do we get any say re increased road traffic, parking in quite a tight traffic spot etc. which would come with a 2 form entry school?

Also what is the current use of the building? Do the community groups already there (I'm sure there are some?)get support to relocate?

[James Barber]

Hi catma,

Consultations would take place about the principle to obtain any Dept of Education funding.

Various council decision making processes you can respond to - sign-up for council email system to be prodded.

If any physical changes were propose then the planning application would be consulted upon and traffic would be included.

But it used to be a school site so in planning terms it would be hard to resist it obtaining planning permission.

Currently community groups use the site and will have to move. I'd be amazed if they're not assisted with any move.

[dhjs]

Dear All

Thanks to all who have been contacting the school office regarding your interest in the possible new school on the Old Bellenden site. All of you who have been in contact will be receive an email letting you know about developments and when we propose to hold a public meeting. Hopefully that will be in late September. If there are other people who are interested you can email me, The Head Teacher, on [email protected]. It would be useful to know your address, your child's age and your level of interest in becoming involved in the organisational or future governance issues. (see what James had to say earlier).

Which ever way the school is opened - Free School or Sponsored Academy - it is likely that Admissions to the school will be based on the usual criteria for non faith schools, ie - LAC, Statements of Special Need, Siblings, Social and Medical, and then distance measured as the crow flies from a particular point (normally the main gate of the school). Given the density of the housing around Bellenden, it would be likely that the almost all attendees would live within walking distance, similar to schools like Heber and Goodrich. This would mean that the likelihood of increased traffic for the school run would be avoided as most parents would choose to walk the short distance to school. In addition, schools are required to actively encourage healthy travel arrangements and we would actively discourage children being ferried to school in cars.

I hope this is helpful and addresses catma's point; there will be lots of consulatation in the coming months, I'm sure!

[Renata Hamvas]

Thanks for posting on here, with very helpful information for prospective parents. I have copied and pasted your message on the Peckham section of the South east central forum as there may be people reading that who don't look at the East Dulwich forum.

Jenny, I have pmed you.

Renata

[david_carnell]

Why did this school close in the first place? And when?

Newer schools have opened nearby (i.e. "new" Bellenden School) whilst this has remained dormant. A very odd state of affairs.

Carnell Jnr will turn four in 2016 so would be a candidate for the first reception class if this goes ahead. Is the plan to renovate the existing building rather than demolish and rebuild, like Harris on Forest Hill Rd?

[James Barber]

Hi David,

My understanding was that the old bellenden school was felt unsuitable and a new 1 form entry school was built very nearby. The rational being that modernising the old school buildings woukd be more expensive. Times change and sites being so limited the old building would be made to work but modernised.

[Katy Tonbridge]

This makes great sense, I've thought that site should be restored as a primary school for a long time.

[James Barber]

So far 40 families have offered support for the Dulwich Hamlet to add a second school into the Bellenden School site.

But ideally they'd have over 80. If you live within 800m of the proposed site please do contact them offering your support and hope to send your child there. They'll need you name, email address, home postcode, date of birth of the child/children who would expect to join reception Sept 2015 or 2016.

Their email address is [email protected]

and please do CC me to keep tracks of how they're doing so I can report back here.

[Jack Kelly]

Exciting stuff ;)

Have any requests for support been displayed "off line"? e.g. a poster on the notice board immediately outside the Old Bellenden School site and maybe a few A4 posters in local shops etc? (I know everyone is very busy...)

There are *so many* young families in the area that I imagine there are way over 80 families who would support the school if they knew about the proposal; the only issue is getting the message out to all those families.

[kittysailing]

James are you any clearer as to what year and I the schools intake will build year on year or take a reception class and year 1 simultaneously?

[Pugwash]

The Old Bellenden School was used in part by ILEA to around 1990 as a workplace nursery along side their site in County Hall. Only the ground floor and playground were used by the nursery but I believe they may have had community groups in the remainder of the building. My youngest daughter went to the nursery from the age of 15 months to rising 5.

[James Barber]

Hi kittysailing,

Yes, My understanding is September 2015 first admissions. Not clear if they'll 'only' start with reception or reception and Year 1.

Hi Pugwash,

Thanks for that bit of history.

Hi Jack Kelly,

No poster yet. But I'm sure it's on the way.

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi Kitty,

I have contacted the Head to ask her about this. I have also suggested she contacts the Lane ward Councillors as they would be able to publicise it amongst their ward residents in the vicinity of the school.

Renata

[James Barber]

That's a bit disengenuous Renata.

Southwark Labour led Council have to put a public request out for a provider to come forward to provide a new school at this site. It could be anybody - unusual religious group, anyone. Your administration is positively discouraging Dulwic Hamlet to take the free school approach where we could all guarantee Dulwich Hamlet would be the school provider.

So the former Southwark Labour approach makes drumming up families lending their support unnecessary but risks an educational provider other than Dulwich Hamlet.

On this basis are you really saying families should contact Labour ward councillors who are not proposing or supporting Dulwich Hamlet opening a free schoo?

Equally are you suggesitng Dulwich Hamlet should rely on Labour ward councillors to drum up support for an apporahc they dont agree with?

[DulwichHamJnrSchool]

Thank you to all the parents who are contacting the school regarding their interest in The Hamlet setting up a new school within the old Bellenden school - let's call it The Belham so as not to confuse it with current Bellenden school.

Please keep those emails coming - it's lovely to hear that so many of you are as excited as I am - a chance to spread our creative vision to more children has got to be a good thing.

Unfortunately there is an awful lot of process to get through before we can even get to the practical stuff. 2 routes - a Free School or the LA choosing us as their preferred "sponsor" over other sponsors that might apply, once they open the competition. The School Governors are meeting in a couple of weeks to talk about the process and the implications and then I hope to call a meeting of interested parents to find out from you what you want for your children and how you might also be able to help get things going.

We are in productive talks with the LA but recognize that there are the 2 official processes to the same end and it is necessary to explore both of them to ensure that we achieve the best outcome.

You can contact me on [email protected]

[Renata Hamvas]

James, I find your comments bizarre. Sonia and the governing body at Dulwich Hamlet Junior are working in partnership with Southwark to provide a new school for local residents at the old Bellenden School site. It would not be useful for anyone if this thread dissolves into a political brawl.

Kitty, I have had confirmation from the Head that it is planned that the school would open with reception only and fill up year by year on a bottom up basis.

Renata

[DulwichHamJnrSchool]

Sorry Renata, I haven't confirmed that at all!

We are not planning to open a nursery which involves separate funding streams, and my current hope is that we open 2 Reception classes (60 children) and 1 Y1 class (30 children) in 2015. That's my personal goal as Head Teacher - but there's alot of work to do before then. It might be better if the councillors do NOT post on my behalf. One line of communication can be more effective and avoid unnecessary confusion.

[email protected]