For info
ni...@cre.org.uk
Dear All,
The link below may be of interest?
Best wishes,
Nick.
http://www.cesew.org.uk/standardnews.asp?id=9589
susy shearer
From: "ni...@cre.org.uk" <ni...@cre.org.uk>
To: save-st-...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, 15 June, 2010 13:58:09
Subject: [ssb] For info
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Paul Welsh
> Interesting. One wonders why, then, the academy idea has been pursued
> so vigorously so far....
Yes, it is interesting, isn't it? Here is the nub of it:
"The land and property of an existing school would transfer to the new
academy trust. Much of the land and buildings of Catholic voluntary
schools are owned by the dioceses or other religious Trusteeship; they
are unlikely to allow the transfer of their assets to what would be an
independent school and its ‘qualifying academy proprietor’, ie to give
up these assets. Therefore, a school wanting to become an academy
might effectively become ‘homeless’."
Presumably these academy rules haven't changed recently so we are left
with the conclusion that the Diocese of Northampton is willing to hand
over the existing St Bernard's building and land in exchange for a
newly built school. This guidance from the Catholic Education Service
suggests the Diocese is far less likely to agree unless there is a new
£50m school built.
It suggests to me that the Diocese is unlikely to go down the academy
route unless there is a new school at stake. There was a suggestion,
if you recall, from the old DCSF that the academy would open with the
new school to follow. The Diocese didn't much care for that idea and
it's easy to understand why if it meant handing over the land and
buildings in exchange for only the promise of a new school.
So, the "plan B" if academy funding isn't forthcoming may be simply to
make St B's non-selective; a Secondary Modern (no such thing as a true
Comprehensive in a Grammar school area like Slough).
Only the governing body can drop the SAAs (Selective Admission
Arrangements). Such a decision can be challenged by parental ballot.
Paul Dodgshun
1: St.B's is "unlikely to be able to become [an academy]".
2: The 10% capital costs are no longer a burden but "buy [St.B's] a
degree of valuable independence along the lines of 'he who pays the
piper calls the tune'".
3: St.B's "would be very unwise to trade this [voluntary aided
status] for an uncertain future and a higher level of risk".
4: St.B's "Trustees are unlikely to give their permission [for an
Academy] for the reasons below".
4.1: "The land and property of [St.B's] would transfer to the new
academy trust."
4.2: "The issue of admission to academies is far from clear at
present." and the academy would have to "provide education for pupils
who are wholly or mainly drawn from the area in which the school is
situated".
5: The Governing Body of St.B's has "existing statutory rights as the
admissions authority to VA schools; CESEW advises [the GB] not to
accept anything that weakens that position."
6: St.B's "benefits from statutory rights and other provision that
help them to retain and sustain their Catholic character and ethos.
These are not all safeguarded within the academy model and CESEW
advises against anything that would weaken the school's ability to
protect its Catholic character:
Presumably we may quote all of this should there ever be a statutory
consultation on the future of St.B's.
I add an item of my own :-
7: St.B's "benefits from statutory rights and other provision that
help them to retain and sustain their selective admission arrangements
as defined by law. These are not safeguarded within the academy model
and [I] advise against anything that would weaken the school's ability
to protect its SAAs: (please see 8: above).
I also note that we are invited to contact the appropriate diocesan
education officer for further advice. Would that be the old advice or
the diametrically opposite new advice?
Regards,
Paul Dodgshun
susy shearer
From: Paul Dodgshun <paul.d...@googlemail.com>
To: save-st-...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, 15 June, 2010 23:02:54
Subject: Re: [ssb] For info
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susy shearer
Sent: Tuesday, 15 June, 2010 23:02:54
Subject: Re: [ssb] For info
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Paul Dodgshun
"A spokesman for the Department for Education said: "All Catholic
state schools which apply to become academies will retain their
existing powers over admissions, staffing, land, and ethos."
If this is true, then the removal of the need to supply 10% of the
capital costs of a voluntary aided faith school and also a 10% bung on
the revenue side because the money does not pass throught the LEA
would seem a very attractive offer. Spread across 'more than 2,000
Catholic primary and secondary schools', this is serious money which
may just concentrate minds on exactly what motivates the CES advice.
I am sure the CofE will be doing the same calculation. If the asset
holders and sponsors continue to be the churches, then what is the
fundamental problem with the governors taking their schools into this
scheme? It seems to me that the CES argument may be seen to be
special pleading in its own interest and may disappear under a tidal
wave of money.
Who would have the final decision on whether such a voluntary aided
grammar school that converts to an Academy with selective admission
arrangements would continue to retain those selective admission
arrangements indefinitely.? After all, an academy is not a maintained
school and it is not a grammar school and the current ballot
arrangements would not apply on the current wording of the draft
Academies Bill.
Regards,
Paul Dodgshun
>> save-st-bernar...@googlegroups.com.
>> For more options, visit this group at
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Luisa Sykes
only required to have one parent governor! who is going to represent our
interests at the governing body?
The department of Education claims ' All catholic school ..will be able to
retain their existing powers over admissions, staffing, land and ethos', but
what guaranties will we have that governors won't change 'the admission
criteria'? I don't know if this is still right but Paul Welsh was mentioning
a while back that under academy regulations the governors could drop
selection and parents would no longer have the right to call a parental
ballot to challenge the decision. While under the current status we still
have that right!!!!!We want our powers to be strengthened not weakened!!!
Also, the Department of Education has given reassurances about Academies
ability to maintain the 'Christian/ Catholic ethos' and not very much about
keeping the 'grammar school selection criteria' which has been our fighting
'cause'.
Regards
Luisa
-----Original Message-----
From: save-st-...@googlegroups.com
[mailto:save-st-...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Paul Dodgshun
Sent: 18 June 2010 10:41
To: save-st-...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Fw: [ssb] For info
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/7835318/Catholic-schools-
ni...@cre.org.uk
You are absolutely right - a very dangerous situation where they almost
certainly hope to remove the choice of a grammar school by stealth!
Best, Nick.
Paul Dodgshun
Academy] won't change 'the admission
criteria' [at a later date]?"
Absolutely none under this draft of The Academies Bill but the bait to
do it has been dangled.
So what stops the GB of a grammar school converting into an Academy
and then dumping the selection, in the first place?
Can it be done at all? Well the starting point is ...
Regards,
Paul D
Ed Lyons
I have been following this group almost since it began, and I am most grateful to those who have been so doggedly keeping up to speed with developments. With so many vested interests and so many political agendas, many of which are not openly declared, I still find it hard to take stock of where things stand, and which way the diocese in particular, is likely to go next!
I note that one of the recent St Beranrds School newsletters, mentioned an EGM of Governors, sometime early in July, but it did not explain exactly why its been called, what decisions are likely to be made. Nothing in the latest newsletter so not even sure if its still going ahead??
I think it would be very timely if its possible, to circulate an update to the newsgroup /parents, which summarises how things stand, and how if at all they can continue to lobby any/all interested parties.
So much has happened, I suspect many parents, other than those following the newsgroup, (and maybe some of them too!) have reached information overload, and may just be hoping its all going to go away and St Bernards will continue to be selective/grammar. And yet I can't help feeling that now is the very time to be vigilent, i.e when there may be some horse trading about to take place which may not necessarily benefit our cause.
Via the newsgroup grapevine can we find out if the EGM is going ahead,what the agenda is going to be and whether we need to do any lobbying?? Is it possible to find out the latest position of Northants Diocese and for that matter any of the other Dioceses likely to be affected?
Keep up the great work and once again many thanks indeed for all the updates throughout this campaign.
regards
Ed
> Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2010 11:57:13 +0100
> Subject: Re: Fw: [ssb] For info
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Paul Dodgshun
Grammars are advised against becoming academies
The National Grammar Schools Association has issued an "urgent
statement", warning governors and head teachers of "covert dangers".
...
Regards,
Paul Dodgshun
Paula Adams
schools who have expressed an interest in becoming academies. There are two
lists - one of outstanding schools and one non-outstanding. SBG is not
included presumeably because the expression of interest is still in the
Minister's in-tray, but on the Slough list, Slough and Langley Grammars are
both listed.
Regards,
Paul Dodgshun
>> >>> independent school and its �qualifying academy proprietor�, ie to
>> >>> give
>> >>> up these assets. Therefore, a school wanting to become an academy
>> >>> might effectively become �homeless�."
>> >>>
>> >>> Presumably these academy rules haven't changed recently so we are
>> >>> left
>> >>> with the conclusion that the Diocese of Northampton is willing to
>> >>> hand
>> >>> over the existing St Bernard's building and land in exchange for a
>> >>> newly built school. This guidance from the Catholic Education Service
>> >>> suggests the Diocese is far less likely to agree unless there is a
>> >>> new
>> >>> �50m school built.
> Get a new e-mail account with Hotmail � Free. Sign-up now.
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