ITEM CMDSI3
CABINET MEMBER FOR SCHOOLS IMPROVEMENT – 7 NOVEMBER 2007
ROSE HILL PRIMARY SCHOOL OXFORD – OUTCOME OF INFORMAL CONSULTATION ABOUT A POSSIBLE ‘FRESH START’ BID.
Report by Director of Children, Young People & Families
Introduction
1. Rose Hill Primary School became an all-through primary in 2003 having been ‘grown’ from a 3 – 9 first school as part of the Oxford City reorganisation. It is located in an estate of 1950s formerly local authority housing. The ward in which it is located has an Index of Multiple Deprivation score of 42.07 placing it on the 1st centile for Oxfordshire (range 49 – 0.9) and national 12th centile. Currently housed in sub-standard accommodation built in 1951, the school suffers from repeated leaks, access and circulation problems (the school is on 5 different levels with insufficient room for adequate ramping and with significant heating problems) and 10/13 classrooms of only 47m2 each.
2. The current headteacher was appointed in September 2006 replacing the previous acting-headteacher, at a time when the school was subject to an Improvement Notice.
3. The OfSTED inspection in December 2005 resulted in the school being issued with a Notice to Improve whilst that in January 2007 resulted in Special Measures. Teaching was judged overall to be unsatisfactory, with 5 out of 10 lessons inadequate and only 1 out of 10 good or better. Based on current progress between KS1 and KS2 Fischer Family Trust estimates are that standards will decline until 2009 and the floor targets for English and mathematics will not be met by 2010 (59% and 50% respectively). However, results for 2007 showed improvement in English (including writing) but further declines at both L4+ & L5 in mathematics.
4. The school is currently supported through the allocation of a supplementary budget from the Local Authority (£18,000 since issue of the Notice to Improve). The school is also being supported through the Sustaining Improvement Programme and has received significant Primary Strategy consultant support (c.30 hours since January 2006). From September 2007 the school will be supported through the Intensifying Support Programme and by two of the Local Authority’s School Improvement Advisory Teachers.
5. Despite the appointment of a good headteacher, and additional support from the Local Authority, the judgement of the LA is that the school will struggle to be removed from Special Measures by the challenging target date of December 2007. In addition there is concern that once no longer subject to Special Measures the school may not be able to sustain, let alone increase, the rate of improvement.
Fresh Start
6. The DfES supports a number of initiatives to help raise achievement in schools which are ‘causing concern’ (either in an OfSTED category or subject to a Formal Warning Notice). The Fresh Start initiative consists of the formal closure of a school causing concern and its replacement by a new school, either in the existing school buildings or in new buildings. The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) supports Fresh Start projects with additional revenue and, where appropriate, capital funding.
7. Since the successful Greenmere Fresh Start bid the DCSF has changed its procedure so that all new Fresh Start bids are submitted via the National Strategies. Officers will discuss the Fresh Start bid with the National Strategies Regional Director on 2 November and will report the outcome orally to the Cabinet on 7 November.
Formative Consultation
8. Officers have held meetings with the headteacher, staff, governors, parents and local County Councillors to explain the Fresh Start initiative and to determine whether a bid to secure additional revenue and new school buildings would be welcomed by key stakeholders. Although attendance at the two meetings held for parents was low, the responses of those present were very positive, as were those of governors, the headteacher and local councillors.
Financial and Staff Implications
9. There are none arising directly from this report. However, were a Fresh Start bid to be successful it would bring significant additional revenue and possibly capital investment to Rose Hill School. Implementation would require closure of Rose Hill School and all current staff would need to apply for posts in the new school. It is therefore possible that some staff may not secure posts and, if suitable alternative employment could not be found for them, redundancy and associated compensatory payments could be incurred. The size of any redundancy payments would be dependent upon salary and length of reckonable service as laid down in the Council's agreed policy on redundancy payments. In certain circumstances Premature Retirement Compensation in line with the Premature Retirement Compensation Scheme may be appropriate.
RECOMMENDATION
10. The Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement is RECOMMENDED to authorise officers to carry out a formal consultation with all stakeholders and to report the outcome of this to the Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement on 2 January 2008.
JANET TOMLINSON Director for Children, Young People & Families
Background papers: DCSF The Standards Site
Contact Officer: Roy Leach, Senior Adviser Educational Achievement & Service Monitoring Tel: 01865 - 428117
October 2007
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