Canon Pyon School Closure


	The School Review (Post 21 Jan 08)... Review of School Provision in Herefordshire (copied direct from the Herefordshire Council Website). Herefordshire Council has published proposals that aim to promote discussion on how the county's school provision is improved and reshaped for the first half of the 21st century. The review is taking place because the government expects local authorities to set out strategic plans for the future. These plans have to take into account the quality of education our children receive, the number of places available in schools, future pupil numbers and value for money. They must also take into account school building maintenance programmes so that our children can learn in safe and pleasant environments. Herefordshire is not on its own - neighbouring authorities Shropshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Powys are already going through the process. The review is essential because the number of pupils is declining - presenting the biggest challenge to education standards across the county for decades. Currently 12 percent of the county's school places are empty and population trends indicate this will increase to more than 20 percent by 2012. In the autumn term a set of principles to underpin the review were agreed with schools. View the principles. Making sure all the county's children receive the highest standards of education possible and in good quality buildings is a high priority for the council. The government is pledging funding to refurbish half the county's schools and build five new ones, if the council is able to review the county's educational provision successfully. ( Schools for the Future, DCSF publication and Primary Strategy for Change). The review must show value for money and ensure there are no more than 10 empty places to every 100 available across the county. Proposals Following extensive data gathering, draft proposals have been shared with schools and are summarised below. Presentation. Summary Next Steps Schools were invited to attend a briefing session on 10th January. Over the next few weeks, those schools who have proposed changes will be visited by council officers for further discussion on the proposals. A schedule of visits will be published once finalised. Feedback from school communities will be sought before a further set of proposals is taken to the council's Cabinet for consideration in April. ________________________________________ *The Governing Body's Response* The governing body was horrified to learn of Herefordshire Council’s proposal to close our school as part of its current review of the provision of education in the county and will vigorously contest it. The council has given us no evidence to support its decision. We maintain the highest educational standards for children of all abilities and do not suffer from unsustainable falling pupil numbers, both of which are the reasons usually stipulated for closing individual schools. On the contrary, we are a school of choice, as witnessed by the exceptional support from parents . The council’s premise is based on the assumption of future falling pupil rolls making it necessary, in their view, to reduce drastically the number of schools in Herefordshire. The validity of their statistics is being challenged. The council has not provided costings for or attributed special positive educational benefits to the exercise. Nor has it publicly addressed many of the statutory and non-statutory provisions for closing a rural primary school described in the Guide for Closing a Maintained Mainstream School produced by the Department for Schools, Children and Families (which can be found at) http://www.dfes.gov.uk/schoolorg/guidance.cfm?id=3. These provisions specifically provide for the retention of rural primary schools wherever possible and for the replacement of faith schools with proportional provision. Similarly, there is no evidence of a sustainability appraisal, environmental impact assessment or examination of the ensuing changes to the carbon footprint of the local council or the country as a whole. The review appears to be ill thought through and we are confident of our case for maintaining a primary school in Canon Pyon. ________________________________________ *School merger plans 'suspended' (21 Jan 08)* Plans to merge up to 40 schools in Herefordshire have been withdrawn. Herefordshire Council has said it is "recalling" its draft proposals, which it unveiled ten days ago, after talks with councillors and officers. Click Here Ofsted Report ________________________________________ Copy of letter to Council 17 Jan 08 BACKWOODS, WESTHOPE, HEREFORDSHIRE, HR4 8BU G. Salmon Herefordshire County Council Blackfriars PO Box 185 Hereford HR4 9ZR 17^th January 08 Dear G. Salmon, HCC Review of Primary Education Following a meeting of parents and other community members with the Chair of Governors on 14 January at Canon Pyon School, a range of questions was raised regarding the presentation made by yourself, (title unknown), to the School Heads and Chairs of Governors on January 10^th. The questions below are not exhaustive but require a response, both in writing and through discussion in the planned consultation events. This request is being made under the provisions of the ‘Freedom of Information Act’. We realise that this is both an exacting and exciting challenge to the professionals, but to those in the communities affected, it is presenting a major social change, which could distort community dynamics forever. It is, therefore, crucial to the maintenance and positive development of communities that there is both clarity and unity of purpose established between elected members and their electorates in meeting these challenges. We expect, therefore, that the Consultation you have offered us will achieve this. Referring specifically to the presentation, which was made available to those attending the meeting at Canon Pyon School, the following questions apply: You make a single reference in the presentation to “we” in planning terms, who is this in the context of your proposal? You speak of “much discussion” since March 2006; whom did this include and why has so much time been used in getting to the point of consultation? Your slide covering the “Principles of School Provision” evokes inclusiveness, how was this applied in the development of this new strategy? Can you please clarify your statement “Not a reflection on individual schools etc---“? You talk of a “Primary Strategy for Change” can you please define this in terms of your Strategic Objectives for Primary Education in the County? Your rationale for change seems based on purely financial considerations led by statistical projections, can you please identify the source data and any evidence that supports your choice of data? What is the relationship between the “Primary Strategy for Change” and the cost cutting proposals that dominated the presentation? The overhead/fixed costs associated with school premises are key factors in your considerations yet there aren’t any options presented. Please explain your argument for this? There are clearly other, perhaps broader, cost implications in the reduction in numbers of school premises; what else has been taken into account in your considerations: such as travel to school and to work? You talk of delivering “the higher expectations across the board”, what are these higher expectations you refer to and how are they included in your “Primary Strategy for Change”? You have raised the issue of “unnecessary costs” needing to be removed; can you be specific about these? You have identified the need for Consultation and a “Robust and Professional Debate”, can you please clarify what the Consultation/Debate is for and what your expectations are from it? We have also been informed that the Business community is not identified as a necessary component in the consultation process; we see this as a serious omission and would request that provision is made for it. Whilst some of the questions may seem pedantic, they reflect the concern and genuine fear of those who see their primary school as a cornerstone in the social fabric of their community. We, therefore, look forward to your response and discussing further some of these questions, and others yet to be raised, with Cabinet Members during the consultation process. Yours sincerely Anthony Drew Meeting Spokesman Copies to: Cllr. Adrian Blackshaw Cllr. Jenny Hyde Geoffrey Vaughan. Chair Canon Pyon Parish Council For information: Cllr. John Goodwin Bill Wiggins MP

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