Non sibi sed omnibus - Not for oneself but for all

POSSIBLE CONVERSION TO ACADEMY STATUS

Questions and Answers

PARENTS' MEETING, Thursday 13 October 2011

DAS outlined the reasons for conversion to Academy status and then answered the following questions:-

Q: CAN IT BE CONFIRMED THAT THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL WILL REMAIN SELECTIVE AND NOT ADOPT A 'BANDING' SELECTION POLICY?
  • No changes to Admissions Policy are proposed
Q: ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF THE SCHOOL?
  • No, the intake will remain as 120 students. It is not in the Schools authority to expand Year 7 entry. That is governed by the Admissions Code and will continue to be coordinated by the Local Authority Admissions.
Q: HOW MUCH RESEARCH HAS THERE BEEN REGARDING COST OF BUYING IN LA SERVICES– WILL THEY BE AFFORDABLE?
  • There is a price list of LA services. The Blue Coat School does not use a great deal of services. Prices of Service Level Agreements set to remain the same for the foreseeable future.
Q: WHAT HAS BEEN THE STAFF FEEDBACK SO FAR?
  • The staff had some concerns about their terms and conditions but they found the Governing Body's resolution to maintain the Terms and conditions reassuring. There is no evidence at this time of widespread concern, especially after all the staff had the opportunity to see the presentation and to ask questions. Consultation with staff, as with all stakeholders, is continuing at this time and all views will be listened to and considered by Governors as part of their process prior to any decisions being made by the Governing Body.
Q: WHAT ABOUT FUTURE REDUNDANCIES AS IN OTHER ACADEMIES? ('IT AINT BROKEN SO WHY FIX IT')
  • Academy funding would be used to maintain provision and secure future stability for the foreseeable future. This is a conversion academy and may be different to other cases.
Q: WHAT ABOUT THE NEGATIVE CONNOTATION OF THE TERM 'ACADEMY'?
  • Most Wirral Grammar Schools and St Edwards College are examples of the newer wave of conversion academies. Academy status is clearly being seen as acceptable to many of the nation's Grammar Schools who have already entered the process.
Q: IS ACADEMY STATUS ABOUT GOVERNMENT INCENTIVES TO BYPASS TEACHING UNIONS AND BYPASS A 'TROUBLESOME' LA? (THE SCHOOL MAY BECOME A POLITICAL PAWN)
  • It is not a political decision but one drawn by what is considered to be in The Blue Coat Schools' best interests as a school, given a thorough analysis of the changing educational environment.
Q: WHAT EXACTLY IS THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS?
  • The actual Consultation process is wide ranging. It is a proper, full, sincere, consultation process. The Governing Body is determined to take the process seriously, fully assessing whether academy status will benefit students.
  • Top quality schools nationwide are going for it so it is worth investigating very carefully. to make the right decision. Parents are encouraged to view the School website and look at the links to information provided in the 'Possible Conversion to Academy section'.
  • The Governing Body will only make a decision once it has fully assessed what has been said during the consultation process.
Q: WHAT ABOUT FUTURE ADMISSIONS STATUS?
  • There are no intentions to change the present arrangements.
Q: HAS THE GOVERNING BODY TAKEN PROFESSIONAL ADVICE IN ORDER TO AVOID PROBLEMS?
  • Yes it is using funding to get a full range of advice. It is in the process of appointing a legal advisor to provide specialist advice. It already uses the Local Authority HR services which will provide the necessary support on staff issues.
Q: WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS AND RESPONBILITIES THAT ARE NEW BEFORE DECISION COULD BE MADE?
  • The Governing Body is gaining advice from the Chair of Governing Body at St Edwards and Governing Body advisors in Liverpool LA and Senior LA education personnel to ensure that it has a full understanding of what those new responsibilities will be along with their implications.
  • The appointment of a legal advisor will ensure we are fully aware of what is involved in becoming an academy. The identified legal advisor has already provided technical and specialist advice to a large number of other schools.
Q: IS THERE ANY OTHER ADVICE BEING SOUGHT?
  • Advice is being sought from other Academies and GSA advice and LA specialists on hand to advise, as part of a Service Level Agreement
Q: ARE THE PRESENT GOVERNORS SUFFICIENTLY QUALIFIED TO MEET THESE NEW CHALLENGES?
  • The Governing Body is undergoing a skills' audit to ensure that Governors have the right future skills mix to be able to govern competently, given that there would be slightly less 'protection' from LA
  • It is its intention to have a Governing Body with the relevant skills and commitment to do everything that we already do well
Q: HOW WILL THE SCHOOL DEAL WITH DIFFERENCES OR CONFLICT BETWEEN ACADEMY TRUST AND GOVERNING BODY?
  • These are two separate remits and School Governors will determine the school curriculum
  • The Governing Body determines the composition of the Academy Trust and the Governing Body will determine the curriculum
  • Governors will now seek clarity on this issue and will report back to parents. It is anticipated its legal advisor will be able to provide clarification and further advice on how to prevent potential conflicts.
Q: WHAT ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF ALIENATING THE TEACHING STAFF BY ANY FUTURE WITHDRAWAL FROM NATIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS?
  • There is no desire to alienate staff or damage future recruitment or retention prospects. The Governing Body has already passed a resolution indicating its intention to retain its commitment to staffs' present employment terms and conditions.
Q: WHAT ABOUT CONCERNS ABOUT TRUST IN THE LONGER TERM AND LIMITATIONS OF TUPE? (FINANCES COULD PERSUADE THE GOVERNING BODY TO CHANGE ITS ATTITUDE TO STAFF OVER TIME)
  • There is no intention for that to happen and Academy status is funded, as with all schools, per pupil, so such a situation is not foreseeable at this time. It is recognised that we could not give permanent guarantees that nothing will change even if we stayed as we are. However, the Governing Body recognises that quality teaching and learning comes from quality staff and, therefore, there is no business case to change any present arrangements.
Q: HOW WILL ACADEMY STATUS AFFECT STUDENTS WITH SEN?
  • 'Buy in Services' from LA or other providers, whichever is appropriate and awareness that LA Central Services is undergoing change at the moment.
Q: WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON TEACHERS PENSIONS?
  • There is no impact at all as there is no additional liability for the School.
Q: IS THERE A LONG TERM ADVANTAGE / LOSS TO THE SCHOOLS BUDGET BEYOND YEAR 1?
  • Funding is per pupil and it not foreseen that this will change. There will be direct funding without 'top slicing'. Some losses will happen anyway. The aim is to be cost-neutral in the medium term.
  • The concern is considered to be much more immediate if the School does not change its status
  • The aim is to maintain quality, curriculum and staff, by securing a stable funding stream to balance out the significant foreseeable losses from remaining as a voluntary aided school, as outlined in the presentation.
Q: ARE THERE ANY PLANS FOR CHANGE THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN DISCUSSED?
  • Only plans for a small extension / new build for about £500k – no other plans for change
Q: IS THERE A WAY OUT IF ACADEMY STATUS PROVES UNDESIRABLE?
  • The minimum period of academy status is 7 years and it is a Governing Body decision as to whether that would continue. The financial or other circumstances far ahead are unforeseeable.
Q: HOW CAN YOU BORROW TO IMPROVE AS AN ACADEMY?
  • Grants are available from an Academies Fund which are not available through the Local Authority
Q: WHAT FUTURE THREATS ARE THERE TO ACADEMIES, FROM, SAY, A CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT?
  • There is now perceived to be a critical mass of Academies – a sense of security from sheer number of converted / converting schools which could not easily face punitive funding arrangements since a very significant percentage of secondary schools are in the process now. There is no indication that any future change of government would affect current academies.
Q: WILL THE LINK TO PARKLANDS BE AFFECTED?
  • No change, no costs involved, in Parklands now, or proposed in the future. The Governing Body remain fully committed to its present collaboration with Parklands.
Q: IS THERE AN INTENTION TO ASK THE STAFF DIRECTLY FOR THEIR SUPORT FOR THE PROPOSED CHANGE?
  • Voluntary Staff meeting held already. Union consultation and receipt of staff views will continue and be considered carefully as part of the current process of consultation
Q: WHAT IF ALL STAFF WERE OPPOSED?
  • There is no sign of this being the case.

 

QUESTION BANK FROM ACADEMYCONSULTATION@BLUECOATSCHOOL.NET

QUESTION RECEIVED RESPONSE RCVD ON AND RECEIPTED
Mrs Silcock made reference on Thursday evening to the fact that, if I remember it correctly, over 50% of the other Grammer Schools that she is networking via a Grammar School Heads organisation have already or are in the process of applying for Academy status. With that in mind, why have the Governors not taken this step earlier? What has changed now to make it the right step for the school & its various stakeholders? Much of the Information that supports the Schools' proposal was collected in the second half of the summer term, i.e. The Grammar School Heads Conference which was in late June. Information regarding funding was available slightly earlier in the term but it is the combination of all this information and potential impact on The Blue Coat School that was gathered together by the end of the summer term which determined the timing of the application process. 17.10.11
YES
The presentation on Thursday evening made reference to the fact that the funding associated with our specialisms would be/had already been withdrawn. Can you please outline what this means. Does the school no longer remain a specialist school in science & maths, or the status remains but the associated funding is withdrawn? As a Governing body what effect do you anticipate this will have in your ability to continue to provide a high standard of education in these specialism's. The funding for the Specialist School status has been honoured by Liverpool for the financial year 2011/12. This funding has been withdrawn at central government level. The funding allowed for additional expenditure both for enriching Science and Maths for Blue Coat students and for students in our 4 partner primary schools. Science and maths are our most popular A-level choices and we will continue to invest our resources in an excellent standard of provision in these subjects as well as others. 17.10.11
YES

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