APPENDIX A
Draft response to Corfe Hills School – consultation on proposal to extend the school’s age range to admit students from age 11 in September 2015
The Borough of Poole welcomes the decision of the Corfe Hills School Governing Body, which was published on the 13thFebruary 2014, not to progress with an application to the Department for Education to change the school’s age range from September 2015.
The Borough of Poole recognises that the Governing Body in making its decision has affirmed its view that a change in the age of transfer would have educational benefits and that its consultation process has raised important issues about the best options for the future of the pyramid.
In this context, the Borough of Poole welcomes also the Corfe Hills School’s Governing Body’s decision to work with the Borough of Poole, Dorset County Council and all local schools on a fullappraisal process to look at the future options for the pyramid.
The Borough of Poole has conducted an impact assessment on the proposals published by the school for consultation on 6th January 2014. Given the formal nature of the consultation process, it is important for the Borough of Poole to register with the Governing Body the impact assessment of the specific proposals and the fact that the Borough of Poole does need to record formally its objections to the specific proposals.
The Borough of Poole would formally object to the specific proposals for the following reasons:
1)Implementation in September 2015 does not allow time for Poole and Dorset local authorities and the affected schools in the areato work together to:
- give full consideration to the impact of the proposals on the First and Middle schools in the Corfe Hills pyramid and on Queen Elizabeth School, Wimborne;
- carry out an options study to develop proposals and a business case for change;
- secure the capital funding required and to make any necessary changes to school buildings;
- carry out any subsequent consultation and statutory processes that would be needed to make changes to the other schools in the area;
- ensure an effective change process which is inclusive and clear to pupils, parents, school leaders and staff and other stakeholders.
2)The consultation documentation published by Corfe Hills School, in the Council’s opinion, does not set out sufficient information to enable stakeholders, and particularly parents, to understand:
- the full details of the proposed changes;
- its effect on other schools in the area;
- its effect on children during the period of change and particularly those in Year 8 in 2015/16;
- how Corfe Hills School will accommodate additional pupils without the need for additional accommodation;
- coherent pathways through the school system which provide opportunity for choice.
Poole LA and pyramid schools received queries from parents concerned about the impact on their child’s education.
3)The proposal to reduce Corfe Hills School’s Published Admission Number (PAN) from 375 to 300 will:
- remove Secondary school places at a time when there is a need for additional places;
- mean that Poole will need an additional 2 forms of entry over and above the 10 forms of entry currently being planned for;
- bring forward the need for additional places to 2016 which is two years earlier than the 2018 date currently being planned for;
- increase the cost of securing the additional places required.
4)The Council’s Cabinet has already approved admission arrangements for Community and Voluntary Controlled schools in Poole for 2015/16. Therefore, if Corfe Hills School had proceeded with the proposal to extend the school's age range to admit students from age 11 and to reduce the PAN from 375 to 300 in September 2015, the Local Authority would haveconsidered an objection to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator.
The Borough of Poole also wishes to share the impact assessment with the Corfe Hills School’s Governing Body as the issues raised will be relevant to the options appraisal process, which will now be led by the two Councils and involve Corfe Hills and all local schools.
The Borough of Poole looks forward to working with Corfe Hills School’s Governing Body on this wider appraisal process.
Background Information
- Corfe Hills Pyramid
The Corfe Hills pyramid of schools spans areas covered by Dorset County Council as well as the Borough of Poole. A total of 10 schools make up the pyramid which is organised in three tiers (4-9, 9-13, 13-18):
Corfe Hills School (Poole)For pupils aged 13-18
*Allenbourn Middle School (Dorset)}
Lockyer’s Middle School (Dorset)}For pupils aged 9-13
Broadstone Middle School (Poole)}
Henbury View First School (Dorset)}
Rushcombe First School (Dorset)}
Sturminster Marshall First School (Dorset)}
Broadstone First School (Poole)}For pupils aged 4-9
Merley First School (Poole)}
Springdale First School (Poole)}
*Allenbourn Middle School forms part of the East Dorset Education Partnership (Wimborne/Ferndown pyramid of schools). However, through an arrangement with Poole involving children living specifically in the Merley area, Allenbourn Middle School also has official links with the Corfe Hills pyramid.
- Age of Transfer Programme in relation to Corfe Hills School
In 2004 the LEA carried out widespread consultation with partners on the role and organisation of schools. The consultation process comprised:
A conference at which all mainstream schools were represented
Four evening meetings for school governors
Commissioning of the Market Research Group (MRG) at Bournemouth University to carry out a sample survey of parents and to lead four focus groups
Written consultation with a wide range of partners
Two “open stall” sessions in the Dolphin Centre
Ten presentations to school staff and governors
An open invitation to parents to give their written views to officers.
The consultation explored four options for the future organisation of schools:
Option 1Move to a two tier system (transfer at age 11)
Option 2Move to a three tier system (transfer at ages 9 and 13)
Option 3Move to a two tier system except in the Corfe Hills pyramid
Option 4Retain the current organisation
The outcome of this consultation was that:
- Parents and carers agreed that the current complicated system of school organisation needs to be changed
- The overwhelming majority (82%) want a single system of school organisation throughout the Borough
- 66% were in favour of a two tier system (Primary and Secondary) with pupils transferring at age 11
- 33% favoured a three tier system (First, Middle or Combined and Secondary) with pupils transferring at age 9 and age 13 (parents/carers in the Broadstone area particularly favour this system)
- Parents and carers also wanted a system that works across the Borough’s boundaries with Bournemouth and Dorset.
In November 2004 leaflets were again circulated widely setting out the above results and advising parents and carers that further consultation would be undertaken on the two options – a two tier (Primary/ Secondary) or three tier (First/Middle or Combined/Secondary) model.
Parents were also advised that:
the LEA needed to fully cost each option based on projected pupil numbers and other factors on a school by school basis
whatever the outcome of the further consultation there will be no change to the overall organisation of schools in the Borough before September 2008
any future changes would be based on sound education principles and will have children’s progress and welfare at its heart
parents and carers will be kept informed throughout the process
we will make every effort to limit the impact of changes on those children in schools at the time of any re-organisation
in the meantime, we would be working hard to continue to improve standards of education even further.
As a result of these findings, in Spring 2005 the Council decided to establish a Project Board (Councillors) and a Steering Group (Headteachers and Governors) to oversee the next rounds of public consultation in 2005 and 2006 and authorised detailed work to be commissioned on possible models on a school by school basis.
In November 2005, over 20,000 leaflets together with posters were circulated to schools, parents and carers and Early Years providers advising them of the further consultations on the two tier (Primary/Secondary) and three tier (First/Middle or Combined/Secondary) models that would be undertaken in December 2005 and in the Spring of 2006.
The Schools for the Future Steering Group heard evidence from interested groups and individuals at two public meetings held on 5th and 8th December 2005 at Upton House, Poole. Further written responses were considered on 16th December. This consultation focused, in particular, on the educational reasons for either the two or three tier model. The Steering Group concluded, based on the educational reasons put forward, that a single transfer at age 11 was their preferred option.
The Council’s Cabinet approved on 24th January 2006 that statutory consultation be undertaken during February and March 2006 on options for possible changes to the education system in Poole. Cabinet also approved the recommendation that the Council’s preferred option for schools organisation was for a single system of pupil transfer at age 11. These changes would take effect for all Poole schools with the exception of those in the Corfe Hills pyramid. Change would take effect in the Corfe Hills pyramid when funding had been secured for the capital costs of changes to the school buildings.
As the first phase of re-organisation did not include the schools in the area served by Corfe Hills School, Dorset County Council decided that it would not carry out its own consultation until the Borough of Poole identified a timetable for when change would take effect in the Corfe Hills pyramid.
In 2007 the decision was made to go ahead and change the age of transfer in 2013 for all Poole schools except those in the Corfe Hills pyramid for the following reasons:
- Education standards were high in the Corfe Hills pyramid;
- There was not strong support in the local area for change;
- Funding had not been secured for the capital costs of change to the school buildings in the Corfe Hills pyramid.
- The structure of education in this area would have involved a different process of change with 3 year groups moving at the same time in the year of change, rather than 2 year groups as in the rest of Poole.
It was decided that the three-tier system and the present catchment area arrangements in the Corfe Hills area would continue for the time being.
- School Organisation Implications
A change in the age range at Corfe Hills would have implications for the Middle schools in both Poole and Dorset as pupils transferring to Corfe Hills at Year 7 would leave pupils primarily in Years 5 and 6 with possibly a small number in Years 7 and 8. This raises a question as to whether these schools would be sustainable.
The table below shows, at the point of initial allocation to Corfe Hills School, the schools that pupils have transferred from for the last 3 years:
2013 / 2012 / 2011Allenbourn Middle School / 53 / 77 / 76
Broadstone Middle School / 151 / 162 / 158
Ferndown Middle / 0 / 4 / 2
Lockyers Middle School / 106 / 103 / 102
St Michael's Middle School / 7 / 10 / 10
Poole High School / 3 / 0 / 0
Other / 11 / 16 / 8
TOTAL / 331 / 372 / 342
Assuming implementation in 2015, the transfer arrangements proposed by Corfe Hills School to admit pupils to both Year 7 and Year 9 for two consecutive years, will leave an ‘isolated’ year group in both the Middle Schools and Corfe Hills School for one year:
Corfe Hills
7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 1114/15 / * / *
15/16 / *
16/17
17/18
new intake
* / no pupils
existing pupils
Middle Schools
5 / 6 / 7 / 814/15
15/16 / *
16/17 / * / *
17/18 / * / *
Corfe Hills has a catchment that extends into Dorset and so Dorset pupils will also be in catchment for the school. The breakdown of current pupils on roll at Corfe Hills Schoolby home LA, taken from the October 2013 census, is as follows:
Consideration would need to be given to a reorganisation of the pyramid schools into a Primary and/or Infant/Junior structure and there would need to be sufficient planning time for this to be organised.
As half the feeder schools to Corfe Hills School are Dorset schools, Poole and Dorset would need to develop a joint plan for change and to re-align their funding priorities in order to implement any changes as one re-organisation project.
Children in Merley live in a ‘shared catchment area’ which feeds both Broadstone Middle and Allenbourn Middle (Wimborne). Allenbourn then feeds both Corfe Hills School and Queen Elizabeth (QE) School at the end of Year 8. Any changes would produce multiple transfer ages (end of year 4, year 6 and year 8) making a system that is very difficult for parents to understand and would also make place planning unpredictable. Potentially parents who prefer a place at QE could either leave a Poole Primary/Junior School early at the end of Year 4 to transfer to a Dorset Middle School or pupils at Corfe Hills could transfer at the end of Year 8 to QE. This could potentially lead to uncertainty for both local Primary phase schools and Corfe Hills School.
- Admissions Implications
Cabinet has already considered the admission arrangements, including PANS, for Poole community and voluntary controlled schools for 2015, decided on no change and have therefore approved these for 2015. There was insufficient time for this decision to be reviewed in time for the necessary consultation in January/February 2014.
Corfe Hills has a catchment that extends into Dorset and so Dorset pupils will also be in catchment for the school. The following table shows a breakdown of the offers made to Dorset residents at the initial allocation for the last 3 years and what Category the places were offered under:
2013 / 2012 / 2011Statemented / 3 / 3 / 2
In catchment / 100 / 112 / 110
Out catchment at a pyramid feeder school / 17 / 22 / 20
Others / 7 / 13 / 4
Total number of Dorset pupils / 127 / 150 / 136
Percentage of Dorset pupils in catchment / 79% / 75% / 81%
Percentage of Dorset pupils in catchment or out catchment and attending a pyramid school / 92% / 89% / 95.5%
Allocations made to Corfe Hills over the last 5 years and whether they were in catchment, out catchment pyramid or other out catchments are shown below.
If Corfe Hills do not remove pyramid schools (Allenbourn, Broadstone and Lockyers) from their admission arrangements Corfe Hills would very likely be refusing out catchment pyramid school applicants who are likely to expect a place at the school. However,the majority of these would be Dorset residents as the whole of Broadstone Middle School is within the Corfe Hills catchment and therefore a higher priority.
5.Pupil Place Planning Implications
The number of pupils transferring to Secondary school has been declining since 2005 (with the exception of 2009) and the lowest Year 7 cohort to transfer was in 2013. The rise in numbers for Year 7 begins in 2014 but the rise is slow and the cohort is expected to be similar to the 2012 numbers. Based on current pupil projections, an additional 10 forms of entry (300 places) will be required in Year 7 over the period 2018 to 2022.
As Corfe Hills currently has an intake in Year 9 the dip in numbers that other Secondary school saw for their Year 8 transfers in 2010 (current Year 11) did not begin to feed through to Corfe Hills until 2011 (NB in the 2009 cohort there were 94 surplus places across the Borough compared with 179 in 2010).
Corfe Hills is not the only secondary school with a surplus capacity at present. To put it in context the following table shows the number of vacancies across Poole secondary schools as at the start of December 2013:
School & PAN / Yr 7 / Yr 8 / Yr 9 / Yr 10 / Yr 11 / TotalCarter (120) / 57 / 50 / 35 / 32 / 49 / 223
Magna (180) / 81 / 103 / 78 / 46 / 41 / 349
Poole High (325) / 17 / 1 / 7 / 6 / 10 / 41
St Aldhelm’s (180) / 89 / 95 / 79 / 73 / 86 / 422
Corfe Hills (375) / N/A / N/A / 29 / 0 / +7 / 22
All other schools are full or over PAN in all year groups
In previous years, both Poole High School and Ashdown Technology College (now Magna Academy) have been full in all year groups reflecting the higher number of pupils in Poole secondary schools.
The current plans for meeting the additional need for Secondary school places in Poole in the coming years is based on the current structure of education in the Broadstone/Corfe Mullen area in both Poole and Dorset and assumes Corfe Hills School to be full. A reduction in PAN at Corfe Hills would reduce the number of Secondary school places in Poole.
The figure below illustrates the need for additional Secondary school places:
Without Corfe Hills changes
With Corfe Hills changes
The PAN for Year 7 will increase by 137 in 2015 (the difference between PAN 300 at Corfe Hills and PAN 163 at Broadstone Middle).
This shows that if the Corfe Hills proposal is implemented:
- an additional 60 places (2 FE) would be required in Year 7 over and above the 300 places (10 FE) already being planned for. If the number of available Secondary places is reduced in the Corfe Mullen area there would need to be cross borough work to ensure sufficient places are available for families living in the area.
- the need for additional Secondary places would be brought forward to 2016, two years earlier than the 2018 date currently being planned for.
The table below illustrates this:
Without Corfe Hills change / With Corfe Hills change2016 / +2 FE (60 places)
2017
2018 / + 2FE (60 places) / +4 FE (120 places)
2019 / +3 FE (90 places) / +4 FE (120 places)
2020
2021 / +5 FE (150 places) / +2 FE (60 places)
Total / +10 FE (300 places) / +12 FE (360 places)
6.Accommodation Implications