I went to the Kings meeting last night. The information from Surrey CC was minimal but it was interesting anyway. The Kings parents present seemed fairly unanimous in wanting their school to remain as a going concern and spoke passionately, calmly and eloquently in its defence. I felt particularly sorry that the Surrey CC presenter (PJ) lacked sensitivity - he certainly isn't one to call a shovel a topsoil removal implement. He was taken to task for his attitude by a Kings parent in the second meeting for this. I felt NO animosity toward me as a Tomlinscote parent whatsoever despite the fact I outed myself very early on.
I could summarise the meeting from my point of view at more length but, rather than that I'd like to invite Kings parent(s) to send me their views and I will either post "as is" or make a digest of the replies.
To Tomlinscote parents I'd like to make the appeal that when we have our meetings we show the same respect to the Kings parents / staff who attend (as they certainly will). The real irony is that should the merger go ahead (and I hope it will not) these same K and T parents currently against the merger are the ones who will be pushing to make something work that they never wanted - for the sake of their children.
"PJ" presented 4 options:
ReplyDelete1) Tomlinscote decides to expand to absorb the Kings staff, students and resources....
2) Collinwood is invited to consider absorbing Kings staff, students and resources, and does so.
3) SCC are persuaded that Kings can increase its recruitment (from the current 56 first places, which are likely to be 75+ after other join) to the financially viable 120.
After the negative publicity from the special measures and despite evidence of significant improvement, success by it's students, and providing the choice of a different type of school - this may still not persuade parents of new students to apply. A governor experienced with dealing with special measures commented that the danger with this approach is that the recover may take too long and the college whithers slowly.
4) Kings closes. The Secretary of State for Education becomes involved in the provision of school places, probably allocated to local schools.
Land and resources may be allocated or reserved for future educational needs by SCC (or may not).
Why cant the catchment areas be changed so less students go to Tomlinscote and Collingwood?
ReplyDeleteLast night this was suggested. It was laughed off by the speakers and suggested it would not be allowed and that it restricted peoples right to choose. It is a sensible suggestion. It is clear from the historic intake that the two bigger schools have increased their intake, at the expense of Kings. The Kings parents highlighted that the retention within Kings is good, so effectively people who attended by default rather than choice did not leave at the earliest opportunity, they choose to stay as Kings ticks all the boxes for them and their children's education. The catchment should have been looked at years ago and addressed. Kings have been let down by Surrey CC and the Local Authority on many counts.
ReplyDeleteSteve - PJ didn't present options or anlysis. He alluded to other possibilities that have seemingly been discounted but chose not to state why in any depth at all.
ReplyDeleteRegrettably the presentation was under prepared and badly researched and leaves us all with no more information than we started with.
I think that the council has a plan ready and in detail, they just don't want to share it with the rest of us as they know that it would cause all merry hell at both school. I think that the council had expected the K parents to be wowed by the thought that their children would become part of T and that the T parents would be so wowed by being told that their school was so fantastic and their children so wonderful that they would be 'saving' the K kids that there would be no opposition to the merger. Unfortunately for them K and T parents are not that stupid nor are they that gullible! We both know when we are being taken for idiots!!!
ReplyDeleteI don't think Kings has been given enough opportunity to demonstrate the significant improvements that have been made so far.
ReplyDeletePJ was condescending in his opinion of the teachers, staff and pupils at Kings.
He was also naive to say that the assumption is that secondary school pupils get themselves to school, and therefore traffic would not be a problem! This would be even less likely if children who opted for Kings because they can walk there now have to go to Tomlinscote.
I'm sure the people who live in Watchetts Drive are equally disturbed at the prospect of increased traffic throughout the whole day - not just at the beginning and end of school days. I wonder if they have had any say in the matter.
And if the 'absorption' goes ahead - why should Tomlinscote name remain? If our efforts fail, the school should have a new name and completely new uniform.
Kings is a lovely school, with a real feel good factor about - we must not lose it.
We must not let this happen, everyone must continue to fight and write to save Kings - the teachers are excellent, and the pastoral care is outstanding.