I received the following mail from a parent who makes an excellent point:-
I know we do not have much time but I feel that we should have a pre prepared list of questions for when we attend the meeting on 29th March.
My concern is that with so many passionate parents together the questions are going to be duplicated and asked without any structure. The downside to this is that we may run out of time and find that important points do not get covered.
Would it be possible to add a page to this website where parents and children can leave questions that they want answered. These can then be translated into a structured list of questions to be asked by possible few spokes people who maybe have experience in doing something similar from a work place environment.
I for example have the following burning questions/comments that I would like to be asked and have the feedback documented for all to see.
1. My year 11 daughter has been offered a place at both Tomlinscote 6th form and Farnborough 6th form. She has always maintained that she will accept the Tomlinscote place, however after the announcement this week, she has been onto the Farnborough website and accepted her place there. What will Tomlinscote do to ensure that they do not lose other able and committed students, which in turn will reduce the standard of Tomlinscote 6th form.
2. Currently Tomlinscote has a commitment to provide all new students with laptops for school and home use. All parents who choose Tomlinscote are made aware of the Financial commitment involved. How is this going to rolled out to current Kings students or will this be scrapped?
3. Uniform – Tomlinscote have always maintained a very strict Uniform policy and I have personally witnessed the way many Kings students dress when they turn up to school, how is this going to be addressed, just because you change a school name does not mean you change the culture.
4. I know of specific parents who chose not to go to Tomlinscote because of what they believe are Dictatorial rules. Without the backing of these parents how do Tomlinscote expect to change existing bad behaviours.
5. I am sure everyone agrees that Kings is failing and that something needs to be done but by merging a failing school with a high achieving school is surely going to produce a mediocre institution and who exactly does that benefit.
Lastly I would love to hear the views of Mr Ryles, funny how this has come to light since he announced his retirement, would he of ever allowed it to be considered under his Leadership, I am guessing the truthful answer to that is NO.
I and I am sure all parents have another 100 questions like this which is why I feel it is so important to plan how we are going to approach this during the meeting on 29th March.
I would like to know what housing developments have been postponed due to the current economic climate on which the council predicts a shortfall in school admission numbers. I presume the Deepcut barracks site development is still going ahead? Also there are rumours of the SC Johnson company moving out of the Frimley site and I wonder what might end up on that prime site? Housing I expect.
ReplyDeleteWe are aware of a developer touting Kings International School as development opportunity for retail or residential. We don't know if the developer is flying a kite on this, but it does state that there are some financial issues surrounding this school.
ReplyDeleteJust thought that you might like to know this as we found this intriging regarding the long term use of this site
Do we have exact headcount numbers of puplis at Kings
ReplyDeleteI would like to know how the Kings students will be prepared for the Tomlinscote MFL curriculum. How are the Kings students going to feel joining a classroom of students that have been learning two languages for a number of years!
ReplyDeleteDo you anticipate teaching staff leaving Tomlinscote to seek a more stable school during the transition period? This could have a devastaging impact on students in their GSCE and A'level years
ReplyDeleteI understand Kings has a large number of supply teachers at the present time. Do you anticipate moving teachers from Tomlinscote to Kings and therefore leaving a teacher shortage at Tomlinscote during critical exam years?
ReplyDeleteI can't obviously speak for Tomlinscote teachers, I met one yesterday who was enthusiastic about the merger but I'd imagine morale wise it was not going to be pretty. All schools are having budget constraints at the moment so jobs may not be as easy to come by but a couple of things are for sure.
ReplyDelete1) This is going to be a lot of work in the first 3-4 years unless I felt passionately that the merger was a good thing I'd certainly consider working in a less challenging and more stable environment.
2) Nobody likes change - many resist it.
3) However sensitive people are there will be the perception of a two tier system amongst the merged staff.
4) Some teachers may not want to teach exclusively in a lower or upper school.
I could go on....
I'd imagine the hiatus would have an effect on 6th form - I bet less people opt to stay on and rather go to Farnborough... if this effect is too bad it may affect the 6th form.
ReplyDeleteAs a (hopefully) highly regarded member of staff by colleagues and students, if this goes ahead, I wont be staying. I signed up to teach in an educational institution that had yrs 7 through to 6th form. I love the school community feel and a split site would lose all of that. Schools are not exam factories, but places where children of all ages interact. Shame as I love Tomlinscote
ReplyDeleteI just think that the Kings kids are going to have a real bad time if this goes ahead.As the bulling has already started over this,With T kids & Parents looking down at are kings kids & family's.Which i find funny.As the T go on like there are a better class off Family's,But they have showed there self s up by acting the way there have over all this. Are kings kids are not going to settle into a school where they will get looked down at & not wanted there.I think that the parents at T should have a good talking too.As there have been very unfair the way they have been talking about Our king students & teachers !!
ReplyDeleteI think we need to look past this. I am a T parent and have had abusive comments made to me by K parents. I have also had excellent relationships with Kings parents and consider Tina Carney who is a campaigning Kings parent a good friend despite the fact I've never met her in person and have known her less than a week. I'd also like to share an extract from a letter from a Kings Teacher.....
ReplyDelete"Also as part of this, I am teaching students from all three schools in one class. They work exceptionally well together and have become quite a close knit group, it has been a pleasure to work with them and the other staff from Tomlinscote on the the planning and delivery of the course. We also worked together to produce the shape perforance at Camberley Theatre two years ago and it was a brilliant collaboration. I think I speak for all involved in the course, that the experience (whilst challenging) has been a positive experience, with respect shown for all, at all times."
It seems to me that your fears may be unfounded. I am all for collaboration between the two schools I think it will enrich both schools. But I do not want so see a split site solution, massive chaotic change and Kings disapear.
I also wish to point out that the facebook site the focus of so much bullying is now moderated by Tina and myself (Ian). We messaged the 3000+ people potentially involved in the page asking for sensitivity and we will remove offensive posts if people cannot behave themselves.
ReplyDeleteThe original (pre-moderation) had a lot of good comments from both T and K kids and parents and a lot of abuse from avery small minority (bad though it was).
I would like to know what other options are being considered or offered, besides the one split-site school.
ReplyDeleteI am concerned that parental choice of which school to choose for their child will be reduced by a third if the merger goes ahead. With the government promoting academy schools, what choice would there be if, for example, both Tomlinscote and Collingwood were awarded academy status? With Kings gone, it would be academy or nothing.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it's worth remembering that 57 sets of parents *did* choose Kings above other local schools for their children. Perhaps this was due to the arts specialism (and the arts at Kings are exceptional quality), maybe it's the smaller number of students, or it could be the close and supportive community (who recently raised over £2,000 for Comic Relief just a couple of days after this disruptive news was announced), which could be attractive to parents of children who just aren't suited to a larger school. There are any number of reasons those parents chose Kings, but I haven't seen many people mention the fact that these parents, and their children, have had their choice completely removed and disregarded by County.
Believe it or not, I'm a Tomlinscote parent. However, I do value the ability to choose between more than two schools for my children, and I feel it's probably easier for Tomlinscote parents/students to get their views heard by virtue of sheer numbers. I'm pleased to see the tone of both this blog and, particularly, the Facebook event, has been changed to become more inclusive of both Kings and Tomlinscote parents and students. This will prove to be a major strength when it comes to getting voices heard and, if the merger does eventually go ahead, getting a say in how it is implemented.
I would like to know how many children will be starting in Sept 2011....it will not be the 57 as that's just 1st choice!
ReplyDeleteWhat about those kids that will have been given Kings as 2nd/3rd choice that did not get into Tomlinscote or Collingwood - if they put down those as 1st choice options and failed to get offered them.
So what is that actual intake for Sept 2011's Year 7 to be for Kings....does anyone know?
I have heard that Johnson's Wax is closing and staff have been made redundant....factories in USA also shutting down :).
ReplyDeleteAlso heard that housing developers are trying to buy the site!
As far as I'm aware, SCC hasn't revealed the Kings intake (inclusive of overflow from Collingwood and Tomlinscote), and have only said that Kings got 57 first choices. I'm sure there would be enough to make a viable year group once 2nd/3rd preferences were allocated.
ReplyDeleteIn all honesty, I don't believe SCC's spin on things. I think there are other reasons behind this decision, and in the main they are financial.
I have just come from the Kings meeting and would like to say first off how thoroughly impressed I was by the passion and loyalty that was shown for the school. I am ashamed to admit that I had preconceived ideas about Kings and its standards. Having listened to the parents and, in particular, one of the teachers I have completely changed my perspective. I am still against the merger as I simply believe it is unworkable but the meeting did raise these questions for me;
ReplyDelete- at the end of the meeting I was lucky enough to chat to the teacher who was fiercely defensive of Kings acheivements and proud of her students attainments. She stated, as head of year and head of subject there will be no place for her in the merged school. So she is caught between a rock and a hard place; she has a mortgage to pay so does she jump ship? or does she stay in a changed role so she can continue with the job she is so clearly dedicated to? Unfortunately I fear the latter will win out and we will lose another positive for our kids. This is just 1 teacher. I dread to think of the numbers who find themselves in the same position.
- the cost of a provided transport system. PJ, the man from the council, inferred that there would be some provision of transport to the sites but when the question of cost was broached he was predictably cagey. I do not qualify for any financial assistance so I am sure that I will be expected to subsidise these school transfers. I cannot afford a potential extra £50 a month for bus journeys.
- finally the merging of the 2 school cultures. The "them and us" issue was pointed out at the meeting. PJ at one point did say that in his experience smooth transition and unity can happen within 6 months. Unfortunately human nature is much more tribal than this and unity will only be formed when things are considered the norm. Thus it will not be until atleast 2016 and all remnants of the school merger ( being Kings students or Tomlinscote ) have moved on. That covers the entire duration of both my sons secondary education. How much teaching time will be wasted on attempting to smooth over issues and unite students?
I would also like to thank the Tomlinscote parent that stood up at the end of the meeting and apologised to the Kings parents for the small minority of people that have behaved crudely toward them. She made it clear we all want whats best for our kids and should read from the same page. Wanting whats best for the children of Surrey Heath does not seem to be on the list of priorities or considerations for PJ and pals. Hopefully at the Tomlinscote meeting he will learn that this is the very top priority for the majority of K and T parents.
Perhaps the Kings' head of year and subject (above) should not assume that she will have no place in the merged school. It is not a given that the teachers in Tomlinscote are "better" than those at Kings. Maybe those at Tomlinscote have been made to feel superior, but they can be extremely lackadaisical with regards to marking work, so often scribbling their signature without commenting on how to improve work, etc. This threatened merger may mean some of the Tomlinscote staff should not feel quite so complacent. I am sure most Kings' teachers are of equal calibre and should stay so they are given the chance to prove themselves.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments on the meeting at Kings. With regard to P-J and the cost of transport: if the Council moves my local school to somewhere that is no longer local, I think it would be morally and perhaps legally failing if it did not then provide free transport to both pupils and teachers. This should be fought tooth and nail as part of the objections.
ReplyDeleteThe number of 11 year olds in Surrey Heath has not come as a sudden surprise to the Council. The Council did not suddenly realise on 15th March this year that numbers were low. No developments have been known to have been cancelled or postponed during the week commencing 14th March. So sending the letter out the day after parents had to accept their children's place at secondary school does not inspire me with confidence or trust. I think this timing is just the first show of underhanded behaviour. The Council should not be surprised at local reaction given the absurd timing of their announcement.
ReplyDeleteMr Ryles accepted a 2.5 year contract to turn Kings around when he was 64. A year later he realises he is 65 and retires am I alone in finding this a bit short sighted.
ReplyDeleteI was not aware that Mr. Ryles was signed up for two and a half years. Although it may be short sighted he is due to retire and I think his departure will be of little consequence. It certainly has damaged his "legacy" and his credibility in my eyes. Furthermore, I find it incredibly hypocritical that Mr Ryles was criricising Tomlinscote parents for their insensitivity toward Kings and their belief that Tomlinscote is better. It is Mr Ryles, through his rhetoric, that has set Tomlinscote as the elite school that some perceive it as. At the Year 7 welcome meeting I was left aghast at his level of arrogance when he stated "rest assured not a single student from Kings will set foot on the Tomlinscote site". I did not agree with the pompousity of that statement then and I do not now. I think before Mr Ryles castigates parents for the superiority complex that some are displaying he should remember who instigated this attitude and exactly how he has sold "his" brand of Tomlinscote for the past years. To this end, if this merger is to go ahead Mr Ryles should be no part of it as we want someone who can unite the 2 schools not someone whose divisive arrogance would spread throughout the school.
ReplyDeleteNo-one is suggesting that the Tomlinscote teachers are better than tose at Kings. It is simply a contractual issue. If Kings is absorbed into Tomlinscote the teachers there will have a stronger case. I don't think the Head of year at Kings so be expected to accept a demotion. Just a bit beyond the pale and as a parent of a Year 7 I would love someone like that said teacher teaching, caring and supporting my child. It would be a tragedy to squeeze this woman out
ReplyDeletethe Clewborough House site is having houses built on it as we speak ...plenty more children will be living there!
ReplyDelete