Michael Gove link

http://www.michaelgove.com/pdf/Surrey_Heath_Champion_Autumn2009.pdf

Surrey Heath Conservatives against the merger.

http://www.surreyheathconservatives.co.uk/

Will the governors uphold their duty to have a dialogue with parents?

The instructions NOT to phone or email school when this is the only method of contacting the governors seems to suggest that the governing body will not engage with parents.

It is vitally important that this is rectified ASAP so that the parent voice can be heard and so that the governors can meet their legal obligations.

Section 21(7) of the Education Act 2002 (as inserted by Section 38 of The Education and Inspections Act 2006) places a duty on governing bodies to have regard to any views expressed to them by parents of registered pupils at the school in exercising their functions.

Governors and the law

A number of people have asked about the law as it pertains to governing bodies of schools.  Here is an excellent link.
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/governance/guidetothelaw
For those who are governors - confidential advice can be sought from
http://www.governorline.info/welcome/

In particular those parents who feel that the behaviour of the governors is currently to ignore parents might want to read..

Section 21(7) of the Education Act 2002 (as inserted by Section 38 of The Education and Inspections Act 2006) places a duty on governing bodies to have regard to any views expressed to them by parents of registered pupils at the school in exercising their functions.
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/governance/guidetothelaw/b0065507/gttl/parent-councils/views-parents

How the Kings parents who do not have a governing body, are represented is less than clear.  However if this snippet is anything to go by...

Governing bodies should demonstrate in Section 2 of the School Evaluation Form (SEF) the methods they have used to seek the views of parents and how those views have influenced their decision making. They should ensure that views are sought from all categories of parents including those with disabilities, those who may be disengaged and parents of particular groups of pupils who may face significant barriers to their inclusion such as language, literacy or culture. Governing bodies should consider whether any documents should be translated into other languages.


It would suggest that Kings should have had initial letters translated for the Nepalese community.

Split sites discussion TES

Staff input interesting
http://community.tes.co.uk/forums/p/481833/6674266.aspx#6674266

Councillors sign petition

• On the SurreyCC website
• http://petitions.surreycc.gov.uk/tomlinscotekings/

Note that the following have signed their names.

Cllr John May
Cllr Moira Gibson
Cllr Wayne Henderson
Cllr Richard Brooks
Cllr Josephine Hawkins
Cllr Edward Hawkins
Cllr Beverley Harding
Cllr Audrey Roxburgh

Cllr Adrian Page
Cllr Valerie White
Cllr Bill Chapman
Cllr Tim Dodds

Whatever the outcome people should feel happy that those letters, emails and phone calls they made have had a positive effect, please continue to lobby and support the cause.. you are having an effect.

School Bus Promises - You can bet these will be hollow.

Transport is a big issue to many parents if the proposed merger were to go ahead. I urge you though to think beyond it as an issue. The main issue is that the chaos of the merger and the split site solution will be an educational disaster that WILL affect the education of your children. The inconvenience of transport pales into insignificance beside the educational damage your child will likely suffer. Depending on the point at which your child is affected and your childs needs this could range from "not ideal" to "affecting your childs future prospects".

however...

We were told we will be offered school buses as a way of overcoming the transport issues.  Frankly given the aggressive attempts by SurreyCC to remove / reduce school bus provision I do not believe that any promises would be worth the paper they were written on.  At best it would just be a tactic to reduce opposition to the merger to be able to force it through.

Please don't fall for this or you will end up in a position that is too late to change and fighting like this:-

SurreyCC petition:  Revoke the Proposed cessation of transport to denominational schools

Primary School Bus Cuts in Surrey
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/8342799.stm
Also Deepcut service personnel will have their childrens bus to the Grove school removed.

Faith School Bus Cuts in Surrey
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-12961075

Collingwood Bus Cuts

Parents protested
http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2073930_parents_take_to_cars_in_bus_cuts_protest http://chobhamnews.wordpress.com/2010/07/05/school-bus-protest-brings-traffic-to-a-standstill/

Surrey CC eventually backs down (for a year) before no doubt trying again.
http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2065641_rethink_on_cuts_to_school_bus_services

Google around it goes on and on and on....

SurreyCC get figures wrong and close school "by accident"

How confident do we feel in SurreyCC to "get this right"?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-13047391