Closing Alexander First School – Should the Consultation be about FOUR Schools?
By bringing a consultation about just about a single school then it is not a consultation, it’s a fait accompli.
The Borough is skint, something has to give, ONE school will be closed and so if there is just ONE on the consultation then it’s a done deal.
Politically, Alexander First School is seen locally as the army school and statistically, a soldier is half as likely to vote than a normal resident.
Alexander First School, I would take an educated guess and say it has more than its fair share of parents with PTSD.
So as well as having to worry about getting their arses shot off, we expect our armed service personnel to have to worry about their kids mental health?
Perhaps being a child of serving armed forces personnel should automatically give them top spot on the Protected Characteristics scale, before other tick boxes!
Alexander First School is, from the overall rankings table, showing hardest to sort out and most expensive to run. Another educated guess… because the head teacher is more concerned about the children under her wing and their mental health than the costs associated.
It’s obvious why this is politically the easiest decision with the least impact on votes… but is it a fair consultation?
A fair consultation would have the lowest 4 schools fighting it out.
Each school should produce a 4 page flyer saying why they shouldn’t be closed / reduced in size.
Head teachers should be invited to a husting which is streamed on youtube.
The residents can vote for which school they think should be made to go through an upheaval.
That seems logical to me. Would be a fairer consultation process than the current one.
Thank you.
Jon
Summary of criteria used to make decision
- Alexander
- St Edwards
- Oakfield
- Hilltop
- Largest drop in intake – 3142
- Largest difference in drop – 2413
- Favourite with parents – 3241
- Intake / Capacity – 1243
- SEND relocation hardest – 1432
- Lowest Ofstead – 1423
- Least Good – 2134
- Least Phonics – 4132
- Displaced Travel highest – 2314
- Most expensive – 1243
- Cost to implement – 3214
- Highest impact on protected characteristics – 1423
- Fewest pupils locally – 2431
