When are the meetings for parents and the public?
The dates for meetings at the special schools are as follows:
| School | Date |
|---|---|
| Greenfields | Wednesday 18 June |
| Bamburgh | Tuesday 24 June |
| Epinay | Wednesday 25 June |
| Oakleigh Gardens | Wednesday 25 June |
| Margaret Sutton | Thursday 26 June |
| Galsworthy Centre | Wednesday 2 July |
On each day there will be a meeting for parents and public, and also a meeting for staff and governors.
Meetings for the various SEN Units will be held in October 2008.
A note will be taken by a Council Officer of what is said at each meeting. A summary of all that will be included in the next Report to the Council’s Cabinet, and that Report will be a publicly available document. (Cabinet is likely to look at this matter next in January 2009.)
When will I know what is planned for a particular school?
The short answer is "not until well into 2009."
Our process has to follow national government guidelines as well as the law on proposals for school reorganisation.
Between June and October 2008, there will be meetings in each school and unit for a wide variety of people, especially parents. (There are also meetings for all staff and governors.)
The Health Authority, Trade Unions, Diocesan Authorities, Community Area Forums and many other groups are also invited to comment.
The responses to the consultation will be analysed and taken into consideration before the Council’s Cabinet decides whether to proceed to the formal stage of proposals. That decision will not be taken until late in 2008.
The legal processes to close schools and open new ones will then take place in good time for the planned closures/opening.
Most importantly, none of the changes proposed in the SEN Review are planned to start before September 2009 and most would not take place until September 2012.
Who are the decision makers?
Final decisions on school reorganisation are made by the council's cabinet. They will either approve or disallow the proposals.
Is the schools adjudicator independent?
The adjudicator is appointed by the Secretary of State. He or she operates independently and considers all the issues impartially.
If I am not happy with the way the council has consulted, or I feel these proposals are being pushed through, where can I get clarification on the correct procedures?
We will try to answer any of your concerns, so just ring the SEN Review Team on 0191 4247772.
But if you are still not happy, you can contact the relevant national body i.e. the Department for Children, Schools and Families. Their School Organisation Unit phone number is 01325 391 278.
How does "amalgamation" work ? If proposals relate to closure of two or more schools and opening of one school, what would happen in the run up to the changes?
A "temporary" governing body would be established to oversee the transition period, with a full governing body being appointed once the new school opens.
The temporary governing body would appoint a head teacher for the new school along with a senior management team.
Staff from both of the existing schools would be able to seek posts in the new school within an agreed process.
The head teacher and governors would make decisions about how the new school will operate.
Integration of pupils from both current schools would be managed to ensure the schools came together to build a unified school population prior to the opening of a new building.