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Children and Young People’s Services1st Floor, Wing A, Riverside House , Rotherham S60 1AETel: (01709) 822572              Fax: (01709) 372530   

         

Proposal for a New School in the Centre of Rotherham (Age 3 to 11, PAN 45)

  

 

Invitation to Submit Proposals       Contents 

1. Overview2. The Need for a New Primary School3. Local Primary Performance4. Location5. Funding/Procurement6. Timeline7. School Specifications8. Selection of a Sponsor

 Appendix 1: Expressions of Interest Form – Central RotherhamAppendix 2: Clifton (local) Learning Community KS2 Performance SummaryAppendix 3: Clifton (local) Learning Community Pupil Premium dataAppendix 4: Clifton (local) Learning Community KS2 Performance data             

       Overview Demand for school places is widely known to be growing nationally.  Rotherham is experiencing unprecedented demand for primary school places.  Throughout Rotherham 875 primary places have been added since 2012, but there is still a shortfall in certain areas of the borough. The area of main concern is the centre of Rotherham, specifically the Eastwood area where projections show there are and will be more births than available school places.  A successful bid to the DfE to the Targeted Basic Need Programme (TBNP) will provide the capital funding to build the school. Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council are seeking expressions of interest to run the new primary school.  This in line with national guidelines for the establishing of a new school, guidance can be found on the DfE website (www.education.gov.uk). Interested parties should send their proposals to Dorothy Smith, Director of Schools and Lifelong Learning, Riverside House, Main Street, Rotherham, S60 1AE.Dorthothy.smith@rotherham.gov.uk. Applications should be received no later than the 27th September 2013. The Need for a New School The new school will serve the South and East planning area of Rotherham.  The area includes 12 schools varying from through primary schools to separate infant and junior schools.  The schools which are closest to the proposed new school site include Coleridge Primary Academy, St. Ann’s Primary and East Dene Primary Academy.  The two primary academies are sponsored by the Central Learning Partnership Trust (CLPT). Census data shows that this area has grown by 7.8% from 2001 to 2011 compared to 3.7% for the Rotherham average.  Birth data also indicates that there will be more births than places available. At present there are 494 available places in the area, but births

are projected to be 585 in 2014/15, 550 in 2015/16 and 567 in 2016/17.  The area is known to have a high proportion of EU migration which is not reflected in birth statistics.  This has added significant pressure on the local schools.  Local Primary Performance The characteristics of the Clifton (local) Learning Community show a high level of BME and EAL pupils. The schools as a collective also have a cohort of SEN pupils which is above the national average.  Data indicates that the FSM numbers locally are double the national average FSM figure and 85% of local pupils reside in the 30% SOA. Key Stage 2 outcomes for schools within the LC are significantly below the national average except  for Herringthorpe Junior school. Based on the new floor standard criteria Badsley Moor Junior and Coleridge are below for the last three years and East Dene are below in 2 out of the last 3 years (above in 2012 in mathematics progress).  A high proportion of pupils are eligible for Pupil Premium and the 2013 results show low levels of attainment for those such  pupils and significant gaps in attainment for a number  of schools. The proportion of pupils achieving L4B+ reading, L4+ writing and L4B+ mathematics is significantly below the national average except for  Herringthorpe Junior school whose results met the national average in 2013. A key factor in determining the suitable sponsor will be their vision, capacity and capability to transform outcomes for the pupils that attend the new school so that the current picture no longer prevails in the future (see appendices for detailed data). Location The Eastwood area is that of greatest need, therefore land has been identified to build the new school.   The address of the proposed site is Eldon Road, Rotherham, S65 1RB and is shown on the map below. The site is currently a disused allotment and informal playing field next to the River Don.  There is sufficient area for the proposed new school, play areas and sports field.  

    Funding/Procurement 

The Targeted Basic Need programme will fund the construction of the new school.  The local authority will lead the planning process to deliver the site for development as well as procure and design the school.  The successful sponsor will work closely with the LA to ensure the school design meets the requirements of the sponsor and will meet the needs of, and aspirations for the children and young people of this vital area of Rotherham.       Timeline The timeline for the selection of a sponsor is provided by the DfE as part of the Targeted Basic Need programme. LA alerts the DfE to any expressions of interest received from potential sponsors 

By 23rd August

New sponsor approval applications to the DfE 

By 6th September

DfE provide feedback on expressions of interest 

By 6th September

Sponsor Applications received by the Local Authority 

By 27th September

LA to inform DfE of all proposals received 

By 4th October

LA submit assessments of proposals to DfE indicating preference(s) 

By 18th October

DfE confirm sponsor and funding allocations for the new academy 

By 12th December

School opens 

By September 2015

  School Specifications The new central Rotheham Academy will be a mainstream, mixed sex primary school offering 45 places per year group with a foundation stage one unit of 44 places serving

the local area.  It is proposed to admit pupils from September 2015 in Key Stage 1 only and then subsequent FS2 cohorts thereafter.  Selection of a Sponsor The DfE will ultimately approve the sponsor and will assess the proposal based on the following (from the DfE guidance, The Academy Free School Presumption, July 2013); 

The capacity, quality and track record of the proposer, The capability and capacity of the proposer to deliver this project on time, to secure best value for money and to maintain financial viability, The extent to which the proposals demonstrate the proposers’ capability to promote high standards,  to find  innovative solutions to long standing issues and drive forward wider system change.

     Additionally Rotherham will expect any potential sponsor to support and sign up to the principles of Transforming Rotherham Learning: 

We are all responsible for all Rotherham's children and young people. All Rotherham learners will achieve; no one will be left behind. Learning is the core business: investment, policy and strategy must be driven by opportunities for learners. Learning communities will be rooted in and responsive to the needs of local people.

 Rotherham also ‘ask’ that any sponsor would: 

Sign up to the Rotherham Strategy for Inclusion, which would mean the welcoming of children with SEN into its community, a commitment to avoiding the exclusion of pupils and an agreement to collaborate with other schools to offer inclusive pathways to all Rotherham students from 0 -19 and beyond. Follow both the national code for Admissions and sign up to the Rotherham agreement on Fair Access to Schools. Engage with the Council and CYPS strategies. Engaged with the national and Rotherham’s Every Child Matters Agenda, especially working in partnership with the integrated locality based teams. Agree that staff should benefit from the same terms and conditions of other schools within Rotherham. Promote the new school in the local community with a fair and robust strategy to raise the schools profile.

  

                         Appendix 1: Expression of Interest Form – Central Rotherham  

1. Your organisation 

Please describe your organisation, including any experience it has of running schools in similar contexts to the one outlined above and provide full contact details. Please include details of your current leadership/governance structures.

  

 2. Outline of the school Confirmation that the school will provide 315 mainstream, mixed sex, primary school places and 44 foundation stage 1 places, for pupils between the ages of 3 and 11.

              

 3. Education vision and education plan

 

Provide your education vision and educational ethos for the new Academy and the approach to teaching and learning. Set out your aspirations for the achievement of individual pupils and for the school as a whole. Set out details of the experience that pupils will have at the new school, how you will evaluate the achievement of pupils and how you will evaluate the performance of pupils and the school.  

 4. Effect on standards and contribution to school improvement

 How will the Academy help to raise the standard of education in the area and contribute to wider school improvement? Describe your track record in improving pupil progress, particularly in areas with a similar context. How will the Academy support the transition to secondary education? Describe your approach to behaviour management, pupil well being and attendance and how they will link to your education vision.  

 5. CurriculumDetail of the proposed curriculum. How will you ensure that the curriculum is broad and balanced?

  

      

6. Inclusion 

Set out your strategy for ensuring that the needs of pupils with differing abilities are met, especially those with special educational needs and the gifted and talented. Include confirmation that your approach would be to work in partnership with the Rotherham learning community of schools to ensure the needs of all children are met. Outline the strategies that will be used to overcome barriers to learning and achievement such as children with English as their second or additional language. 

Please outline your approach to ‘narrowing attainment gaps’ for those children in receipt of pupil premium and for those children who arrive new to Rotherham and the UK. How do you propose to ensure that you make the school attractive to pupils of all backgrounds and abilities?  

 7. Admission arrangements Confirmation that, in line with the Rotherham requirements, the sponsor would sign up to the borough’s common admissions policy and be prepared to work with the Local Authority and neighbouring schools on the details of the arrangements such as a ‘catchment boundary’. If the bid proposes any change from this please detail the alternative arrangements and the rationale for them.  

 8. Partnership and Collaboration

 How will the school develop collaborative working with other schools and partners to continually make improvements in the provision for the schools pupils and other children within theClifton Learning Community?

 How will the school contribute to and promote community cohesion? Clearly demonstrate a good understanding of the local community and detail your plan for community engagement. Demonstrate a good understanding of the local community and how you would build good local relationships. Describe any plans you have for working in partnership with other schools and educational establishments as the school develops and after it opens.  How will you promote good community relations?  

    

9. Extended services 

Set out what extended services you would aim to provide to parents, pupils and the local community and how you might work with other local providers to broaden that offer.

  

 10. Capability to deliver

 Provide evidence of your ability to successfully manage schools and of your ability and experience to run the new primary school. Provide evidence of your successful ability to financially manage schools and evidence of your financial expertise and other support services such as HR, ICT.  

 11. Staffing the school and recruiting the governing body

 Provide evidence of how staff would be recruited to the school to ensure that there are outstanding leaders at all levels.  Provide evidence of high quality professional development opportunities for early years and school staff including leadership development Provide details of how the recruitment of governors to the school would be managed and how you would ensure local representation. Provide any examples of a track record in working positively with the parent body.  

  12. Managing the opening of the new school

 Provide details of how you will work with other agencies to ensure that the necessary infrastructure and systems (including ICT, HR etc) are in place for the opening of the new school.  

  

13. Other Is there anything further that you would wish to add in support of your expression of interest?

  

   

 14. Declaration

 I declare that the details provided in this application are correct at the time of submission

 Applicant’s signature, name of applicant and position in organisation

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 Organisation

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 Applicant’s contact details

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                           Date

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