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An open meeting for the parents of both schools is planned for Monday28th January 2013 at Hanham Abbots Junior School, starting at 7pm.
A similar meeting for staff is planned for Tuesday 22nd January 2013 at Samuel White’s Infant School starting at 3.30pm.
Samuel White’s Infant School
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Days
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FEDERATIONHANHAM PRIMARY
If you are unable to attend the appropriate meeting, or you are a member of the wider community, you areinvited to comment in writing during this period of consultation. Parents and carers - please send yourcomments to the office of the school that your child attends, in a sealed envelope marked ‘FederationProposal’. Members of the wider community can send their comments to the office at either school.Responses to questions asked will be posted on the federation page of Hanham Abbots School website:www.hanhamabbotsjunior.org.uk .
WHAT IS A HARD FEDERATION OF SCHOOLS?A hard federation is where one governing body takes responsibility for more than one school. Under suchan arrangement the schools remain as separate entities with separate staff and separate funding but somestaff can be shared. Having one governing body means that common policies and employment practicescan be established.
Creating a federation is a flexible and evolutionary process that allows schools to define the make-up andsystems, making it personal to the schools involved.
WHAT IS THIS REPORT ABOUT?During 2012 the governing bodies of both Hanham Abbots and Samuel White’s spent time carefullyconsidering the best way to provide the highest quality education provision for the children of our community.
Through this collaborative work it has been agreed that the best way forward is to bring the strategicleadership of the two schools closer together through a hard federation.
This report is to give you information about the proposed federation and the benefits it would bring forchildren, families and staff. It is also an invitation to you to shape the future of this federation by addingyour thoughts and comments to the process.
A period of consultation will run from Thursday 17th Jan 2013 until Thursday 7th March 2013. It is duringthis period that all stakeholders, including parents, carers, staff, the Council, local schools and other partsof the community, will have the opportunity to consider the proposal.
JUNIOR SCHOOLHANHAM ABBOTS
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
GOVERNING BODY
HOW WILL THE GOVERNING BODY BE ORGANISED?The proposal would merge Samuel White’s Infant School Governing Bodywith the Hanham Abbots Junior School Governing Body to form a new sharedbody called the Hanham Primary Federation. Both existing Governing Bodieshave formally resolved to pursue hard federation.
The proposed size of the Federated Governing Body is to be governed by theprinciples contained in Guidance on the School Governance (Federations)(England) Regulations 2012. The proposed size is18 governors andcomposition of the Federated Governing Body would be:
PARENT GOVERNORS:2 (one from each school) to be elected by parents of registered pupils at eachschool.HEAD TEACHER: 2 (the Associate Headteachers of each federated school).
STAFF GOVERNORS:1 elected by the staff of both schools.
LA GOVERNORS: 1 Nominated by the LA and Appointed by the Federated Governing Body.
CO–OPTED GOVERNORS: 12 Appointed as Governors by the Governing Bodyof the federation and who, in the opinion of the Governing Body, have the skillsrequired to contribute to the effective governance and success of thefederation. (This will include the Primary Headteacher and one would be anadditional staff governor).
HANHAM ABBOTSJUNIOR SCHOOL
WHY IS A HARD FEDERATION BEING RECOMMENDED?There is a number of reasons why a federation is being proposed for our Hanham Schools. The most important of these are to provide:
• High quality primary education for the children of our community.• Seamless academic and social transition between key stages.• A consistent and effective approach to inclusion across both schools.• An increased capacity to support families in the school communities.• School leadership that is effective, stable and collaborative across both schools.• The retention of the unique qualities offered by both Infant and Junior schools• An even better relationship between the schools without compromising the individual identity or ethos of either.• Shared policies across the two schools that support continuity for children and families.• Raised standards through a carefully planned primary curriculum and shared, high expectations.• A consistent and effective approach to assessment and pupil tracking from Reception to Year 6 that enables learners to make good progress.• High quality staff development that is built upon existing expertise in both schools – leading to more effective and embedded teaching and learning with enhanced recruitment and retention.• Resources that are shared and used effectively.
WHAT WOULD FEDERATION LOOK LIKE FOROUR SCHOOLS?The governing bodies have considered this carefully and the followingare proposed:
• Both schools would operate under a single Governing Body and a single Headteacher (to be known as the Primary Headteacher).
• Each school would have an Associate Headteacher (to be known as Head of Infants and Head of Juniors) who would be line managed by the Primary Headteacher.
• Each school would receive and administer its own budget.• Each school would receive its own Ofsted inspection.• Samuel White’s School would continue to cater for Early Years & Key Stage 1 (YR – Y2).
• Hanham Abbots School would continue to cater for Key Stage 2 (Y3-Y6).
• Each school would remain on its existing site.• Over time school policy documents would merge.• Over time school curriculum would merge.• Staff from the two schools would work together where appropriate.• No planned changes to school names or uniforms.
WILL THE STAFFING BE CHANGED?The proposal would make no initial changes to the current classroomstaffing levels in either school. A single executive headteacher would beappointed at the earliest possible date. This Primary Head would havestrategic leadership responsibility for both schools. In each school therewould be an Associate Headteacher responsible for day to daymanagement and to act in the absence of the Primary Head. (AssociateHead roles in operation may be called Head of Infants and Head ofJuniors). There would be no changes to other levels of staffing at thistime. The Primary Head would retain the right to manage the staff acrossand between the two sites in consultation with individual members of staffwithin existing Terms and Conditions.
The local authority remains the employer of staff at both Schools.
KEY DATESSTAFF CONSULTATION MEETING:
Both Schools:Tuesday 22nd January 2013 @ SWI – 3.30-4.30pm
PARENTAL CONSULTATION MEETING:Both Schools:
Monday 28th January 2013 @ HAJ – 7pm
PROPOSED FEDERATION DATE:The federation would be begin on 1st September 2013. At this point thenew governing body would assume responsibility for both schools.
ADMISSIONS:South Gloucestershire will remain the admission authority for both schools.This means that admission arrangements would not change.
Hanham Abbots Junior SchoolCreswicke AvenueHanham, Bristol. BS15 3PNHEADTEACHER: Mike CoyneContact: 01454 [email protected]
Samuel Whites Infant SchoolCreswicke Avenue
Hanham, Bristol. BS15 3PNACTING HEADTEACHER: Karl Hemmings
Contact: 01454 [email protected]
Samuel White’s Infant School
Happy
Days
•Healthy
Lives • High Achievem
ent
FEDERATIONHANHAM PRIMARY