1. education
2. school

APPENDIX A
How to find out more…
There will be a series of Public Meetings at
the schools run by members of the Local
Authority on
•
•
Ashburton Infant & Junior Schools: 7.30pm
October 19th (Ashburton Junior School Hall)
Tollgate Primary School 6pm November 1st
Asking People
about Primary School provision in
Ashburton
The Council has recently received a report about the need to
review how Primary Education is provided in the small area
bounded by Spring Lane, Long Lane, the Arena and the tram line
currently served by Tollgate Primary School, Ashburton Infant
and Ashburton Junior Schools.
~~~oOo~~~
The timetable for consultation will be as follows:
October-Early November 2006- ~ consultation with Parents, Staff, Professional Associations,
and all schools within 1 mile of the schools.
November 2006 – January 2007 ~ Consideration of the results of the consultation and the
preparation of a recommendations which will go to Cabinet in January 2007
If Option One is recommended and accepted the Governing Bodies of Tollgate Primary and
Ashburton Infants will start the process to appoint substantive Headteachers (rather than fixed
contract or acting as at present)
If a different option is recommended and accepted, the timetable for will be as follows:
January 2007~ the Local Authority will need to publish an official notice to open a further 6week period of consultation inviting written responses. This will involve posting an official
notice in the Croydon Guardian, at the entrances/exits of the schools, and in the local
libraries. People who want to comment will have 6 weeks to send their responses to the
Local Authority.
March 2007 ~ Consultation will close early March, and a report will be taken to
Cabinet/School Organisation Committee (SOC) with a recommendation including timescale.
If agreement cannot be reached the proposal will be referred to the national School
Adjudicator, whose decision will be final.
We have looked carefully at birth rates in the local area, the likely
level of housing development, and the schools that local parents
choose. These all suggest that local population patterns are
changing and we no longer need as many school places.
Reducing the number of places would give us the opportunity to
provide some additional services to local people, such as a
Children’s Centre and possibly make some improvements to the
facilities at the schools. We would like to continue to use the
three sites as we feel that each can make a valuable contribution
to the area.
The next page sets out some options and we would like to find
out what you think about them. Your opinions will be reported to
Cabinet who will take them into account when making a decision
Margaret Brightman
Planning, Organisation and Asset Manager
Q3. What IS a Childrens Centre?
A Childrens Centre aims to provide a One Stop service where families
with young children can access a range of services including Health
Visitors, early years Education, support for parents whose children may
have special needs and other services brought in after consultation with
the local community
Q4. What’s the difference between what we have now and what
could happen under Options 2 or 3
The Local Authority would still provide education / Childrens centre
services through the three sites, so each would continue to make a vital
contribution to the life of the local community.
As of now there are 90 reception places available, (30 at Tollgate and 60
at Ashburton Infants) Only 56 of these places are being used this
year,(and this was the case last year too). If we reduce the number of
Reception places to 60, this frees up money and resources to make other
areas of the schools better.
The schools would work together to provide education for the children
aged 4-11 in the area. Foundation & Key Stage 1 education would be
provided across two sites (Tollgate & Ashburton Infant) and Key Stage 2
at Ashburton Junior and so Tollgate Primary would close (enabling the
site to concentrate on the delivery of other specialist services)
Q5. What happens to the staff of the Schools?
Falling school rolls mean that all of the schools will have to consider
staffing reductions whichever option is chosen. If either Option 2 or 3 is
recommended it is likely that the vast majority of staff would transfer to
the schools in the new federation. The new staffing structure would be
the subject of consultation with staff, the Local Authority and the shadow
Governing Body.
Q6. Is this just a cost cutting exercise?
No, there will be no reductions to funding that goes to schools. The budget for the school
places will be calculated using the agreed formula for primary schools and will continue to
be based on the number of children attending the school.
Options 2 & 3 will enable the funding to be used more effectively. It will
also enable the Local Authority to use Government funding to develop a
Childrens Centre in the area and to look at ways of raising additional
funding to invest in facilities at the Ashburton schools.
The following options were suggested to Cabinet:
Option 1
Continue to maintain the schools as separate
institutions with the Childrens Centre on either
the Ashburton Infant or the Tollgate sites.
Option 2
Create a federation of the three schools,
including a Childrens Centre.
Locate
Childrens Centre and Nursery at Tollgate,
Reception and Key Stage 1 at Ashburton Infant
Key Stage 2 at Ashburton Junior School.
Option 3
Create a federation of the three schools,
including a Childrens Centre.
Locate
Childrens Centre and Nursery at Ashburton
Infant,
Reception and Key Stage 1 at Tollgate
Key Stage 2 at Ashburton Junior School.
You may have other options that you wish to suggest for the schools and we would be pleased to hear
them as part of the consultation.
Some questions you may have thought of:
Q1. Why are the changes being proposed?
The Local Authority is concerned that unless radical changes are made all the schools will face a
difficult future. Ashburton Infants may have difficulty recruiting a Headteacher and staff to a school
where numbers are falling. Neither Tollgate, nor the Ashburton schools, are attracting enough
pupils to guarantee adequate future funding. Ashburton Infant would need to consider reducing to
1 form of entry. Maintaining two 1 form of entry schools so close together would not be the best
use of school funding, particularly when one school has been built to educate at least 2 forms of
entry.
Q2. What IS a Federation?
A federation enables a group of schools to work together with shared
arrangements for how the schools are governed. A federation can be
disbanded.
Please complete, and return the questionnaire below to the school
office at your child’s school.
1. Which option do YOU prefer for the future of
Primary Education in Ashburton?
Yes
No
Option 1
Option 2
Option 3
2. If you would like to make further comment please
use this space.
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
3. You are a
…
Parent/Carer
… Teacher
…
… Governor of the schools
… non-teaching staff member
Other, including staff or governor of another school
The following information is optional
Name ________________________________________
Address _______________________________________
______________________________________________
email __________________________________________
Croydon Education Department
9th Floor
Taberner House
Park Lane
Croydon CR9 1TP
Tel/Typetalk: 020 8686 4433 Ext. 62911
Fax: 020 8760 5604
Minicom: 020 8760 5797
Email: karen.saberi@croydon.gov.uk
Mr N Williams
Headteacher
BRIT School for Performing Arts and
Technology
60 The Crescent
Croydon
Surrey CR0 2HN
Please ask for/reply to Karen Saberi
Your Ref:
Our Ref: KS/vjc
Date: 19th February 2007
Dear Mr Williams
Re: Proposals to Discontinue Tollgate Primary School and to add a
Nursery Class to Ashburton Infant School
We are writing to invite your views on a proposal to discontinue Tollgate
Primary School on 31st August 2007 and to add a nursery class to Ashburton
Infant School with effect from 1st September 2007.
Tollgate Primary School (‘Tollgate’), Ashburton Infant and Ashburton Junior
Schools (‘Ashburton Schools’) are located close together in a small area
bounded by Spring Lane, Long Lane, the Arena and the tram line. The area
includes the Stockbury Estate which is within top 20% national areas of
deprivation according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation.
Between the Tollgate and Ashburton schools there are currently 3 forms of
entry available offering 90 places per year in each year group. There has
been a steady fall in the demand for these places and currently, across the
Tollgate Primary and Ashburton Infant schools there is a surplus of 38 places
at Reception (42%) equivalent to more than a whole class a year; 18 of these
places are at Tollgate Primary School, representing a surplus of 60%. The
number of surplus places in the area is forecast to continue to rise as a falling
birth rate means that places will become available at other popular local
schools. Without guaranteed larger numbers, it will always be difficult for any
of the schools, particularly Tollgate to achieve the kind of organisational and
staff stability that is desirable, and the Local Authority has therefore made the
difficult decision to propose closing Tollgate Primary School.
Tollgate has a part time morning nursery. It is proposed to retain the nursery
on the Tollgate site, as part of a new Children’s Centre, but to make the
nursery class part of Ashburton Infant School. The nursery class would be
able to accommodate 52 part time pupils. It is proposed that existing pupils in
Key Stages 1 and 2 at Tollgate will transfer to the appropriate Ashburton
school, although parents might wish to apply for places at other schools with
vacancies. Parents of current nursery pupils would be able to apply for
Reception places at Ashburton Infant School.
Your views are very important in the consideration of this proposal. The final
decision regarding the closure will be made by Croydon's School Organisation
Committee (SOC), an independent body which makes decisions on school
planning issues within the borough.
The Local Authority welcomes your views, by email or letter, on the above
proposal. Please submit your comments by 5pm on 28th March 2007 at the
latest.
Yours sincerely
Margaret Brightman
Planning, Organisation & Asset Manager
Proposals for the Closure of Tollgate Primary School and the
Addition of a Nursery Class to Ashburton Infant School
Notice is hereby given in accordance with the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 ("The Act"),
that Croydon Local Authority intend to make the following changes:
Part 1
In accordance with section 29(1) of the Act to discontinue Tollgate Primary School, Malling Close,
Stockbury Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 7YD on 31 August 2007.
It is proposed that existing pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 will transfer to either Ashburton Infant School or
Ashburton Junior School (located at Long Lane, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 7AR), as appropriate, although
admission may also be sought to other schools, which may have places available. A nursery class will
be provided at the Tollgate school site but will be part of Ashburton Infant School; applications for
admission in September 2007 to the nursery class at Tollgate Primary School will automatically be
considered for admission to this nursery class.
No special transport arrangements are required as Ashburton Infant and Junior Schools are less than a
quarter of a mile from Tollgate Primary School.
Part 2
In accordance with section 28(1) of the Act to make a prescribed alteration to Ashburton Infant School,
Long Lane, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 7AR by the addition of a nursery class for 52 full time equivalent
pupils from 01 September 2007.
The current age range of the school is 4 years to 7 years. The proposed age range will be 3 years to 7
years.
The number of pupils to be admitted to the main school at age 4 from 01 September 2007 and
subsequent years will be 60.
Ashburton Infant School has an indicated admission number of 77, but a published admission number of
60. This is to comply with the DfES requirement that no class of 5, 6 or 7 year olds contains more than
30 pupils with a single qualified teacher.
The nursery class will be on the current site of Tollgate Primary School and will form part of a new
Children's Centre, which will also be located on the current site of Tollgate Primary School. Together,
the two facilities will provide integrated education, care, family support and health services, which will
support children under 5 years old and their families in the local neighbourhood.
Within six weeks after the date of publication of the above proposals, any person may object to or make
comments on the proposals by sending their representations to Karen Saberi, Planning & Information
Officer, Croydon Council Education Department, Room 9.01, Taberner House, Park Lane, Croydon,
CR9 3JS. Within one month after the end of the representation period, the Local Authority will send to
the School Organisation Committee for the area copies of all objections and comments made (and not
withdrawn in writing) within the representation period, together with the Authority's observations on
them.
Signed
Karen Saberi
Planning & Information Officer
Croydon Council Education Department
Date
14th February 2007