Following the governing body meeting with parents on the 4^th March this newsletter provides a brief summary of the topics discussed and issues raised, which included the school’s new development plan, Building Schools for the Future (BSF), appointment of a new headteacher, and the repayment plan. Issues raised by parents focused on behaviour and communication.

 

The governing body accepts that communication between the school, the governing body, and parents, can be improved. Although we have spent some time seeking to develop the school website, it is unfortunate that this is not as up to date as it should be. It should be noted that minutes of GB meetings, policies, and other important documents are available on the web site. Longer documents are best accessed through this means.  To facilitate better communication we will be asking all parents who have access to IT to provide an email address.

 

Further we will be issuing a regular newsletter to all parents to keep you informed of what is happening, why and how it impacts on the school

 

Malcolm Rose, the acting headteacher, addressed the 7 major aims of the school development plan which covers the period to August 2009.

 

The first 3 aims relate to enhancing teaching and learning; aim 4 will address communication issues; aim 5 will include behaviour management; aim 6 covers our repayment plan; leadership in aim 7 includes the governing body.

 

The plan will be discussed and approved at the governing body meeting on March 19^th and will be then posted on the school website.

 

A number of parents were unable to make the January meeting with the Governing Body where our response to the budget deficit was outlined. I agreed to provide by newsletter an outline of the savings agreed by the governing body to repay the budget deficit by 2010.

 

The savings package can be detailed in 3 categories: loss of posts; changes to the curriculum; changes to the school roll.

 

The principal saving in terms of posts is the deletion from the structure of 5 learning mentor posts, and the creation of 1 exclusion room supervisor. These posts were created a number of years ago when we were a pilot school for the behaviour improvement programme, and this specific funding stream has come to an end. Not all secondary schools have such a category of non-teacher support staff, and their roles and job descriptions vary significantly between different schools. I would not wish to undervalue the work of our mentors, but their work can be undertaken in different ways and by different people, with teachers taking a greater role. This is addressed in the development plan (aim 5).

 

The curriculum changes are confined to reducing the number of sets in English and mathematics from 6 to 5 in years 10/11, and in mathematics in year 9. The average class size will increase by 4 through this change. Set size is not consistent within these subjects and some decide to have some large sets within the overall framework. It releases two temporary posts which will not be renewed. Class size is an emotive issue but I do not believe that this proposal will impact on the achievement of boys in these subjects. This view is shared by the Camden LEA, who point out that the class sizes at William Ellis are low compared to other Camden schools, and these changes will not increase them above the mean.

 

Increasing the role generates additional income: the school intends to make offers to 130 boys for the September 2009 intake; an increase of 7. No class in year 7 will have more than 2 additional boys. Class size will remain less than many schools who operate year 7 in groups of 30. 10 additional 6^th form places will also be offered.

 

Given the school’s indicative budget settlement for 2008-9, which is better than anticipated, I am confident that this package of measures will allow the school to clear its deficit, as required, by March 2010.

 

The meeting was briefed on BSF by the vice-chair of governors, Fiona Millar. The BSF programme is borough wide and all secondary schools will receive significant funding to develop their buildings and infrastructure. Parents views are an essential part of the process to a develop a school’s BSF strategy for change. William Ellis is in second wave of Camden schools and work on the school will not commence until around 2013. Draft proposals were on display which may inform the final plans for the school. It is accepted that BSF is some way off and it is the current primary school cohorts who will gain the benefit.

The governing body will commence the process of appointing a new headteacher by placing an advertisement in the TES on the first Friday of the Summer term. The governing body’s priority is to appoint the right candidate for the post, who shares the values and aspirations of the school. We have total confidence in the ability of Malcolm Rose to lead the school until a new headteacher is in post, so we will not be rushed into making an appointment to the detriment of the longer term interests of the school. It is quite feasible that a new headteacher will not start until January 1^st 2009. 

 

If you have access to IT please email the school on receipt of this newsletter at:

 

All that is required is your son’s name and class, and your preferred email address.

 

 

Vernon King

Chair of Governors

 

March 7 2008