In response to the announcement regarding the proposed new class structure, dated 28th June 2018, please find below some comments and questions for which we would appreciate a response at the consultation meeting. Please note that this is a representation of a number of concerned parents and not a single response.
Our first question is to enquire why there has been no parent consultation for such a huge change that will affect every pupil in the school. We can only assume that you would have known that this would be a controversial proposal.
You mention in the announcement that this structure is 'a successful and popular model used throughout the country'. Can you please provide us with examples of schools with a similar profile/ intake where this has been a proven success?
Can you please explain how this will work in established years where there are currently only 40 pupils. If you have to implement this proposal would it not be better for all involved to roll this out as new reception classes come in?
How will you determine who will go in each class?
Can you please clarify the approach to the classes, as we may have misunderstood. Our understanding from the communication is that Year 3 & Year 4 will always be together, and Year 5 & Year 6 will always be together.
Just for clarification can you please confirm that it will work as follows: Example - Year 4 Pupil. In the first year, the Year 4 pupils will be in a class with the Year 3 pupils. In the second year, these pupils will now be in Year 5 and will therefore be in a class with the Year 6's. This insinuates a very transient class structure which we feel would be far from beneficial for many of our children.
As you are no doubt aware, there was already a nervousness and dislike of the split class approach in the school for many reasons. One of the main reasons was the fact that the kids were meant to act as one class but on many occasions they would be split according to their year group and friendship groups would be torn up.
How much more money will the school get from the government for doing this?
If the dining room is to be used as a classroom I assume that the kids will be eating lunch in the hall? The kids already feel very rushed over their lunch and often do not have time to finish it.
With the set up and take down of the hall this will either have an impact on the time to eat or the availability of the hall for other activities.
How do you plan to properly accommodate the extra children? It is not just a classroom that is needed - there are many other facilities to which access will be squeezed, for example, the library, toilets, the already limited technology, breakfast and after school clubs.
Finally you state that 'increasing our intake will form a key part of our journey towards outstanding'. Can you please elaborate on this.
Is there a strategic plan / direction to get the school to outstanding and exactly how does this contribute?
As you can no doubt ascertain from this petition, in the absence of some very convincing answers, we are absolutely not on board with this proposal. Unfortunately as seems to be the way with these things, this does feel like a 'done deal', which is hugely disappointing, and although the communication was naturally written with a positive slant to try and make people buy in, much more clarification is urgently required.
We the undersigned ask that you please reconsider this disruptive change of class structure.
Yours Faithfully,
Concerned parents.
Updates
June 29, 2018
Mrs Tregear and the Board of Governors are still hiding behind their vague announcement while parents are left to guess how our children will be affected. The complete lack of transparency on these proposed class changes is an insult to every family at Sacred Heart and I am currently drafting a demand for them to stop avoiding our questions. Stay ready because we are not going to let them force this restructuring through without a real fight.
June 29, 2018
The momentum behind this petition proves that parents refuse to be blindsided by Mrs Tregear and the Board of Governors any longer. They thought they could force these class changes through in the dark but now they finally have to face the heat from all of us.
39 Comments
Incredulous at the email sent by the school yesterday. A "community" does not make far reaching decisions such as these without the inclusion and thoughts of all its stakeholders! Where was the communication to parents in the lead up to this fundamental change ? What was the consultation process ? Why were opinions not sought by the board of governors ? Extremely dissapointed in the lack of leadership , vision and inclusion shown by the schools senior leaders.
Concerned grandmother. I have had connections with the school for over 40 years & feel these changes will destroy the family,friendly ethos of the school that has made it so successful all these years
Hugely concerned about the impact this will have on our son as he enters year 6 and has to contend not only with all that year 6 will bring in terms of SATS and preparing for secondary school but now he will have to contend with a class with half from a different year group and disruption to friendships which have been in place for 8 years. And we're to lose the dining hall so what will be next to go - the top field to make way for more classrooms as the powers that be decide the next step will be to move to a 2 class entry again without consultation with the parents.
My son will start in Reception in September. By failing to disclose these plans for the new class structure, the school took away my right to make an informative decision regarding the school choice for my son. I am so disappointed.
Very concerned with how this increased capacity will work for a school that is already tight on space. Would like to see proof of where such an intake has been successful. Is there plans to expand the buildings or bring in port-a-kabins which would be better than housing kids in the dining room. Disappointed to have not been consulted in the run up to this important decision making process
Watch how Ofsted Outstanding drops over the next few years. Neglected children and poorer learning, all so that the Mrs Tregear gets her pay rise and bonus. SHAME ON YOU!
The arrogance of the school to not consult about these changes is disgusting. It shows how out of touch you are, which for a Roman Catholic school is shameful.
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In response to the announcement regarding the proposed new class structure, dated 28th June 2018, please find below some comments and questions for which we would appreciate a response at the consultation meeting. Please note that this is a representation of a number of concerned parents and not a single response.
Our first question is to enquire why there has been no parent consultation for such a huge change that will affect every pupil in the school. We can only assume that you would have known that this would be a controversial proposal.
You mention in the announcement that this structure is 'a successful and popular model used throughout the country'. Can you please provide us with examples of schools with a similar profile/ intake where this has been a proven success?
Can you please explain how this will work in established years where there are currently only 40 pupils. If you have to implement this proposal would it not be better for all involved to roll this out as new reception classes come in?
How will you determine who will go in each class?
Can you please clarify the approach to the classes, as we may have misunderstood. Our understanding from the communication is that Year 3 & Year 4 will always be together, and Year 5 & Year 6 will always be together.
Just for clarification can you please confirm that it will work as follows: Example - Year 4 Pupil. In the first year, the Year 4 pupils will be in a class with the Year 3 pupils. In the second year, these pupils will now be in Year 5 and will therefore be in a class with the Year 6's. This insinuates a very transient class structure which we feel would be far from beneficial for many of our children.
As you are no doubt aware, there was already a nervousness and dislike of the split class approach in the school for many reasons. One of the main reasons was the fact that the kids were meant to act as one class but on many occasions they would be split according to their year group and friendship groups would be torn up.
How much more money will the school get from the government for doing this?
If the dining room is to be used as a classroom I assume that the kids will be eating lunch in the hall? The kids already feel very rushed over their lunch and often do not have time to finish it.
With the set up and take down of the hall this will either have an impact on the time to eat or the availability of the hall for other activities.
How do you plan to properly accommodate the extra children? It is not just a classroom that is needed - there are many other facilities to which access will be squeezed, for example, the library, toilets, the already limited technology, breakfast and after school clubs.
Finally you state that 'increasing our intake will form a key part of our journey towards outstanding'. Can you please elaborate on this.
Is there a strategic plan / direction to get the school to outstanding and exactly how does this contribute?
As you can no doubt ascertain from this petition, in the absence of some very convincing answers, we are absolutely not on board with this proposal. Unfortunately as seems to be the way with these things, this does feel like a 'done deal', which is hugely disappointing, and although the communication was naturally written with a positive slant to try and make people buy in, much more clarification is urgently required.
We the undersigned ask that you please reconsider this disruptive change of class structure.
Yours Faithfully,
Concerned parents.
Updates
June 29, 2018
Mrs Tregear and the Board of Governors are still hiding behind their vague announcement while parents are left to guess how our children will be affected. The complete lack of transparency on these proposed class changes is an insult to every family at Sacred Heart and I am currently drafting a demand for them to stop avoiding our questions. Stay ready because we are not going to let them force this restructuring through without a real fight.
June 29, 2018
The momentum behind this petition proves that parents refuse to be blindsided by Mrs Tregear and the Board of Governors any longer. They thought they could force these class changes through in the dark but now they finally have to face the heat from all of us.
39 Comments
This seems a poorly thought out plan. As a year 5 parent we have already had two years of shared teachers and now is expected to have further disruption with a new group of classmates. Io simply don't have enough space to go into the educational conundrums that this plab creates.
Incredulous at the email sent by the school yesterday. A "community" does not make far reaching decisions such as these without the inclusion and thoughts of all its stakeholders! Where was the communication to parents in the lead up to this fundamental change ? What was the consultation process ? Why were opinions not sought by the board of governors ? Extremely dissapointed in the lack of leadership , vision and inclusion shown by the schools senior leaders.
Concerned grandmother. I have had connections with the school for over 40 years & feel these changes will destroy the family,friendly ethos of the school that has made it so successful all these years
Hugely concerned about the impact this will have on our son as he enters year 6 and has to contend not only with all that year 6 will bring in terms of SATS and preparing for secondary school but now he will have to contend with a class with half from a different year group and disruption to friendships which have been in place for 8 years. And we're to lose the dining hall so what will be next to go - the top field to make way for more classrooms as the powers that be decide the next step will be to move to a 2 class entry again without consultation with the parents.
My son will start in Reception in September. By failing to disclose these plans for the new class structure, the school took away my right to make an informative decision regarding the school choice for my son. I am so disappointed.
Very concerned with how this increased capacity will work for a school that is already tight on space. Would like to see proof of where such an intake has been successful. Is there plans to expand the buildings or bring in port-a-kabins which would be better than housing kids in the dining room. Disappointed to have not been consulted in the run up to this important decision making process
Watch how Ofsted Outstanding drops over the next few years. Neglected children and poorer learning, all so that the Mrs Tregear gets her pay rise and bonus. SHAME ON YOU!
The arrogance of the school to not consult about these changes is disgusting. It shows how out of touch you are, which for a Roman Catholic school is shameful.
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This seems a poorly thought out plan. As a year 5 parent we have already had two years of shared teachers and now is expected to have further disruption with a new group of classmates. Io simply don't have enough space to go into the educational conundrums that this plab creates.