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Consultation on Kilmorie school becoming three form entry school
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Jane2


Posts: 221
Joined: Jan 2007
Post: #1
04-02-2011 08:53 PM

As you may be aware there is going to be a shortage of primary school places in Lewisham. http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/880941...shortfall/

Lewisham Council are going to do a consultation about whether Kilmorie Primary School will become three form entry (from its current two form entry) from Sept 2012.
What this means is that instead of having two classes of 30 children per year, there will be three classes of 30 children.

I haven't seen any consultation papers yet but there will be a meeting on 14th February from 6pm in the Kilmorie School Hall to present the proposal. Not an ideal time to involve parents who at that time of day will be giving their children tea and getting them ready for bed.....Sad Anyway it is a public consultation meeting, so hopefully those less encumbered by children and without a prior engagement for a romantic dinner à deux will be able to make it along.

Obviously this decision will impact significantly on the school and local community.

If anyone can give any more information please do post. I will post as I hear more.

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roz


Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #2
04-02-2011 09:14 PM

Actually I thought the Council had already met the demand this coming year in Lewisham as well as setting out proposals for forward planning. There was a report to a Committee/Cabinet in January which set out the proposals. I'll try and find the link and post it here.

From what I've seen of the building at Kilmorie it is amply sized and can accommodate this proposal reasonably easily.

Some consultations I've been to run from lunchtime through to 7pm so that more parents can attend. It might be worth suggesting that to Lewisham but maybe they'll do a second one that way at a later date.

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Jane2


Posts: 221
Joined: Jan 2007
Post: #3
05-02-2011 11:24 AM

Well they are definitely consulting on this so are considering it as an option.

Although the main building is large its more than just about classroom space - also to be considered are all the shared amenities ie playground space, kitchens, ICT suites, dining hall, toilets, extra staff etc, which would all be catering for a third more children.

There is also the impact of parking in the local area.

I'll await more information before I can make an informed decision.

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forest_hill_billie


Posts: 28
Joined: Jan 2008
Post: #4
08-02-2011 01:54 PM

What bad timing for the consultation Thumbdown, does anyone know what other schools are also being considered? I have read the newshopper article, but am unclear as to whether this list is comprehensive.

Also does anyone have a link to anything about this on the Lewisham Council Website, as I have been unable to find anything.

Many thanks.

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fhmum


Posts: 37
Joined: Jul 2010
Post: #5
08-02-2011 02:28 PM

I would encourage parents dissatisfied with the current choice of schools and the temporary measures being introduced to fix the shortage of places to join the many who have registered their interest with our campaign for a new Free School.

You can find lots of information here http://www.primroseprimary.com/register or you can email me directly at freeschoolcampaign@gmail.com.

Our proposal - a hefty 8,000 word piece of work - is written and will be submitted to the government before the Friday deadline for a September 2011 opening. I can't promise we will succeed in getting approval for a new school but I can say with certainty that it is needed.

The council has done a fine job of finding places with the resources it has but we say, and so do they, that these resources are inadequate to cope with the pressure on places.

I will be at the Kilmorie consultation - I have applied there for my daughter as it's our nearest school - but I do agree that 6pm is a very awkward time.

If there are parents who feel strongly opposed to Kilmorie becoming 3 form entry. Please contact me as soon as possible. It would be very helpful to our proposal.

Also, if you can't make the consultation but want your voice to be heard, make sure you are represented.

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Jane2


Posts: 221
Joined: Jan 2007
Post: #6
08-02-2011 02:55 PM

Thanks for this fhmum, however a plea to everyone. Please can we limit the topic discussion on this thread to the implications of local schools being asked to increase their provision of primary school places - the Primose School campaign, whilst related, has its own very lively thread! Smile

So basically the Sydenham and Forest Hill area will be short of 135 school places by 2012 i.e. 4 and a half classes.

The consultation process has to be completed by July 2011, so is quite a short timeframe.

Forest-Hill-Billie. There's nothing obvious on the Council website but if you root around the meetings section you can find this:

http://councilmeetings.lewisham.gov.uk/i...1883#AI664

See Item 16.

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fhmum


Posts: 37
Joined: Jul 2010
Post: #7
08-02-2011 03:01 PM

Agreed Jane2. I hope I haven't hijacked the thread in any way. I thought it was relevant to parents who hadn't seen the other one. This is an important discussion in its own right.

Purely as an interested parent, I have just downloaded the consultation form from Kilmorie's website. It just went up today.

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Jane2


Posts: 221
Joined: Jan 2007
Post: #8
08-02-2011 03:09 PM

Thanks fhmum - I meant it kindly glad you took it that way! Smile

Yes was just about to post about the Kilmorie consultation document. It has not been put on the Council website however you can download it on the Kilmorie School Website here

http://www.kilmorieschool.co.uk/lettershome.asp

The consultation is open to the local community and other interested parties as well as parents. The form has to be returned by 4 March 2011.

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roz


Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #9
08-02-2011 03:09 PM

Personally I would advise parents to be very wary of this campaign for a free school, as there is no evidence that will alleviate the need and pressures which it is claiming to and instead suggestive that it will actually frustrate future provision in the area by potentially bringing pupils in from other areas. It should also be noted that Montessori trained teachers do not currently have Qualfied Teacher Status in the UK so subscribing to this philosophy might prove a bit of a gamble for your child.

Please look beyond this admittedly rather excellent marketing and PR campaign and consider whether such a venture and indeed the concept of what this government is trying to do will meet the needs of your children in the coming years or whether energy is best spent in working with your local authority, councillors and governors in making the best use of available premises and school sites, and also making representations to central government to permit local authorities to provide new schools if there is strong evidence that it is needed.

As everyone is probably aware, currently this government has stipulated that all new schools must be free schools which takes that option away from local authorities and puts your child's educational future into the hands of groups of private individuals and companies. Some may be fine, but most are largely unknown, and when the marketing and PR rush has died down, who exactly will be educating your children and paying the bills and teachers salaries. What accountability will there be. There is a colossal difference in governance terms between a private nursery provision and a private primary, albeit one which is funded by the state.

However as things stand, there hasn't exactly been a rush of applications and it would seem that whatever is proposed will only tinker with demand if not frustrating the process.

It would be unfortunate if parents opposed the three form entry at Kilmorie as a means to trying to lever in this new school thereby throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Currently there is no guarantee it will happen, there is no premises and it could be located anywhere in the borough so effectively there is only a small chance that it will improve the situation of Kilmorie children.

There are many local schools throughout London currently discusssing extension and remodelling plans with the local authorities, some for this coming autumn and some longer term. With proper design and planning (something Michael Gove doesn't feel is necessary by the way) a great deal can be achieved in order to make existing premises suitable for 21st century education. The approach to free schools on the other hand includes rushing to find premises/set up/set up funding/ allocate places/recruit teachers all by September 2011. There is a paper circulating to bend the planning rules but there is so much concern about judicial review no one can see how this can actually be done. The delivery of the handful of schools already past the post would still be interesting to watch as will whether parents even those not happy with their Council provision are prepared to forego a state school place in order to experiment with Montessori or the many promised assurances of free schools.

Be pleased that at least your local authority has been able to carry out public consultation. If Michael Gove has his way that would too be a thing of the past.

For more information and the start of many a debate, please go to

http://www.localschoolsnetwork.org.uk

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fhmum


Posts: 37
Joined: Jul 2010
Post: #10
08-02-2011 03:18 PM

No offence taken Jane2. It seems the thread is digressing despite our best efforts!

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roz


Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #11
08-02-2011 03:32 PM

My response overlapped with Jane's plea. However its in response to an earlier post seeking to plug the free school so should I think remain unless they are both relocated of course!

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fhmum


Posts: 37
Joined: Jul 2010
Post: #12
08-02-2011 03:40 PM

To the question in hand - I don't oppose the expansion - I guess for one thing it increases the chance of my daughter getting a place at Kilmorie our first choice of school - but I'm keen to find out more.

Probably not my first choice of ways to spend Valentines night!

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derbybill


Posts: 122
Joined: Jan 2010
Post: #13
08-02-2011 09:19 PM

Well said roz.
I would never want to risk any child's future in a "free school".
Unqualified teachers, no curriculum guidelines, any old admission policies. A total waste of precious education funds. And what happens when the enthusiastic parents move on?
If you want to have a say in education then get involved in your school PTA or whatever, or get elected onto the school Governing Body.
When Michael Gove makes another major gaff then he will be for the chop, along with all his daft ideas.

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Jane2


Posts: 221
Joined: Jan 2007
Post: #14
08-02-2011 11:10 PM

OK interesting discussion but this thread is focusing on the consultation to increase Kilmorie School to 3 form entry and the implications of this. Please! I am asking nicely Smile

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Sherwood


Posts: 1,412
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #15
09-02-2011 07:42 AM

Don't forget other local schools may suffer as a result.

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michael


Posts: 3,255
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #16
09-02-2011 08:35 AM

Other local schools are more likely to suffer if Kilmorie is not expanded.
With a shortage of 4.5 classes every year and 7 in 2012, the extra 2 classes planned for Kilmorie are vital to the provision of enough school places in the local area.

If the council are unable to build new schools, and free schools are opposed by local people, then the only option is to squeeze more classrooms into our already overcrowded schools. This will primarily be done by the use of modular classrooms which are apparently so much more suitable than free schools. The increase in the size of Kilmorie is currently the only strategy by the council of permenantly increasing classroom provision in the local area, with the remaining schools having to alternate which gets the buldge classes each year.

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roz


Posts: 1,796
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #17
09-02-2011 08:44 AM

There are other longer term expansion plans within Lewisham at other schools, not just Kilmorie. Generally the modular buildings these days are high quality and often provide better accommodation and value for money.

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forest_hill_billie


Posts: 28
Joined: Jan 2008
Post: #18
10-02-2011 08:05 PM

I am curious as to why Lewisham closed down a primary school and it is now under planning permission to be demolished for flats, this strikes me as being incredibly short sighted. There was an article in a local paper with a comment by Max Calo which is worth reading:
http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/where...ce_crisis/ .

It is clear from the Health, Well-being and Care
Lewisham Joint Strategic Needs Assessment dated 1 April 2009, that there is going to be a vast, swift increase to the population of Lewisham, and I would like to know what schools are being considered for expansion and how long term the council plans to meet these needs.

If anyone has any links to any other information please could they post them here.

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fhmum


Posts: 37
Joined: Jul 2010
Post: #19
10-02-2011 09:22 PM

http://councilmeetings.lewisham.gov.uk/i...1883#AI664

This is the best information I've found.

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Jane2


Posts: 221
Joined: Jan 2007
Post: #20
10-02-2011 09:27 PM

Good points f h b.

According to the minutes on the Council website,
http://councilmeetings.lewisham.gov.uk/m...px?ID=1332 Page 2
as well as Kilmorie they are considering expanding
Trinity School (Leahurst Road)
Prendergast Ladywell Fields college
Coopers Lane Primary School
plus other schools.

However Kilmorie seems to be the only school considered for expansion in the Forest Hill area. So I am not sure what they are going to do about the rest of the shortfall. The area will have a shortfall of 135 places in 2012 which is 4.5 forms of entry. Kilmorie is currently officially 1.5 entry, so is being proposed to be increased to 3 forms of entry, therefore offering additional 45 places. So what about the other 90 places? (It may be explained in the minutes somewhere but I couldn't see it on my quick look through).

The Kilmorie consultation does not appear to be very widely publicised - it is not anywhere on the Council website despite the fact that it is supposed to be consulting the local community etc as well as parents.

It is difficult to make a decision at the moment whether you are for or against this expansion when so little information has been made available yet about exactly how it will be undertaken.

Also of course its not not just about if they are going to do it but about the how!

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