Newent Community School & Sixth Form Centre

1. Newent Community School&Sixth Form Centre Parents & Carers Meeting Academy Consultation 30th April 2012

2. Meeting Purpose To discuss the pros and cons of the school possibly converting to an Academy and to provide an opportunity for parents & carers to ask questions or voice concerns and worries.

3. Parents & Carers Meeting – 30th April 2012Agenda • Agenda Review and Meeting Process – Steve Huckvale • Our School – Jane Steele • Academies: What’s Different? – Jane Steele • School Finances – Steve Huckvale • Employee & HR Issues – Ken Jollans • Conversion & Consultation Process – Ken Jollans • Other Considerations – Ken Jollans • Discussion Groups – All • Plenary – Steve Huckvale

4. Newent Community School and Sixth Form Centre A Community for Learning, Opportunity and Challenge

5. 3. Academies: What’s Different? Academies have these freedoms: • Free from L A control • Free to set pay and conditions for staff (but present contracts are protected under TUPE - which applies if we convert to an Academy) • Free from the national curriculum but must still provide a broad and balanced curriculum • Free to change the length of terms and school days

6. 3. Academies: What’s Different? In other ways academies aren’t so different: • The principles of governance are the same as in maintained schools. • Academies are required to follow the law and guidance on admissions, special educational needs and exclusions as if they were maintained schools. • Academies are not able to change their entrance criteria and as an academy we would remain a comprehensive school. • Academies must ensure that the school is at the heart of its community, collaborating and sharing facilities and expertise with other schools and the wider community.

7. 4. School Funding in Gloucestershire • Gloucestershire’s school network is one of the poorest funded in the country (in the bottom 20 out of 150) • And compared to similar schools elsewhere, the costs of running our school are no lower... • Government has announced a review of school funding arrangements to deal with the wide disparities across the country. It has been indicated that any change is likely to be phased in over six years.

8. 4. Finances - School Funding Notes The DSG /GAG are equivalent and are dependent upon school rolls [Gloucestershire students are funded at a very low level – 12th lowest out of 150] 2. LACSEG has been up and down last three years – see next slide 3. The DfE makes a grant of £25,000 towards the cost of conversion e.g. Legal fees

9. 4. Academy Funding in Gloucestershire Note: The average LACSEG across all counties is £317/pupil

10. 4. Financial implications for our school • At Newent the 2012-13 “LACSEG” would amount to £305,000 • Our estimated annual cost of alternative provision of central services (which were previously provided by LA) and other academy-related costs (i.e. new costs) is £155,000 • Therefore, an additional £150,000 would be available directly to the school – this represents an additional 2% to the schools budget • But whatever we do the schools finances remain very tight: • Our budget is dependent on roll ( 11 – 16) • There is an overall 1.5% reduction in funding for schools (DSG) • There is a reduction in the Post-16 allocation • Meanwhile other costs such as salary increments and rising energy costs, need to be covered

11. 5. Employee & HR issues • We currently have just over 200 employees • Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations (“TUPE”) will apply if we convert– all existing staff transfer with same terms and conditions. • Subject to TUPE and other legal provisions, Academies are free to set pay and condition for staff. • Governors have no plans to change employment terms and conditions and it would not be in our interest to try to recruit teachers at below national pay levels • Additional funding offers new opportunities

12. 6. Conversion & Consultation Process • Registration of interest: January 2012 • Investigation by working parties: Jan-March 2012 • Application to convert: March 2012 • Consultation and Preparation: April/May 2012 • Governors consult with interested parties • Appointment of solicitors (Rickerbys) • Establishment of governance documents • TUPE process started • Academy Order issued by Secretary of State • Review: June 2012 • Consideration of Consultation and Stakeholder Feedback • Decision taken on whether or not to convert • Signing of the Funding Agreement by Governors and DfE • Pre-opening / opening: August/September 2012 • Put new systems and contracts in place • School opens officially as an Academy on 1st September 2012

13. 7. Other considerations • Views about academies differ and we won’t please everyone. The interests of current and future students must be our priority. • The governors are aware of staff and union concerns and we are taking these into consideration during our deliberations. • 31 out of 39 secondary schools in Gloucestershire are now academies. • Experience elsewhere suggests that there is unlikely to be any overall negative impact on our image or reputation if we convert – but this will be considered during the consultation.

14. 8. Discussion Groups

15. 9. Plenary