7pm Thursday 9th June at Kings International College
Present: Governors Col. Keith Steel and Mrs Diane Carroll plus 10 Kings International College parents (we were not asked to introduce ourselves)
These notes are a reminder to the Governors as to the questions, which were posed by this group of parents and the brief answers given by the Governors. We wish to ensure that these questions are discussed in full at the next Governors meeting and answers are published.
Col. Steel explained that the Tomlinscote Governors are currently undergoing an exercise of Due Diligence (DD) through a professional company called BDO. It was unclear when this Due Diligence report will be available for publication. In any case, the DD will not be seen by SCC until the Governors have made their decision and voted regarding their ‘take over’ of Kings, despite requests from SCC to see the results in advance. This process is independent of the Surrey County Council (SCC) Consultation. Tomlinscote Governors will not share their findings from the DD, discussions, email and letters from the parents with SCC and neither will the Governors see the results of the Consultation papers, which are currently being completed by the parents. Col Steel said that they had not decided what they were going to vote on yet – they are waiting for the DD report.
Q1. Will the Due Diligence Report be made available for all parents and interested parties to see in its entirety after the Governors have made their decisions and voted?
A parent asked as to how the Governors were planning to ensure the continuity of teaching and learning of the Year 9 GCSE students from Kings How will this be managed as the students were already being affected by the discussions surrounding the proposed merger. Col. Steel felt that many of the student’s anxieties were coming from the parents, although this was denied by all the parents in the room. The students had worked this out for themselves as Mr Ryles had told all the Kings students in assembly that Kings International would be closing and the staff would be losing their jobs. The staff have been told they are the ‘lesser partners’ in this merger and that current Heads of Department at Tomlinscote will keep their jobs, the Kings staff can only apply for jobs which may become available if the merger goes through. Col. Steel assured the parents that the DD would look at this issue. One parent suggested that instead of the closure of Kings and a merger taking place that perhaps a Soft Federation could be kept. This would ensure that Kings would remain a smaller school and staff and students would not be affected. The Soft Federation has worked very well over the last year or so, the ‘standards’ at Kings has gone up under the leadership of Mr Ryles and his team, and yet the staff at Kings are being rewarded by losing their jobs. Is the split site of Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 the only way Tomlinscote could operate?
Q2. How do the Tomlinscote Governors intend to manage the continuity of teaching and learning of the current year 9 students who will begin their GCSE options next year?.
Q3. How are the Tomlinscote Governors encouraging the excellent Kings staff to stay at the college and see through the merger and ensure this continuity for the GCSE students?
Q4. Why has only a full closure of Kings been proposed and not the option of continuing with the Soft Federation?
Q5 If the merger goes ahead, is the split site of KS3 and KS4 the only way forward?
Following on from these questions, a parent asked about the Vocational subjects taught at GCSE level. Would these be continued and the current excellent Kings staff be encouraged to stay. Many students do very well in these more practical subjects due to the experienced teaching. Col. Steel suggested that these ‘O’levels (sic) would continue and in fact a new building is under construction at the Tomlinscote site.
Q6. Are the Tomlinscote Governors ensuring that suitably qualified staff are in place to ensure that vocational GCSE choices will be available in the future?
One of the parents asked how the introduction of an American factory sized school in the area would benefit the education of all the Surrey Heath students. Was this maybe a financial decision on the part of SCC. A discussion developed as to why the parents chose Kings for its small size and not because of its academic achievements. Mrs Carroll admitted that she herself was not a parent and therefore had not had to make educational decisions for her own children, and did not know if she would chose larger over smaller. Many of the students thrived in the smaller learning environment, due to either special educational needs, English as a second language or social and emotional issues. However, talented and gifted students also did very well in this smaller environment and went on to university. One of the parents commented that his son was currently at Oxford University, his second son gained 11 high grade GCSE’s and his daughter was in top sets for all subjects. Kings had not failed his children.
Q7. Is the construction of a larger school going to benefit all the students of Surrey Heath?
Q8. Why is the option of a smaller school being taken away from parents of the future, especially where it is proved that many of the parents chose Kings not for its academic successes but because of its size?
The question was posed about how SCC had come to the conclusion that there would be fewer students in the future, considering all the infant and junior school were almost all at full capacity. Has SCC taken into account the housing developments taking place in the area at Deepcut and perhaps at Johnson Wax, who are relocating in the near future. Col. Steel suggested that this would be in the DD report
Q9. Have the Tomlinscote Governors asked SCC to confirm how it came to the lower student numbers for the future?
Q10. Have proposed new building developments in the Surrey Heath catchment been totally investigated and have the Governors approached Surrey Heath Borough Council (SHBC) to confirm Johnson Wax leaving the area and the land being released for housing?
The Governors were asked if they voted against the merger would SCC close Kings or was it ‘a threat’ from PJ Wilkinson, which could not be carried out due to the cost of keeping the Kings’ site mothballed until the number of students increased. The Governors were unable to respond to this question but one of the parents said that in actual fact, Kings International had more options than were being currently discussed. The DFE and an ‘Broker’ were already in talks about Kings International becoming an Academy. Since Kings does not have a full Governing Body, only an IEB, and therefore no parent representation, the DFE had taken on board the petition raised by the parents and community at large which support an Academy proposal. One parent asked that the Tomlinscote Governors and the IEB support this application for Academy status. Michael Gove was aware of this development.
Q11. Did the Governors feel they were under pressure from SCC to merge the two schools as SCC did not put forward any other viable options or outcomes?
Q12. Would the Governors support the application from the parents and community to enable Kings to become an Academy and thus maintain the smaller school option for all Surrey Heath parents and students?
One of the parents asked if Tomlinscote Governors would ensure that all the Community based activities would remain on the Kings site. Presently, the site is used by Farnborough Fins, Beacon Church, Stagecoach, Camberley Theatre Group, Camberley Football, Cricket, Rugby, Atheletics Clubs, Slimming Groups, junior Gym Clubs etc and so forth. These are all well used and provided community links as well as useful financial revenue.
Q13. Will the Tomlinscote Governors ensure that all these community based activities continue on the Kings site if the proposed merger goes through?
Q14. Have all these Community groups been involved in these consultation processes and their views sought?
A parent raised the issue of the financial costs to the Kings parents if the merger went ahead. Presently, all year 7 students at Tomlinscote ‘hire’ a laptop from the school at a cost of £21 a month, which may not been affordable by all Kings parents who may not wish to be ‘Means tested’. All Kings students would need to change their uniform. There was also the issue of Bus Passes for students, who now lived further away from their choice of school. Col. Steel assured parents that PJ Wilkinson from SCC had ‘promised’ that there would be funding available to reimburse parents for any extra costs arising due to the merger. However, there did not seem to be a firm promise as to how long this financial arrangement would last.
Q15. The Governors need to ensure that SCC make firm financial commitments to the parents of Kings students. How will the Tomlinscote Governors ensure than no parent is out of pocket (without embarrassing form filling) if this merger goes through?
Q16. How will the Tomlinscote Governors continue the Laptop scheme bearing in mind many of the students at Kings come from much poorer areas than those currently at Tomlinscote?
Q17. Will Tomlinscote Governors get firm commitment from SCC to ensure that a free school bus service is put into operation to transport students to the school site, which is now no longer their first choice and ensure this continues for all students in the future?
A discussion developed as to why some members of the Kings community were not represented in some meetings, especially the Nepalese, who make up 22% of the student population. As yet, these parents had not received any communication in their own language from either the Tomlinscote Governors or SCC. Up to 30% of the school population do not have English as their first language. This makes the Consultations unfair and flawed. Col. Steel said that approaches had been made to the Nepalese community through Major ? at the Nepalese Welfare Meeting Rooms in Mytchett in the last week and their views would be sought. There was also a discussion about Race Relations within Kings and how over the years the school had worked hard at integrating all members of the international community. Having a larger school will upset this delicate balance and change the character of Tomlinscote as a whole. Col. Steel suggested that the DD would pick this up and comment.
Q18. How will the Tomlinscote Governors ensure that the views of all the parents groups are considered before they make their decision?
Q19. How will the Governors interface with parents where English is not their first language and ensure they understand fully all the options, which needs to be considered?
Q20. Do the Governors take on board the considerable efforts made by all the staff at Kings to promote positive Race Relations and ensure this continues in a much larger school?
The parents at Kings need the Tomlinscote Governors to understand fully the wonderful mix of students at their school. As well as the ESL students, there are also up to 26% of students identified as having special needs, including several autistic students who are better supported in a smaller physical environment. There are several students who are in the ‘grey area’ of not having a Statement of Special Needs but require an Individual Education Programme (IEP) and extra support from the Student Services Team. There are also several Talented and Gifted students, who also get the extra enhanced curriculum they require. Many of the Kings parents chose Kings over Tomlinscote and Collingwood as they felt their children would thrive better in a smaller more pastoral educational community. Some parents have moved their children from other schools in the area, due to their children not coping with the larger environment and the fact that it was difficult to find the member of staff to help sort issues such as bullying. If the merger goes through, Heads of Year will have many more students to keep on track. At the present time, all the Heads of Years at Kings know all their students personally and in many cases their parents too. The Tomlinscote parents have reported in several meetings that their views and comments are often overlooked and that the Senior Management Team do not involve the parents in any decision making exercises. At Kings the parents have all been used to being a part of the life of the school and this will be lost if the merger takes place
Q21. How do the Tomlinscote Governors envisage all these different academic and social needs catered for in a huge school environment?
Q22. How do the Tomlinscote Governors ensure that students will not be ‘lost’ in the system, regardless of whether they are ESL, Special Needs, Gifted and Talented and that the involvement of parents is not lost.?
Q23. If the merger goes ahead, how do the Governors intend to involve the parents in the life of the school?
One of the parents ask how qualified the individual governors were about making such a momentous decision about the future of thousands of students in Surrey Heath, and how confident they would be if a Legal Challenge were mounted. The parent herself had been a Teacher Governor in a merger situation and had been advised by her union to abstain from the vote as she was leaving herself wide open to Legal Action as, although she was a qualified teacher, she did not have the necessary experience and qualifications to ensure this was a ‘safe’ decision for all the staff and students concerned. In the Tomlinscote – Kings scenario, whole communities of parents have not been recognised as stakeholders and a group of parents have already taken expensive legal advice as to the ‘Fit for Purpose’ of the SCC consultation and the merger as a whole. The individual governors need to be aware that their decision could be open to further scrutiny if this merger goes ahead and that the views of the parents and community are totally dismissed.
Q24. Are the individual governors aware that a group of parents have already sought legal advice and will take the matter further if the merger goes through and it was felt that the views of Tomlinscote parents and the wider community have been totally ignored?
The Kings parents are anxious to know when the Tomlinscote Governors first began to discuss the future of Kings International College. Although SCC put out the proposal for the closure of Kings and merger with Tomlinscote only recently, the parents would like to be clear when decisions were being made about the future of Kings (and their students) without the involvement of the Governors at Kings, (and later the IEB) and consultation with the parents of both schools. SCC must have approached the Governors at Tomlinscote before the removal of Mr John Edwards as Principle of Kings, to discuss the possibility of a Soft Federation. Col Steel and Mrs Carroll were unable to give a date or point of time and it would involve looking through many Minutes of Meetings to find the reference. SCC must have involved the Governors at a much earlier stage than has been admitted, because so many decisions were made in such a short space of time when Kings was put into Special Measures. The parents are also disappointed that they have not had a ‘parent voice’ on the IEB
Q25. When did the Tomlinscote Governors first discuss the future of Kings International College, its closure, merger with Tomlinscote or any other reference?
SCC seem to be playing a numbers game and yet there seem to be little supportive evidence. A parent brought up that SCC seemed to be confused as how many students would be attending Kings in September and that the number of parents putting Kings as a first preference seemed to vary throughout the Consultation document. Approximately 59 parents put Kings as first choice, but many put Kings as second choice after Gordons and Tomlinscote, knowing that it was unlikely they would get a place at either of these schools due to their small catchments. The Senior Management Team at Kings also failed to promote the school in the traditional ways. No brochures were sent to any of the feeder schools and were only made available to parents who came to the Open Evenings. The traditional Saturday morning Open Day did not go ahead. Both Tomlinscote and Collingwood sent out glossy brochures to all the local schools. In the eyes of the current parents, Kings was not marketed adequately to attract new parents who do not have children already in the secondary system. How can parents choose a school from only three lines in a SCC information booklet about secondary schools in the whole county? There is also concern that the students who come in from Hampshire and Berkshire are not counted in these figures and thus the figure appears lower than it will actually be in September.
Q26. Do the Tomlinscote Governors believe that numbers put out by SCC are a true picture of the students who would be starting Kings in September?
Q27. Do the Tomlinscote Governors feel that Kings International was adequately and fairly promoted to the present Year 6 students?
The proposed merger became public knowledge only days after the Year 6 parents had been notified of their child’s placement for this coming September. Many parents are now reviewing their placement in view of the fact that they maybe chose a) a school near to their home so they could walk, b) a school which was smaller than others in the area, c) a school on one site, d) a school with a strong academic focus, e) a school with an excellent pastoral system which caters for more ‘vulnerable’ students, f) a school where a student is a name and not a number. Many parents will now feel they have been cheated, especially if Tomlinscote Governors admit to knowing that this proposal was discussed over a year ago, when the pros and cons of Soft and Hard Federations options were compared. Bear in mind, in September, new students in Tomlinscote would be spending a year on one site and then moving to another, but then two years later moving back again. In the case of Kings students, they will be having a uniform for only one year and then having to change.
Q28. Have the Tomlinscote Governors taken on the full extent of the anxieties of the current Year 6 parents, who have now been given a school placement, which in hindsight does not now suit their personal criteria?
Q29. Have the Year 6 parents been involved in these proposals, have they been fully consulted and how has any communication taken place?
The final question was on the subject as to whether the Tomlinscote Governors had already made their decision and if this was just a ‘seen to be doing’ exercise. Col Steel insisted than no decision had or has been made and the DD will help them make their final decision. The Tomlinscote Community Governors were also conspicuous by their absence at the SCC meeting at Lakeside on Thursday evening, 26th May, which the ‘Community’ had been invited to, to discuss the closure of Kings and the merger with Tomlinscote. Col. Steel insisted that governors were present at all meetings and that maybe the Community Governors were unavailable that evening. Mrs Carroll did not seem to understand the importance of being at those meetings to understand the strong feelings of the parents and members of the community at large. Many of the parents had made themselves available at many of the meetings because of their deep concerns about this proposal and how it would affect their children. Many members of the local community also attended these meetings, as they realise the impact on the area of having a large split site school and the extra cars moving and parking in already congested areas, especially around the hospital. It is sad that some of the governors could not see their way to attending these SCC meetings to listen to the views of people they are supposed to be representing.
Q30. How much influence will the DD have on the final decision of the Tomlinscote Governors and will they still vote against the wishes of the many hundreds, if not thousands of people who are against this merger?
Tina Carney
10th June 2011
KeepKings.org 