Social Network for RSA Fellows

A new community (Free?) primary school

I am hoping to find Fellows to assist in the foundation of a new Primary School.
Teachers, education providers, schools administrators or educational advisers are needed for a new primary school in NW3 London.

I am a parent (not 'in' education) involved in a campaign for a new community primary school in Belsize Park NW3. There is a crisis in provision in this area, where around 100 kids per year cannot find a place in a local primary school. Camden has admitted there is a requirement and has made £1m available towards new provision. A possible local authority owned site has also been identified.

I hope that a new school in our area might augment the public sector rather than draining resources from it. So far there has been no progress made by contacting the government appointed 'New Schools Network', so what I am hoping for is support or advice from Fellows who have the means or contacts to deliver a new primary school.

If you are in a position to help or advise I would love to hear from you.

Alex Maclean

Tags: education, free, new, primary, provider, school, teacher

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Eleanor Sturdy on August 21, 2010 at 21:03

I have just spent a fascinating evening reading the Plowden report and associated analyses - thank you for the prompt!
It has helped me to piece together my scant knowledge of the great "cycle" of education that has passed through our system over the last 40 odd years. I simplistically think of this as the tussle between the Head and Heart camps, when it would be great to move further towards BOTH happening in Primary and Secondary schools. Surely we can devise a way to allow children to develop as they need to, within a systematic and orderly atmosphere, while allowing creativity and naturalness to flourish, or am I too idealistic?

My germ of an idea would be to focus very closely on the recruitment of teachers, and their ongoing professional/personal development, for any new school, ensuring a really broad mix of superb teaching skills and personalities, to embrace the quieter as well as the noisier learners equally, and to find an exceptional Head who can see and inspire all sorts of talents and intelligences within the children and their teachers.

francis verity said:

Just to follow on from my previous comments - in nearly 40 years in education, inluding 7 as a (pre-ofsted) inspector, the reason why many of the primary schools I have known have been good is because of the Plowden report. It established what was and I suspect still is accepted as good primary education. Worth a look.

Permalink Reply by Helen Gormley on August 26, 2010 at 8:38

Hello Alex

I would be delighted to help/advise, my experience is mostly in Secondary Education/post 16 but I have also done quite a bit of work around the transition period from Primary to Secondary etc.

Please do get in touch if a conversation is helpful/meeting.

Good luck with your journey.

Helen

Permalink Reply by Alex Maclean on August 26, 2010 at 9:53

Many thanks for your offer of help Helen,

Several people involved in the campaign are on holiday at the moment so when I have had a chance to get them around the table I'll be back in touch,

Alex

Permalink Reply by Ruth Sacks on September 3, 2010 at 15:16

Dear Alex
I am a member of a network of educationalists and education project managers who have a lot of experience of delivering Academies, working with the appropriate agencies/ departments etc..managing the associated public /stakeholder consultation events, support ing the delivery of new ways of working as well as managing building refurbishment etc...
We'd be very happy to meet with your group to share our experiences and perhaps discuss ways in which we could support this project.
If that would be of use - please get in touch.
Kind regards
Ruth

Permalink Reply by Pascale Scheurer on September 3, 2010 at 15:44

Hi - Eleanor I really like your paragraph on recruitment of HT and staff, and professional development. Absolutely critical.

I am constantly amazed when visiting Dutch schools at how wonderful their staff facilities are. UK schools are a little coy in asking for good facilities for staff. The staff would always rather spend the money on the children, but often the Headteacher will recognise the value of an attractive, welcoming and functional workplace, and will push for this in the Design Brief.

I have seen positive reports that Free Schools could lead to a 're-professionalisation' of education, as teachers and heads will be more in control of improving their schools, innovating etc. RSA Opening Minds Curriculum allowsfor such innovation.

Eleanor Sturdy said:

I have just spent a fascinating evening reading the Plowden report and associated analyses - thank you for the prompt!
It has helped me to piece together my scant knowledge of the great "cycle" of education that has passed through our system over the last 40 odd years. I simplistically think of this as the tussle between the Head and Heart camps, when it would be great to move further towards BOTH happening in Primary and Secondary schools. Surely we can devise a way to allow children to develop as they need to, within a systematic and orderly atmosphere, while allowing creativity and naturalness to flourish, or am I too idealistic?

My germ of an idea would be to focus very closely on the recruitment of teachers, and their ongoing professional/personal development, for any new school, ensuring a really broad mix of superb teaching skills and personalities, to embrace the quieter as well as the noisier learners equally, and to find an exceptional Head who can see and inspire all sorts of talents and intelligences within the children and their teachers.

francis verity said:
Just to follow on from my previous comments - in nearly 40 years in education, inluding 7 as a (pre-ofsted) inspector, the reason why many of the primary schools I have known have been good is because of the Plowden report. It established what was and I suspect still is accepted as good primary education. Worth a look.

Permalink Reply by Pascale Scheurer on September 3, 2010 at 15:46

Thanks for the reference to Plowden. May I also recommend a timely re-read of SIr Ken Robinson's 'All Our Futures' from 1999, still immensely relevant. It called for more creativity in education, and was partly behind RSA Opening Minds, I believe.

Permalink Reply by Kate McKenzie on September 3, 2010 at 15:48

Hi Alex

Really happy to help out since I've extensive experience of establishing schools both as a Deputy Director of Education in local government and in terms of running a business supporting academies and building schools for the future. I've got contacts across the sector including architects, educationalists, place planners, designers, experts in procurement and some good contacts with senior civil servants. Am particularly interested in working with those who don't see establishing a new school as a way of draining resources from the public sector. Camden has a difficulty with increasing pupil numbers and it's much better if we can work with them. Also £1m won't buy much so it'll be good to have a strong relationship with the local authority.

Contact me if you want to discuss in more detail.

Permalink Reply by Kate McKenzie on September 3, 2010 at 15:50

Oh I forgot - I'm also a trustee of a couple of schools one of which is a new build so that might help too.....

Permalink Reply by Alex Maclean on September 3, 2010 at 15:50

Hi Ruth and Kate

That sounds great, thanks for the offers. We've got a bit of a hiatus at the moment whilst people take summer holidays, so I will get back to you when I have the relevant people available,

Thanks again

Alex

Permalink Reply by Kate McKenzie on September 3, 2010 at 16:30

No problem Alex

I would suggest using some of the money to get a good project manager with a background in academies and new schools who can then 'run' things for you - otherwise you could be innundated with offers and not quite sure what to do with them! This will also cut down your work and let you concentrate on strategy rather than detail. There's some good ones around - such as Ruth who I worked with and would vouch for. Ruth knows the process intimately and has excellent contacts of first rate people as well as a superb relationship with Dept for Education which could help no end. And she's a fellow....

Just give me a shout when you're ready if you want to chat.

Take Care
K

Alex Maclean said:

Hi Ruth and Kate

That sounds great, thanks for the offers. We've got a bit of a hiatus at the moment whilst people take summer holidays, so I will get back to you when I have the relevant people available,

Thanks again

Alex