Cowes Enterprise College: ‘Island children’s futures are being sacrificed’

Further to the ongoing problems at Cowes Enterprise College (CEC), which has seen relocation to new buildings put back a year, two officers suspended, the resignation of the College’s Principal and a looming Ofsted report – rumoured by many to be putting the College into Special Measures – we received this copy of a letter from Cowes resident, Judith Ferris.

Judith is not only a resident in Cowes, but also a parish councillor for Northwood.

In light of the ongoing problems at CEC, she has given permission for On The Wight to reproduce her most recent letter to her local county councillor, Dawn Cousins. As you can see from the contents of the letter, she’s been left dissatisfied with previous responses. Ed

Dear Cllr Cousins,

Thank you for your most recent email dated 9th January 2013 following our lengthy correspondence concerning the considerable delay, confusion and resultant serious problems in connection with the new Cowes Enterprise College building.

Regrettably, your reply does not answer my questions; rather it passes them on to another Councillor. I understand there is protocol and procedure which must be followed. However, I fear you and your colleagues fail to appreciate the seriousness and the urgency of the situation.

I believe the education and therefore the future of the students of Cowes Enterprise College has been and is being compromised. In addition, I believe the welfare and safety of all those working and studying at the school is at risk. The old school building is overdue for demolition. A fact made more worrying, if possible, by the additional burdens put on the structure both in terms of bricks and mortar and human resources by the schools reorganisation.

One of my email letters to you is copied below so that we may both be in no doubt as to what I have requested and am still requesting.

From: Jude Ferris Jan 3
To: Dawn Cousins

Hello Dawn

Thank you for reply and apology with regard to the delay.

However, whilst I do understand your stance that the situation is being carefully monitored, I do not believe this to be an acceptable response.

The building is long overdue for demolition. The building is not fit for purpose and the moral of the staff and students has been adversely affected to a degree where I feel the students, and hence their results, will suffer.

I have not been alone in asking for measures to be taken to resolve this problem for some months now. The number of times I and others have been fobbed off with excuses and new times of opening the new building is inexcusable. It has been known by those involved and we as onlookers that the dates given were never going to be achieved.

I urge you to think again and to actually do something to progress the situation.

I wish I had been more adamant in my questioning before as more may have been achieved. I am determined I will not let the same thing happen now.

I look forward to hearing from you regarding:-

• a structural survey will be carried out and published
• a full snagging list of the new build will be made public by the end of this month
• full details of financial penalties due from the contractors and when this will be paid
• answers given as to the person(s) ultimately responsible and what action will be taken against them

Regards,

Judy Ferris

I would also like to share some correspondence I have received from parents to me highlighting key issues:-

• Schools grounds – not only is the issue of access or exiting the school but the grounds are unacceptable and unsafe. I have witnessed several areas’ to be around 3 inches of churned up mud. I feel if the new school is delayed for potentially another six months and with the weather deteriorating this needs to be addressed.
• I would also be interested on how a fire drill is managed with so many pupils in such a limited capacity
• Every Child Matters Children Act 89 and the Education Act S175 & S175 (2) 2002 schools should have adequate entry security systems, high visibility in pupil areas, adequate CCTV, adequate cultural and physical environment including the use of toilets and protocols for specific issues such as internet access
• The disruption with lessons especially over the old/new school move. My eldest son is currently undertaking his A-Levels and has at times come home frustrated that he either cannot get enough access to computers, or the library had gone and on one occasion not enough chairs in the classroom. This disruption has also been confirmed by a teacher whom I met to discuss a school report , openly disclosed his personal frustration that it took him half a lesson to sort out computer access so was only able to fulfil the latter part of the lesson
• My frustration is that this disruption does not have a negative impact on his education at such an important time in his life. Failure to disclose the decision about the new school being delayed had an impact on possible choices we might have made
• Please could it be clarified if the pupil’s parents were notified in relation to him bringing a knife onto school grounds?
• Concerns regarding accessing computer/internet sites and pictures which are inappropriate.

Furthermore the good news story of HTP, the training company whose Managing Director, Rachel Fidler, is coincidentally Chair of the Cowes Pathfinder Trust is to open a new £250,000 Skills Centre to their students on Monday, really does rub salt into an open wound.

My very real health and safety concerns are only equalled by my great sadness that Island children’s futures are being sacrificed by the actions of Isle of Wight County Council.

I request you reply to me by Monday 14th January.

Yours sincerely, Judith Ferris