Thanks to Mark Price, the Chair of the Island Innovation Trust and Joe Finch, the Chair of the Governing Body for sharing this open letter sent to all Isle of Wight councillors today (see below).
Of note in the letter is the revelation that the Trust was only told just days ago (29th June) that they’d need to provide a ‘Risk Assessment’ to support their draft Business Case to keep Carisbrooke College open. They’d been told the Education Funding Agency (EFA) expects Hampshire to support a 4-form entry at the College, so long as it has a valid Business Case.
Incomplete facts
The letter explains,
“On 26th June the Trust provided a draft business case directly to John Coughlan, Director of Children’s Services, for comment and advice. On 29th June Hampshire Officers first mentioned the need for a Risk Assessment without providing any guidance of its content or model template for its style.
“Only on 30th June was an email received that provided some guidance as to what their required business case may look like. Our senior team has continued to work throughout to provide all information including the additional information that has been requested as time has progressed.”
The two Chairs say it would be inappropriate of councillors to make a decision on the future of the College without all the necessary information, which is still not complete.
Cost of closure
The letter goes on to say,
“Another major omission, and not referred to in the papers to the Council, is the inevitable costs around the closure of a secondary school which will not be insignificant. A risk assessment of all the likely costs incurred in a school closure has not been provided to Councillors so how can an option that results in closure be considered without this?
“The costs in supporting schools during the last reorganisation ultimately impacted on the budgets of all schools and reduced the amount they were able to spend on the children. This should not happen again.”
An open letter to all Councillors
Dear Councillor
The Island Innovation Trust was appointed as the current provider for Carisbrooke and Medina Colleges which opened in 2011 and are now both on a secure and sustainable improvement pathway. Both colleges, through a hard federation which includes the VI Form Campus, provide:
- choice, diversity and inclusivity at the heart of the Island.
- the widest choice of GCSE and A level options on the Island, and in fact provide a more comprehensive choice than young people can access in many areas on the mainland outside major cities.
- collaboration and innovation at the heart of the Island
- partnerships through our Trustees with local businesses and employers to enhance
classroom learning and meet the needs of the local economy and future workforce - the potential of the University of Portsmouth (a Trust partner) establishing a presence on the Island at the Nodehill campus
We are aware of the paper to the full Council and Executive Committee meeting scheduled for 8th July and believe it is fundamentally wrong. Both Trustees and members of the Governing Body actively engaged in the recent consultation process, as did our staff and parent bodies. The outcome of that process saw an overwhelming majority of people across the Island expressing their view that the current configuration of schools should remain. We believe that Option 1 should be the preferred option, because it provides:
- stability, which is key to raising standards and improving teaching and learning, and avoids another damaging reorganisation
- choice as Option 2b represents a significant reduction of choice for families in the West Wight and Newport areas.
- Carisbrooke is an improving school, confirmed by OfSTED in March 2015 and led by a strong Headteacher
- Carisbrooke is a community based school with established and strong links with Primary Schools
- a smaller school which is popular with some families and Carisbrooke fills this niche where all children are well known
- the widest choice of GCSE and A level options on the Island to all of our children through the Federation
- Effective risk management, be this financial or teacher shortage, and provides opportunities for teacher professional development
We can confirm that we have completed strategic and financial modelling which demonstrates the financial viability both now and into the future and our budget plans have been supported by Hampshire County Council officers.
Much has been made in the paper to the Executive Committee about the quality of the information provided by the Trust and Governing Body in response to the request made for firstly a Business Case, and then later a Risk Assessment. In an email on 17th June from Hampshire Officers they shared with us that the Education Funding Agency expected them to support the case for a 4fe school on the Carisbrooke site with a business case should Councillors choose Option 1 (letter from Christine Evans E.F.A. written to HCC and tabled at the Scrutiny Committee meeting 18th June). On 26th June the Trust provided a draft business case directly to John Coughlan, Director of Children’s Services, for comment and advice.
On 29th June Hampshire Officers first mentioned the need for a Risk Assessment without providing any guidance of its content or model template for its style. Only on 30th June was an email received that provided some guidance as to what their required business case may look like. Our senior team has continued to work throughout to provide all information including the additional information that has been requested as time has progressed. We have requested a further meeting with Hampshire Officers to progress this.
Surely Councillors will need to understand the financial picture of all secondary schools and academies recommended to benefit from the PSBP funding and should request the same ‘level playing field’ comparative Business Case/Risk Assessment information to be provided by Hampshire Officers. It would be inappropriate for the Executive Committee to make any decision until that work is completed.
Another major omission, and not referred to in the papers to the Council, is the inevitable costs around the closure of a secondary school which will not be insignificant. A risk assessment of all the likely costs incurred in a school closure has not been provided to Councillors so how can an option that results in closure be considered without this? The costs in supporting schools during the last reorganisation ultimately impacted on the budgets of all schools and reduced the amount they were able to spend on the children. This should not happen again.
If any option, other than Option 1 is approved, then reorganisation will have been voted for and the impacts of reorganisation will be felt well beyond the West Wight / Newport area. We have grave concerns about maintaining Carisbrooke College over the next two years with the uncertainty this will cause and the difficulties of leading a school as closure becomes the reality.
Since being awarded the new schools resulting from the Isle of Wight Council’s re organisation process, we have sought to work closely with the Council to bring about much needed improvements in standards. We are now very concerned, and disappointed, at the current proposals from Hampshire Officers and whilst we will continue to work hard to support both colleges we ask that you in turn support us by voting to secure their future.
Yours sincerely
Mark Price, Chair of the Island Innovation Trust
Joe Finch, Chair of the Governing Body
Image: Simon Haytack under CC BY 2.0
