Northchapel Primary School: Producing high achievers through creative learning

A Big THANK YOU to all the community who came and supported our proposal at the public consultation with the WSCC last Tuesday (11th). Colin James, the councilor, said “the meeting was very positive” and he congratulated us on a delivering a well thought out, well researched alternative proposal, that he said must be given urgent and proper attention.

The governing body only has until the 8th of April to submit their proposal. Please do continue to submit your comments and suggestions to info@whynotnorthchapel.org. In the mean while your positive support is always appreciated and we would like to draw your attention to a Meeting being held on the 25th March at 2.30pm The Council Chamber, East Pallant House Chichester. Should you have any questions regarding this meeting you may contact Paul Woodfield (01243)534655 or email pwoodfield@chichester.gov.uk Several parents have said they will attend the meeting, where we will ask questions during the public question time session.

The West Sussex County Council propose for our school, Northchapel Primary, to become an infant school in 2010. Children from the age of 7 would then move onto Petworth Primary (not Herbert Shiner).

Our view:

• By creating an infant school, parents are more likely to take current and prospective Northchapel School pupils out of the area, resulting in the rapid demise and closure of the school.
  
  
• Expand Northchapel School to include Year 6, and the school and community will flourish!  The drift of pupils to Surrey and other schools locally will continue to fall, and interest in Northchapel School will continue to grow.

Consultation meeting between West Sussex County Council (WSCC) and Northchapel community.
Tuesday 11th March 2008. 7.00pm Northchapel School.

The governors, staff and majority of parents believe that Northchapel should actually be expanded! This would allow year 6 children to continue their unique learning experience and be part of a two-tier system, which is being offered to all the other children in the Rother Valley.
Below we have listed the WSCC reasons for change, and their guiding principles. Using information supplied to us by the County Council and also research undertaken since the proposal’s announcement, we have listed our reasons, why Northchapel school should be part of the two-tier system.
On this site we have expanded on the points below and highlighted the reasons why Northchapel should include year 6.

Northchapel is a great school.

• The school has an excellent Ofsted stating “Northchapel is good with outstanding features”.
• We have a unique learning programme which is nationally recognised and featured in the national press and TV.
• Our teaching staff lead 5 out of the 8 steering groups such as Able Pupils, writing etc in the Petworth area.
• Northchapel has 81% of its catchment area attending the school, only two other schools in the whole Rother Valley retain more.
• The school is actively involved with the Northchapel community.

Why change?
In summary, the reason changes are being made are because WSCC wish “to improve outcomes for children, young people and families in rural communities”. WSCC have highlighted three areas that need changing.

• Education. Children make better progress if they change school less often. It is widely accepted that children in a two tier system make better progress.

• Demographic and Financial. The Rother valley schools are losing approximately 17% of children to schools outside of the area.

• The organization of local school needs to be confirmed to benefit from future Government funding streams.

Why not Northchapel?
The WSCC have listed the following guiding principles behind their proposal.
Schools should be organised in line with key stages of the national curriculum with a secondary school covering the 11-18 age range and providing enhanced vocational opportunities in partnership with local education colleges (and…)

4-11 all-through primary schools should be established wherever practical

• We agree with these two guidelines and question the council’s proposal for Northchapel to be the only three tier system in the Rother Valley. The current proposal introduces the existing 3 tier system at an even younger age. Due to the schools location, and current educational system, this will be a very difficult transition for 7 year old Northchapel children.

Primary schools should normally have a minimum intake of 10 pupils per annum in order to minimise the number of pupils from different year groups being taught together

• The average intake for Northchapel school from 2000 and estimated to 2012 is 12 pupils per year

We should provide sufficient places in schools to support parental preference whilst avoiding an excess of surplus capacity

• It is clear that the council proposal directly contradicts “parental preference” for schooling in our area. A survey of parents with children aged 0-4 showed that 83% of parents were considering Northchapel school. Since the proposal, 86% are now considering other schools.

The pattern of schools should ensure that there is a primary school within reasonable traveling distance of the home of each child living in the Rother Valley

• Northchapel has the largest and most diverse catchment area of the Rother Valley.  Existing travel times to Northchapel school can already be up to 35 minutes.  Travelling times under the new proposal could be up to an hour each way, a hugely disproportionate time for primary school pupils in the Rother Valley. 

We should develop accessible extended services including early years and childcare provision and support for families

• Northchapel school has a flourishing and successful pre-school contained within school grounds. Due to the traveling times and age of the children, extended services will not be an option for several parents.

We should recognise the key leadership role of governors and head teachers in developing services for children and support them and include them in managing and implementing changes on behalf of pupils, parents and school staff

• Northchapel school is not only recognised by Ofsted as “a good school with outstanding teaching leadership”, but also “This is an effective school that gives good value for money. Central to its success is the vision of the headteacher. She is a very good leader and manager who motivates staff and pupils well, to achieve as much as they can. The school is modest in evaluating aspects of its provision as satisfactory. The school’s family ethos makes it a very welcoming place to be, and every pupil is included, cared for and supported well.”

• The Governors are now committed to continue this ethos in years to come.

We should work with professional associations, head teachers and governors to ensure that schools staff are given effective support through the process

• Obviously we welcome this guideline and look forward to explaining why Northchapel should accommodate a year 6.

Arrangements should be made to ease the transition process for pupils and parents during the period of change

• If our proposal for a year 6 is accepted, the transitional process will be welcome.

The web site is very concise. The following areas have been explored and backed up with research figures and reasoning
Namely these points are:

• Education.                  Best for us to have a two-tier system.
• People in numbers        The demographic, and how Northchapel school can accommodate a year 6 into the future and what we believe would happen if the school becomes a infant school.
• Transportation issue     The cost £9.54 per car per day, and estimated yearly cost to the Northchapel community of nearly £18,000 per annum
• Community.                What effect will this have on the community?
• Money and funding.      How are all these proposals to be funded?  
  
  

This website has been produced independently by parents and the local community, and has been endorsed by the school and its governors.