Note from the Chair

Dear Supporter,

Things may have seemed to have gone quiet on the public front in respect of the closure of our Middle School but much is going on behind the scenes. C.LA.R.E. continue to examine with partners the failures of the SOR Consultation and the inappropriate reaction to the parent/community proposal for a new secondary community college on the Middle School site. We have identified significant areas of failure and perhaps even neglect in the County Council’s process and procedures. We can challenge those issues but to be realistic we currently do not have the resources to mount the legal challenge which would be probably win. However we have written to a Government Official called the Schools Commissioner (see post below) who is supposed to represent parents’ and children’s interest in education, asking him to intervene on the basis of the bureaucratic mess and the inclusive nature of the advice arising from Government policy.

Our MP Tim Yeo continues to support and lobby for us and has recently been discussing our situation with Lord Hanningfield an eminent political leader in the area of education who has been very outspoken about the failures of education provision of late. Tim has also written to the Schools Commissioner supporting our contentions.

Meanwhile the LIBDEM/LAB/Independent opposition in the County Council have announced their intent to halt and change the SOR process and re-consult with communities if elected to power in the forthcoming local elections and you may wish to view their manifestos available on their respective websites.

It is our belief that Suffolk County Council has run out of money and cannot fund the changes they have proposed. Certainly in central government circles they feel things may have to change or at the very least remain as they are. We are continuing to explore the reality of this.

Also we are endeavouring to collectively mobilise support against the SOR Process across the county with other parental groups and parish councils who in reality actually repsresent their local communities’ best interests.

Finally C.LA.R.E. have not given up – nor should you. There is much going on, and we will keep you informed as and when there is something tangible to tell you.

Jim Meikle.
Chair.

Tuesday, 6th April 2009.

Sir Bruce Liddington,
The Schools Commissioner,
The Department for Schools, Families & Communities,
Sanctuary Buildings,
Great Smith Street,
London,
SW1P 3BT.

Dear Sir Liddington,

re: DCSF Case Reference 2009/0000640.

As the Chair of the under mentioned group I am writing with a view to seeking your help in respect of the above proposal for a new school. Our proposal has become embroiled in a mix of application criteria, inappropriate application of influence and confusion concerning the responsibility for decisions. We believe the only way the situation can be satisfactorily resolved is for an independent authority to review the application of the policy and guidance in this case and we wondered if this was within the remit of your office.

Briefly the local education provider, Suffolk County Council, have carried out a school organization review and in our area have decided to close Middle Schools and convert to a two tier education system. We have no argument of the validity of this educational argument but take issue with the fact that our sustainable and high achieving rural middle school [formerly our secondary school] is to close and not to be converted back to a secondary school.

When the closure notice for the Middle School was issued it is our understanding of the guidance that parents and the community can then submit an application to publish a proposal for a new school to the Minster of Education. The guidance indicates that the Minster will review the merits of the proposal and form a view, either authorizing or refusing consent for publication. Obviously we would expect the Minister to take account of the views of the local education provider, however D.C.S.F., are stipulating that the proposal must have local education provider support, which is not a requirement of the guidance or legislation.

Furthermore to support their opposition to our proposal, Suffolk County Council have applied both ’the closing of a maintained school’ and the ‘creation of a new school, outside of competition’ guidance to both the consultation outcomes of their decision to close the Middle School and to our proposal. This makes it impossible for any kind of accommodation to be reached. Furthermore Suffolk County Council’s refusal to acknowledge that their consultation and reasoning is flawed has stifled the progress of our proposal.

A copy of our proposal can be found at www.our-community-our-school.co.uk and for your information I have attached a schedule of the issues that we consider unfairly impact upon our proposal.

Unfortunately we do not have the resources or the skills to apply for a judicial review which we believe we could undoubtedly win. Therefore we would be very grateful if the Commissioner for School’s office could possibly help to extract our proposal from this impossible situation.

Yours sincerely,




Jim Meikle.
Chair.