Appendix 2

Proposal to move Connaught Road School to Holland Road from January 2022.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this really a consultation or has the decision already been made?

This is a genuine consultation, no decision will be made until the responses to the consultation have been received and considered.  A report will be put before the CYPS Committee on 8 November 2021 for decision.  The recommendations in that report will take on board the responses received to the consultation.

Will there still be a separate infant and junior school?

Yes, the schools will remain separate infant and junior schools for the present time and the ethos of the schools will remain the same.  The schools have always worked well together and this will continue. 

Is this just about a change of location?

Yes.  Apart from the location nothing will change for the pupils, they will remain in their class groups with the same teachers, the uniform will not change and the school experience will remain the same.  The schools will remain as separate infant and junior schools.

Why are you proposing this change in the middle of the school year?

The LA has a programme of committee meetings set throughout the year and we have to take reports to the Children Young People and Skills (CYPS) Committee to obtain permission to commence the consultation and to report the results of that consultation back to committee for a decision to be made. 

The school stated that they believe that they can implement the change mid-academic year without there being any negative impact on the pupils at the school.  The schools are already working closely together making plans in readiness for January should it be decided to progress with the proposal.  The schools are considering transition activities for the pupils in the same way that they would for pupils moving from the infant school to the junior school. 

Has any consideration been given to the numbers of people moving into the city as a result of the pandemic?

We use GP registration data as a basis for our pupil forecasts, we receive this each autumn.  This data includes all children in the city who are registered with a GP by their home postcode and school year of birth.  This ensures that we have the most up to date information on the number of school age and pre-school age pupils in the city.  We are expecting the latest download of data in the next couple of months, if this shows an increase over last year this will be taken into account.  However, generally the birth rate is dropping at such a fast rate that we do not anticipate the number of people moving into the city will have a significant impact.

What will happen to the building in the event that the proposal goes ahead?

The main school building is not owned by the council, it is leased to the council by GB met, we are therefore unable to sell the building.  We are currently considering options that would keep the building in school use for statutory school age children but no decision has yet been made.  We have no plans to develop the site for housing. 

Will the proposal result in a reduction in the staffing of the school and will the staff be consulted upon this?

Yes, it is possible that there will be a reduction in the staffing of back-office functions if the proposal proceeds to implementation.  There will not be a reduction in the numbers of teaching staff as a direct result of this proposal.  In the event that the proposal goes ahead there will be specific consultations with the staff and how this will affect them.  There is a defined process for this which will be followed.  While the proposal is at this consultation stage anyone can contribute to the consultation and this obviously includes staff.