12:58pm Tuesday 19th January 2010
By Oliver Evans
PRESTIGIOUS private and grammar schools could help support Cressex Community School as the Government takes ‘decisive’ action to improve results.
A consultation launched this week proposes setting up a trust for the High Wycombe school including members from private Wycombe Abbey School and Dr Challoner’s Grammar School.
The trust would appoint most governors and forge links between teachers and students, with Challoner’s taking the lead.
Bosses said the move would improve results – but a union said it amounted to ‘privatisation’ and threatened strikes if teachers’ agreements are breached.
The Government has intervened in the future of the school as part of its controversial National Challenge programme.
Schools must see 30 per cent or more pupils get at least five GCSEs including English and maths grades A* to C to leave the programme – but Cressex fell to 25 per cent last summer.
This made it the second lowest performing school in Bucks. Challoner’s, by contrast, has maintained 99 or 100 per cent the last three years.
It is hoped the changes will take effect from April 1 and attract up to £1m of extra funding.
Headteacher David Hood said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with an outstanding group of partners, who will support us in our mission to raise achievement and broaden the education opportunities available to our students.”
Challoner’s head Dr Mark Fenton said: “The involvement of DCGS in this new venture will enable our school community to make a significant contribution towards enhancing the education of students who do not have many of the advantages which our own boys enjoy.
“Our new role will also open up many opportunities for our staff and students to broaden their own experience by working in partnership with staff and students from Cressex.”
While acknowledging recent strides forward, the consultation document says there needs to be “decisive and effective action by everyone to bring about lasting improvement”.
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The ‘partners’, also including Buckinghamshire New University, will ‘challenge and support’ the school with a view to driving up results in the next two years, it says.
The document says the trust will aim to improve results, attendance, teaching, leadership and widening qualification and ‘experiences’.
It would also make the Holmers Way school a foundation rather than community school, taking more powers away from Buckinghamshire County Council.
The change would make governors the employer of staff – thought existing pay and conditions remain – and let it set admissions, both presently seen to by the council.
It says admissions could be reviewed – but pledged a ‘fair admissions policy’ and not to ‘introduce selection by ability’.
The council will have a seat on the trust and set ‘robust targets’ it adds.
Yet Annette Pryce, Bucks secretary of the National Union of Teachers said: “The NUT believes that school should remain within local authority control and not privatised.”
And she said: “Any attempt to undermine or reduce teachers conditions of service locally, as national agreements are not affected, will result in a dispute.”
The trust would be called the Cressex Co-operative Learning Partnership, which the school says embodies values of co-operation and learning.
A community representative and the Co-operative College in Manchester take the other two seats along with the university, Challoner’s and £9,400 a term Wycombe Abbey.
The trust, not the governing body, will hold the school’s land and assets. It is currently being rebuilt on the playing field for a September opening.
Councillor Marion Clayton, responsible for education on the county council, said: “We have been working with the school on how best to move forward and this is a very exciting proposal for expanding opportunities and raising standards.”
Last year’s GCSE results, released last week, show the gap between most upper and grammar schools is narrowing.
While grammars stayed at or close to 100 per cent on the key score. Leaps in grades included 42 to 52 at Princes Risborough School and 35 to 49 at Wye Valley School, Bourne End.
The consultation closes on February 22. Public meetings will be held next month.
Click the links below for the consultation documents and more education stories.
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