Deadline: 16th May 2011

We have over 420 registrations of interest now, and we are hard at work on our proposal which we intend to submit on May 16th as soon as the application window opens. This year the Department for Education is being a lot more strict with what they want to see, and when they want to see it by. We are currently in the process of contacting all the people who have said they would be interested in joining the Steering Group, some of whom we hope will become directors of the company we will set up to bring this to the Department.

If you would like to know how you can help, please email us info@parkfieldnewschool.org.uk.

FREE SCHOOL APPLICATION PROCESS HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED

The Department for Education has announced this today as the process for all Free Schools wishing to open in 2012. We are still waiting exact details, but the timescales will be:

On Beyond Zebra...

This is another snippet from the first ever Free School's Conference in which Dr Mark Feinberg, co-founder of the KIPP charter (free) school movement in the USA gives his version on why Free Schools will help our children to succeed in education and in life. Although a little bit of fun, this really helped us to value the opportunities that free schools can offer children in this country.

First National Free Schools Conference Jan 2011

This was an exciting and highly motivating day.

The Benefits of All-Through Schools

An all-through school is a school that takes a child through from Reception to Year 11 or 13. 

They are found mainly in the independent sector. Parkfield New School will be an all-through school, and the Department for Education's Innovation Unit has done some research which has revealed that there are many benefits of attending a school that is 'all-through'. Here are some of them:

• raised attainment in all Key Stages throughout the school(s) by reducing the performance dips that can occur when pupils transfer from one school to another - Creating an all-age institution provides a unique opportunity to make significant changes to the continuity, progression and relevance of the curriculum. It can help overcome the weaknesses that can occur as children transfer between primary and secondary schools or, in a three-tier system, between lower, middle and upper schools.

• improved teaching and learning by the sharing of expertise across phases and by offering increased opportunities for personalised learning.

• improved pastoral care for children in challenging circumstances by offering a ‘joined-up’ strategy for special and behavioural needs, and can also be said for gifted and talented students.

• flexibility in areas such as curriculum design, delivery and school leadership/management – as planning is not broken up by phase boundaries.

• improved continuity for multi-agency involvement across phases for pupils, carers and families, especially for full-service/extended schools and maintaining closer community links for longer. 

• A common ethos which can provide:

•  purpose and direction for all staff and pupils
•  continuity in learning and behavioural approaches or expectations
•  consistency in classroom management and practice
•  a shared set of core values and goals which provide a strong framework for the social, moral and spiritual development of pupils.

To view the whole document, please visit www.parkfieldnewschool.org.uk/allthrough.pdf

Week 3 of campaign: update

At the end of Week 3 of our campaign, our results and achievements have been:

• Our total registrations of interest have exceeded 300, with the current total at 302. We have also had some excellent comments from parents (and teachers) letting us know why they would like an alternative to the existing schools in the area.

• We have also had excellent support from local teachers and members of the public, and even support from abroad.
• This week we have had coverage in the Advertiser and on the BBC news website.
• We have had interest from local councillors and a local MP has contacted us requesting a meeting - more on this shortly.
• We have informed the Local Authorities in Bournemouth and Poole of our plans.
• We are continuing to build our steering group so that we have a balanced group of core competencies within the team.
• We have registered our interest in becoming an IB candidate school in 2012 offering the Middle Years Programme in Years 7 & 8 on opening. We are also negotiating the possibility of offering the Diploma Programme from the outset.
• We are setting up our first focus groups and we are hoping to get a Montessori specialist from the Montessori Schools Association to run our Montessori information evening that so many of you have signed up for.
• We have discussed our plans with the New Schools Network, and we have been working on our draft plans for them to advise us on shortly.
• We have located five potential premises (3 in Poole, 2 in Bournemouth) and have a local commercial estate agent looking out for more for us. We are also undertaking a fact finding exercise in how much a new eco-build would cost, as this may be as cost efficient and tailored to our needs.
• The popularity of a location of a school is fairly balanced between Bournemouth and Poole, with Bournemouth being slightly ahead now. Our poll on here shows Poole to be in the lead.