‘Free schools’ would damage standards says council chief

The action has been recommended over claims that teachers will face redundancy and schools which are already undersubscribed will face severe financial problems, if the free schools are allowed.

Proposals have been drawn up by two separate groups who wish to open schools in Rotherham under legislation unveiled by Education Secretary Michael Gove shortly after the General Election last year.

Free schools, if approved by Mr Gove and his department, will be funded with public money but will be completely free of local authority control and allowed to operate under their own curriculum.

A company called the Three Valleys Independent Academy has been formed to open one school at Manvers, near Wath-upon-Dearne, while another group has plans for a Rotherham Central Free School.

Rotherham Council’s cabinet will meet next week and members will be told that they have until next Friday, March 11, to make any objection or pass comment to Westminster on the two schemes.

It is recommended that a formal objection is made as soon as possible because education officers believe the new ventures will have a “negative effect” on services already provided by existing schools.

In a report to the cabinet, David Hill, the authority’s manager of school organisation, planning and development, warns that the new schools could attract youngsters away from council schools.

He says: “The Secretary of State has a duty to consider carefully the impact that any new school will have on the surrounding community and existing schools and has written to the authority requesting views.

“The establishment of a new school in the Dearne area will severely impact on our existing schools and educational standards.

“The Three Valleys Academy will draw pupils from Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley.

“The school has published an indicative catchment area including Wath, Swinton, Rawmarsh, Kilnhurst and Parkgate.

“This will impact on four Rotherham secondary schools, Wath, St Pius, Rawmarsh and Swinton.”

Mr Hill said that while the Three Valleys Academy was in the later stages of the process, with a projected opening date of September 2012, the Central Rotherham School had not yet got as far.

He adds that the Government has given the charitable trust behind the Three Valleys project approval to move forward to make a business case for the school, which is the last major hurdle for organisers.

In relation to both plans Mr Hill says that standards in existing schools will drop because of falling pupil numbers and says: “teaching staff and other school based staff will have to be made redundant”.

“To provide a new school would impact severely on Swinton Comprehensive to such an extent that the viability of the school is compromised.

“There is likely to be an impact on Rawmarsh which is less but again compromises numbers at the school.

“There is no doubt that educational standards would fall due to the loss of pupils.

“The proposal for the Rotherham Central Free School should be opposed as it will have a dramatic impact on current schools reflected in falling rolls, loss of funding, and falling standards.”

Plans for the Three Valleys Academy are also opposed by Wentworth and Dearne MP John Healey, but the trust behind the proposal has shrugged off criticism saying its school will “engender pride, confidence and aspirations amongst both staff and students”.