Appendix 5 Consultation responses
|
|
Do you have any comments about the proposal? |
Interest / Status |
Do you have any suggestions for improvement? |
|
1 |
I feel it is short sighted to close the 6th form. You acknowledge the house building in catchment which is bound to have an effect. But also the leadership at the school is not good, there are not high or consistent standards and expectations with regards to pupils' aspirations. With stronger and better leadership, more pupils could be aiming for 6th form and have those aspirations instilled in them. |
Community |
|
|
2 |
Area is reapidly growing due to new housing developments therefore sixth form provision will be in greater demand in the near future. |
Parent |
Reopen the sixth form at BHS. |
|
3 |
It would be a pity to remove the option for sixth form education in this growing town, but KJS is a good option. |
Community |
|
|
4 |
I agree with the views of the governing body. BBH is too small to be able to provide and fund range of subjects. KJS and Ripon Grammar can offer good provision |
|
BBH has tried to improve 6th form provision for several years |
|
5 |
As the town is growing exponentially there needs to be a sixth form in place for all the younger children currently in primary school, in classes needing to be split as there is so many now moving into the area. |
Parent, Community |
Keep the school and sixth form open |
|
6 |
I think it's more beneficial for the pupils to attend a larger 6th form or college post 16 but they should be able to access free transport to a variety of places offering a variety of courses. |
Parent |
|
|
7 |
I think that the money used to keep the 6th form at Boroughbridge high , would be better spent on years 7-11 . Only 4 pupils had to find a place in 6th form somewhere else. It would be a terrible waste of money and resources.. |
Parent |
|
|
8 |
Yes |
Parent |
Boroughbridge and surrounding village have recently had or have commencing a large amount of housing estates. I would like forward thinking of where all these children will go to sixth form. My concern is ripon sixth forms are selective and outwood has shut. The students are therefore competing against a large number of children wanting to apply to King James, York College and Harrogate. All of which involve travel which will effect the environment and make a students day longer. Boroughbridge has the space and expertise, which seems a shame not to encourage students to a sixth form locally |
|
9 |
|
Community |
Leave 6 form open |
|
10 |
Agree it’s not viable to continue with sixth form provision main concern would be that highly experienced teachers, who enjoy the focus and challenge of sixth form would leave the school as a result as has already happened b |
Parent |
|
|
11 |
|
Parent |
|
|
12 |
I understand that teaching a low number of pupils isn't viable. I would liketo hear that the focus, goal and determined aspiration of BBH will be to ensure every pupil is supported robustly to achieve exam results which keep the door to A Levels very much open. I would like reassurance that places at King James will be reserved for our children as a priority. Catchment is a huge issue for Green Hammerton children where a very small number of students have choice removed. Neighbours are split and this injustice must be corrected by provision of guaranteed sixth-form places. |
Parent |
Would be good if you could expand text box to re-read answer before submitting |
|
13 |
Think it’s great news for the town |
Parent |
|
|
14 |
It’s a shame that if it close’s completely it would have been great if it could be used to run more vocational courses rather than a levels as there are available schools within a travel distance that’s not too unreasonable, but btech style courses mean more of a travel around an hour each way which is unacceptable in my view having experienced this with one of my children |
Parent, Community |
More funding would help and more flexibility in qualifications |
|
15 |
CONSULTATION RE CLOSURE OF SIXTH FORM, BOROUGHBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL Response by Kirk Hammerton Parish Council KHPC’s response to this consultation is informed by North Yorkshire Council’s long standing policy to create the Maltkiln 4,000 home new settlement on land close to Cattal station. The new settlement is said to be a matter of major strategic importance for NYC and NYC has said it will create an “exemplar” development. We have urged NYC to ensure that a new secondary school is built as part of the new settlement. This has been rejected by NYC’s Planning Department in favour of an expansion of Boroughbridge High School, which is to be funded by a capital contribution from the new settlement developer instead of the construction of a school in Maltkiln itself. We now receive proposals from NYC’s Education Department not to expand BBHS, but to close its sixth form. There is also a consultation which proposes to remove the right to free transport for pupils attending a school which is not the nearest one with places available. The nearest school to KH and Maltkiln is King James, Knaresborough. We respectfully suggest that, before consulting local residents, NYC starts by consulting internally among its various different departments and produces a set of policies which are joined up. It makes no sense, in the context of Maltkiln, to be closing down teaching facilities at the school which will be responsible for educating pupils from NYC’s flagship development. How will the new settlement be an “exemplar” if it not only doesn’t have its own secondary school, but can’t offer sixth from education to its residents at even the school they have to travel several miles to attend? We note the reasons given to support the proposed closure. They seem to amount to this: • BBHS has a rather modest rating from Ofsted • Numbers are falling throughout the school, including the sixth form (perhaps not surprising in view of the first bullet point) • BBHS is now under the wing of King James; it’s more convenient to merge the two sixth forms and close down the BBHS end.
We would argue that the more logical approach would be as follows: 1. If BBHS requires improvement, all the more reason to build a new school at Maltkiln and give everything a focal point to make a fresh start with new impetus to create a high quality learning environment. 2. Don’t plan to invest development capital into creating additional facilities at a school which seems to be in decline. 3. If BBHS is, despite points 1 and 2, seen as the future, and a school to invest in, it makes no sense to close its sixth form. Surely the point of the partnership with King James was to use the successful management of that school to transform BBHS.
1 to suggest closing its sixth form. That’s disappointing. KJ management should be tasked with improving the school, in readiness for its increased status as the catchment school for NYC’s flagship development. As NYC’s own consultation document explains, even before Maltkiln happens there will be an increase in BBHS pupils as a result of other housing development in the area. This should be the start of BBHS’ comeback, not the signal for a downgrading. 2 If NYC insists on pursuing the trend towards making BBHS a lower grade subsidiary of King James, please can Kirk Hammerton residents be brought within the catchment area for KJ as well as BBHS. Then at least children here will have additional opportunities. They would also be able to travel by public transport, consistent with another aspect of the new settlement vision.
We oppose the closure of the sixth form at BBHS for these reasons.
Kirk Hammerton Parish Council February 2024
|
|
|
|
16 |
CONSULTATION RE CLOSURE OF SIXTH FORM, BOROUGHBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL (BHS) Response by Whixley Parish Council (WPC)
WPC’s response to this consultation is informed by North Yorkshire Council’s long standing policy to create the Maltkiln 4,000 home new stlement on land close to Caal staon. The new settlement is said to be a matter of major strategic importance for NYC and NYC has said it will create an “exemplar” development. NYC has been encouraged to ensure that a new secondary school is built as part of the new settlement. This has been rejected by NYC’s Planning Department in favour of an expansion of BHS, which is to be funded by contributions from the new settlement developer. NYC’s Education Department now proposes not to expand HS, but to shrink it and close its sixth form. There is also a consultaon which proposes to remove the right to free transport for pupils attending a school which is not the nearest one with places available. The nearest school to Whixley and Maltkiln is King James, Knaresborough, not BHS. Before consulting local residents, NYC should start by consulting internally among its various different departments and produce a set of policies which are joined up. It makes no sense, in the context of Maltkiln, to be closing down teaching facilities at the school which will be responsible for educating pupils from NYC’s flagship development. How will the new settlement be an “exemplar” if it not only doesn’t have its own secondary school, but can’t offer sixth from education to its residents at even the school they have to travel several miles to attend? We note the reasons given to support the proposed closure. They seem to amount to this: BHS has a rather modest rating from Ofsted Numbers are falling throughout the school, including the sixth form (perhaps not surprising in view of the first bullet point) BHS is now under the wing of King James; it’s more convenient to merge the two sixth forms and close down the BHS end. We would argue that the more logical approach would be to invest in BHS so it makes no sense to close its sixth form. Surely the point of the partnership with King James was to use the successful management of that school to transform BHS. Instead, all they can come up with is to suggest closing its sixth form. King James management should be tasked with improving the school, in readiness for its increased status as the catchment school for NYC’s flagship development. As NYC’s own consultation document explains, even before Maltkiln happens there will be an increase in BHS pupils as a result of other housing development in the area. This should be the start of BHS’ comeback, not the signal for a downgrading. If NYC insists on pursuing the trend towards making BBHS a lower grade subsidiary of King James, please can Whixley residents be brought within the catchment area for King James. Then at least children here will have additional opportunities. They would also be able to travel by public transport, consistent with another aspect of the new settlement vision. We oppose the closure of the sixth form at BHS for these reasons.
Whixley Parish Council February 2024
|
|
|