Last updated 06:58, Sunday, 16 November 2008

ASK THE PANEL: School organisation project manager Jim Mitchell (right) with fellow panel members (from left John Lewis, Peter McGaw and Brenda Wile REF: 0454517

FRUSTRATED parents demanded answers at a heated academy meeting, but said they came away with “none”.
Cumbria County Council is asking the public if Barrow’s proposed academy should be on one site or two.
But at a consultation meeting the Thorncliffe School audience made it clear they can’t make an informed decision about the location “if the fundamentals have not been answered.”
Dad Wayne Butler told the council officers “It is literally like trying to bake a cake without the ingredients.”
A mum said: “It is very, very scary. We could really regret what we choose.”
The council plans to close Alfred Barrow, Thorncliffe and Parkview and establish them as an academy in September.
The academy would be at Parkview and Thorncliffe for three years. The council wants to know if the new school should be based at the two sites, costing between £40-£45m, or at Parkview under the original £30m plan.
Parents asked about the curriculum, which sites children will attend, and the movement of pupils between two sites, but were told it was a meeting about location and the plans still are being developed.
Thorncliffe mum Cheryl Fraser asked a list of question about curriculum options, and how her son and other children would be effected.
She said: “You are asking people to make a choice and you can’t give the basic answers about my child’s education.”
Jim Mitchell, from the council’s School Organisation team, said: “The responsibility for if it is one site of two is the county council’s. The responsibility for the finer detail of curriculum, policy and uniform is the responsibility of the management company. “There will be consultation undertaken by the project management company.”
One audience member said:”Why can’t you hold off until you have that information?”
Mr Mitchell said a shorter process is better and reduces the period of uncertainty and risks.
He said: “The heads have indicated that an academy opening in 2009 is better than in 2010. It removes the uncertainty of teachers moving away.
“There is a better chance of resources available from central government if the academy opens in 2009 rather than 2010. The government has said it wants action now.”
Mr Mitchell “We will take your views back to the decision makers and the planners of the academy.”
John Lewis a senior planner, said processes are being made to meet the specific needs of all children.
He said: “It is about creating the correct pathways for all children.
“All that has been happening behind the scenes.”
The sponsors are Barrow Sixth Form College, Furness College and University of Cumbria.
The endowment fund is being made up from £1m from the county council and £500,000 for BAE Systems but £500,000 is still needed.
When asked if it was appropriate to go ahead when all the cash is not in place
the audience were told that it is not fundamental for the academy to become operational as they money can come in over time.
It was confirmed that Carlisle millionaires Brian Scowcroft and Andrew Tinkler are not sponsors involved in the Barrow plans.
Others asked if the money was assured.
Other raised concerns about reports of parents worries in Carlisle where an academy opened in September.
Mr Lewis said: “The heads are working very hard to prevent theses issues.”
After the meeting Mrs Fraser said: “The planning is not sufficient to open in 2009. As one parent said it’s pretty scary. They have still not answered any questions.
“As a parent I think things should stay as they are until we have answers on the plans.”
Thorncliffe pupil Robert Cubiss ,13, who has to make GCSE options in January raised his concern about different subjects currently being offered at the different school and how this would all work.
Outside the meeting he said: “I don’t think the meeting went very well. We did not get very many answers and they answers we did get were not very conclusive.”
When asked for a show of hands about two sites or one the audience said: “how can we.”
Nina Hill, chairperson of Our Schools Are Not For Sale said: “We are now eight months nearer to the establishment of an academy and the answers that parents what are still not forthcoming
“It’s just absolute astonishment that we are this close, we are still hurtling towards the closure of three schools and the disruption to three schools and the answers are not there.”
Councillor Anne Burns, deputy leader of the county council chaired the meeting.
After the meeting she said: “I absolutely understand their views. There are all sorts of things going on behind the scenes.
“I think we should have had someone here from the project team to answer some of the questions.”