Author: simon
Keith Simmonds Interview on Schools Reorganisation (podcast)
Wednesday, 7th October, 2009 at 1:51 pm, Isle of Wight
Education, Island-wide, Isle of Wight Council, News, School Reform, podcast
Yesterday we were invited along to have a chat with the successful bidders in the schools reorganisation.
Follow the meeting we took the opportunity to talk to Keith Simmonds, who has responsibility for the schools reorganisation at the Isle of Wight council.
Here are a selection of the questions that we ran through:-
- How they will the successful bidders running different schools collaborate?
- With the reorganisation, how will the IWC will change its role?
- IW College is creating its own sixth form. How will this impact on the new bidders?
- In the past, parents and children have complained that there appeared to be a disconnect and sometimes an overlap between what was learned in some primary schools and then taught at the next school. Will this be addressed?
- Is it right that Academies have the benefit of more money than the other secondary schools on the Island? How can this be balanced out?
- Christ the King school wasn’t at the meeting as they’ve were removed from the process. How will things work between them and other schools?
- How do other schools compete / collaborate?
- Who is funding the new buildings at Christ the King? How much is the IWC putting in?
- Government funding under their Building Schools for the Future was the original hope for funding the building of new buildings. Will this happen, or will schools be refurbished, now money has become tighter?
- Will the Sandown sports facilities stay open for the public?
- How does the IWC ensure that parents don’t start jumping around schools in anticipation of the schools being reorganised?
- You must be relieved at the recent vote. How are you feeling about the reorganisation personally?
Have a listen to the answers for yourself …
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Thanks to VB readers who sent questions in, in particular Wendy Varley and Adam Collings.
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Thanks for asking those questions, Simon (good to hear from a council officer on Ventnor Blog – it’s been a while!). Look forward to hearing/reading what else came out of the meeting with “successful competition proposers” (I note it’s not PC to call them “winners”).
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Thanks for doing the interview Simon. All very interesting!
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Whilst ever grateful to you at Ventnorblog for your excellent coverage of the subject (though I couldn’t bring myself to listen to the above), I’m afraid I would slightly take issue with you in your readiness to headline the subject ‘School Reforms’. I’m sure that’s what those in charge would like us to think it is, but not all of us are so persuaded. ‘Reform’ is a loaded word, non-neutral and carrying with it the implication of making better (see dictionary). Until that has been shown to be the case and at risk of earning myself the label of pedant, I would prefer to see you stick to the less judgemental term ‘Schools’ Reorganisation’. Failing that, I suggest you put the word Reforms as a quote in inverted commas, ironic or otherwise, rather than as agreed verdict or accepted fact.
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Thanks for your comment, and I can appreciate your reasoning, but can’t see myself going back through all of these articles to make the change.
I will bear it in mind in the future though.
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No, I absolutely didn’t mean you to (and wouldn’t wish you to) change anything already done – just a small thought for future postings. By the way, I always enjoy (and admire the trouble you take over finding these) the images used to illustrate each item.
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PS ‘School Changes’ would be simpler.
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Please note the following specific recommendation of the Cambridge Primary Review (Prof Robin Alexander, Oct 2009), which I quote verbatim:
‘Protect rural schools and middle schools against cost-cutting closure.’
Answer that, IWC.
(Report comment)
Interesting.
“With their strong educational record and vital community role in mind, the report urges that small and rural
schools be safeguarded against cost-cutting closure. It also warns against the closure of middle schools,
commending attention to witnesses’ developmental arguments for their retention at a time of anxiety that
children are growing up too soon.”
http://www.primaryreview.org.uk/Downloads/Finalreport/PR_09-02_final_report.pdf
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