Welcome to the second edition of Partnership News! This is a regular newsletter dedicated to keeping you up-to-date with the pioneering reorganisation of schools in Melton Mowbray and the Vale of Belvoir.

The reorganisation is about raising standards of attainment and achievement for our pupils, whilst maintaining current school excellence. This can only be a success with schools and our other partners working together – sharing expertise and offering the widest possible educational choices. If you have any feedback on our newsletter, please call the County Council’s Public Relations Unit on 0116 305 6967 or email: mstretton@leics.gov.uk.

 

Leicestershire County Council wants your views on proposals to change catchment areas for admissions to the three secondary schools in Melton Mowbray. The pioneering £45 million reorganisation of schools in Melton and the Vale of Belvoir provides a unique opportunity to achieve long-term improvements in our children’s education and to raise standards of achievement and attainment.

To make this happen we want to ensure that every child has the best possible choice available to them of where to study, and have access to wide and diverse curriculum opportunities. The County Council proposes that there should be a single catchment area to serve the three secondary schools in Melton Mowbray – John Ferneley, King Edward VII and Long Field Schools. This will open up wider opportunities and remove any barriers for children’s learning.

Please tell us what you think. You can pick up a copy of the consultation document from your local school. Alternatively, you can send your comments to the address below or use our online Consultation Response Form (please note the deadline for responding has now passed).

Responses should be returned by Friday 29th February, 2008.

Look out for the next issue of Partnership News to find out how it went!

 

There have been many new developments in the school reorganisation since the first edition of Partnership News, last October.

Further news is featured throughout this issue and there are many future developments to look out for.

These are just some of the forthcoming events. There are exciting times ahead, so look out for future editions of Partnership News to hear more about the latest progress.

 

New web pages dedicated to keeping people up-to-date with the pioneering Melton Mowbray and Vale of Belvoir school reorganisation are now live.

Parents, pupils, staff, governors, residents and other stakeholders can click here to read about the latest developments in the exciting £45 million programme.

The new web pages, featured on the County Council’s website, include dedicated ‘Consultation’ and ‘Key Milestone’ sections. You can also access the latest news about the reorganisation as well as information answering some of your questions.

Ivan Ould, the County Council’s Cabinet Lead Member for Children’s and Young People’s Services, said: “It is important that people are kept informed of what is happening as part of the reorganisation. The web pages will give people the opportunity to log-on and find out the latest news whenever they like.”

 

Significant progress is being made on the exciting plans to refurbish and build new secondary schools. Plans for the brand new extension and refurbishment at Belvoir High School have now been unveiled. The school’s new extension will include a range of state-of-the-art classrooms, as well as a new library. These will be based around a striking central atrium, to be used for teaching and as a social area.

A further exciting development is the inclusion of a new virtual learning hub, providing hi-tech ICT equipment. The school refurbishment will see a revamped dining area, art and music suites and staff room.

Building work is planned to start in July this year, with the new extension open for teaching in September, 2009.

Plans to build the new John Ferneley School are progressing well too. Special workshops have been held where pupils and staff have met with architects and designers to discuss how the school will look. Parents and local residents have also been invited to view initial plans and contribute their ideas.

A planning application for the new school is due to be submitted in late spring/early summer this year. Building work would be due to start this summer and completed in summer, 2010. Work to extend Long Field High School is due to start in spring 2009 and be finished in September, 2009. Work to build the new King Edward VII School and new Post-16 Centre is, subject to planning permission, due to begin in September, 2009 and be completed by June, 2011.

 

Two primary schools in the Vale of Belvoir have been granted planning permission to build new extensions. A new classroom will be built at Bottesford Primary School and Croxton Kerrial Primary School will be extended, both to accommodate more pupils. From September 2008, primary schools in the Vale of Belvoir will retain pupils up to Year 6 (age 11), rather than pupils moving on to secondary school after Year 5. The two extensions are needed for the extra pupils who will be attending the primary schools.

As part of the local reorganisation, Belvoir High School in Bottesford will change from a school for pupils aged 10-14 to an 11-16 school, also in September, 2008. Amanda Woodland, Headteacher at Croxton Kerrial Primary School, said: “Primary schools are playing their part in the reorganisation too. We want to work to ensure there is a smooth transition in forming the new Year 6. We are very excited because this is something the Vale Heads have been working towards for a very long time.".

Now that planning permission has been approved to extend the two primary schools, tenders will be sought to carry out the work. Building will start once the contract is awarded and will be completed in time for the start of the autumn term, 2008.

 

Staff and pupils from schools in Melton and the Vale of Belvoir played host to a special visitor when Mike Jones, Chairman of the County Council went to meet them in January.

Mike and his wife Marj went to four of the schools involved in the pioneering £45 million reorganisation project – Long Field High, Belvoir High, John Ferneley High and then on to King Edward VII, where they heard how some of the students at the college are doing extremely well with technology.

Advising government ministers and brushing with hi-tech companies such as Microsoft are all in a day's work for pupils at King Edward VII Technology College. Some of the students are working at national level, advising ministers on new technology for learning. The school has been involved in working with Microsoft and BECTA – the Government’s lead agency for Information and Communications Technology in education, covering the United Kingdom.

The Chairman’s visit to the college came at an exciting time as plans unfold for a new 11-16 school, Post-16 Centre and even better sports facilities on the school campus. Overall, the campus is set to receive investment of around £24 million to create outstanding facilities for young people and the local community.

Mike Jones, Chairman of the County Council, said: “The young people at King Edward have undertaken some marvellous work by using new technology and have clearly shown that they are achieving a much higher level. They now have even more to look forward to in the future when they get a brand new school building and Post-16 Centre on their campus.”.