Agenda item

To consider the motion proposed by Cllr R Hope seconded by Cllr G Taylor.

The following motion was proposed by Cllr R Hope seconded by Cllr G Taylor and supported by Cllrs D Gray, J Dunseith, S Jones, R Legg, D Morgan, N Ireland, M Rennie, P Kimber and P Barrow

Background

Budmouth College has been in the heart of the community for over 30 years and has worked hard to build an ethos and culture to support the community it serves. Although it is acknowledged that there are aspects that do need to change it has a firm foundation, a foundation which needs to be preserved. This school is unique in that it serves one of the most deprived parts of the Dorset Council area which brings its own challenges, challenges that this school has risen to over the years.

There are significant concerns in the local area from students, parents and the wider community about the proposed academisation of Budmouth College. These concerns were the subject of a Notice of Motion to Weymouth Town Council on 26 June 2019 which was bought by Cllr Fuhrmann and supported by Weymouth Town Council. There was a request from WTC that academisation and the position that Budmouth College finds itself in should be highlighted to Dorset Council.

The school has a new Head Teacher who has an excellent track record and is held in high regard; the senior management team has been changed and feedback from teachers and parents since he took office have been positive and reflect a wider sense that the setting is robustly addressing the concerns raised at the last Ofsted inspection with positive and measurable results.

There has been a letter sent to the Rt Hon Damian Hinds from senior councillors and officers expressing concerns regarding the process of academisation at Budmouth College; these concerns both reflect and extend those raised by the community.

(This letter has been the subject of a leak to the media which is in no way condoned)

Motion

This council:

a) Supports and acknowledges the work of senior councillors and this Council’s Executive Director of People - Children in writing to the Rt Hon Damian Hinds, Secretary of State for Education, stating their concerns regarding the proposed academisation of Budmouth College.

b) Will make further representations to the Secretary of State for Education seeking his agreement to a delay in the timetable for academisation whilst the progress of Budmouth College since the last Ofsted report is assessed and further consultation is undertaken.

c) Will seek confirmation from the Regional Schools Commissioner of the reasons for the choice of intended academy provider and evidence of the adequacy of the due diligence carried out to ensure the appropriateness of the chosen organisation supplying the service.

Cllr N Ireland indicated that, as a parent of children educated at the college,  he supported the motion, however he also wished to add an additional recommendation as an amendment and this was set out below:-

“(d) recognises by immediately dismissing Budmouth College's IEB that the said body has failed to adequately support the local community, staff, parents and pupils, both present and prospective, in acknowledging their concerns over the imposition of a single sponsor by the RSC, particularly in relation to the sponsor's past history with SEND provision and support in other settings, and furthermore failed to adequately represent those concerns back to the RSC or Secretary of State for Education.”

The amendment was seconded by Cllr C Sutton and the original proposer and seconder supported the additional wording as set out in (d) above.

As the proposer of the amendment, Cllr N Ireland advised that the council needed to send a strong message that the Interim Executive Board (IEB) was failing residents, the wider local community and the pupils of the school.  This message should be sent by dismissing the IEB with immediate effect.

There were currently a number of issues at Budmouth College, including an increase in the number of exclusions, more pupils being home schooled, the school ethos was poor, there were transport issues and concerns about SEND.  This was the opportunity for the council to take action as the IEB had failed the residents of the Weymouth and Portland area.

In debating the amendment, a number of members felt unable to support the addition of (d) but would consider supporting the original motion.  Responding to questions regarding the legal position and timeframe, the Portfolio Holder for Children, Education and Early Help confirmed that dismissing the Board would not stop the process of academisation and delay could potentially be more damaging to the school.  He further explained that it was important for the school and the council to maintain dialog with the Secretary of State.  Some members also argued that the amendment, if passed, would only prolong the uncertainty for the school community. 

The Portfolio Holder further advised that the board consisted of individuals very experienced in these matters, including a respected former Head Teacher.  He also confirmed that the board, would only continue, in its current format until 31 August 2019.

Other members expressed concerns that some of those people serving on the IEB, may become governors to the board once Budmouth College became an Academy. They challenged whether this was considered appropriate considering the IEB’s failings to date.

As the seconder to the amendment, Cllr C Sutton stated that as the Local Education Authority, the council had few powers  but it could dismiss the board if is considered that it had not discharged its responsibilities or acted in an accountable manner.

      Upon being put to the vote the motion was LOST.

      Members returned to the original motion and upon being put to the vote the motion was CARRIED

Decision

This council:

a) Supports and acknowledges the work of senior councillors and this Council’s Executive Director of People - Children in writing to the Rt Hon Damian Hinds, Secretary of State for Education, stating their concerns regarding the proposed academisation of Budmouth College.

b) Will make further representations to the Secretary of State for Education seeking his agreement to a delay in the timetable for academisation whilst the progress of Budmouth College since the last Ofsted report is assessed and further consultation is undertaken.

c) Will seek confirmation from the Regional Schools Commissioner of the reasons for the choice of intended academy provider and evidence of the adequacy of the due diligence carried out to ensure the appropriateness of the chosen organisation supplying the service.