Stop Press! Archive
New Church Free School Approved
Responding to the announcement by The Right Hon Nicky Morgan, Education Secretary at the Conservative Party conference today (30th September) that a proposed new church free school for the Wynyard area (Wynyard Church of England Primary School) would be going ahead - Rowan Ferguson, Assistant Director for Education in the Diocesan Board of Education in the Diocese of Durham said: “I am delighted that this project has been approved.
“We worked hard through the late spring and early summer to consult with the communities and people on the edge of Wynyard near Billingham, Teesside, as part of a series planned new housing development in the Wynyard area and to establish the need and support for this new school. The school will be open to all local children from any faith or none at all.
“We will be delighted to welcome this new member of our family of Church of England Schools in the Stockton area of the Diocese of Durham when it opens.”
Archdeacon of Sunderland the Ven Stuart Bain, Chair of the Diocesan Board of Education, said: “The Diocese has been involved in education in the region for more than 150 years, we educate more than 14,000 children through our schools including the 48 church of England Primary Schools in the Diocese. I am very excited that Wynyard Church of England Primary will now be realised and be part of the continuing story of success of our Church Schools serving local communities.”
Applications for the new Wynyard Church of England Primary School will be welcome from all local children. The Diocese also hopes to make nursery places available on the site, which is yet to be announced.
It will be a Church of England school, operated by the Diocese of Durham, with a governing body that will include representatives from the Church, parents and staff as well as others.
Keith Blundy/Aegis Associates
Responding to the announcement by The Right Hon Nicky Morgan, Education Secretary at the Conservative Party conference today (30th September) that a proposed new church free school for the Wynyard area (Wynyard Church of England Primary School) would be going ahead - Rowan Ferguson, Assistant Director for Education in the Diocesan Board of Education in the Diocese of Durham said: “I am delighted that this project has been approved.
“We worked hard through the late spring and early summer to consult with the communities and people on the edge of Wynyard near Billingham, Teesside, as part of a series planned new housing development in the Wynyard area and to establish the need and support for this new school. The school will be open to all local children from any faith or none at all.
“We will be delighted to welcome this new member of our family of Church of England Schools in the Stockton area of the Diocese of Durham when it opens.”
Archdeacon of Sunderland the Ven Stuart Bain, Chair of the Diocesan Board of Education, said: “The Diocese has been involved in education in the region for more than 150 years, we educate more than 14,000 children through our schools including the 48 church of England Primary Schools in the Diocese. I am very excited that Wynyard Church of England Primary will now be realised and be part of the continuing story of success of our Church Schools serving local communities.”
Applications for the new Wynyard Church of England Primary School will be welcome from all local children. The Diocese also hopes to make nursery places available on the site, which is yet to be announced.
It will be a Church of England school, operated by the Diocese of Durham, with a governing body that will include representatives from the Church, parents and staff as well as others.
Keith Blundy/Aegis Associates
Early Years Foundation Stage Profile
Just a gentle reminder that following trials of the new EYFSP assessment over the summer, the Government has now set out how the new Good Level of Development measure will be defined. Children will be defined as having reached a good level of development at the end of the EYFS if they achieve at least the expected level in all of the following:
Just a gentle reminder that following trials of the new EYFSP assessment over the summer, the Government has now set out how the new Good Level of Development measure will be defined. Children will be defined as having reached a good level of development at the end of the EYFS if they achieve at least the expected level in all of the following:
- the early learning goals in the prime areas of learning (personal, social and emotional development; physical development; and communication and language) and;
- the early learning goals in the specific areas of mathematics and literacy
SIAMS REVISED DOCUMENTS (September 2013)
Please note that the National Society has made changes to the Framework and Schedule. They have been republished with the date 'September 2013'. I suggest schools particularly read the Worship Section in the Schedule as that's where most of the changes appear to have been made. Core Question 2 is now briefer but more cohesive.
Please note that the role of governors has also been strengthened in the Leadership Section. Any reference to Leaders includes governors.
The new papers can be found in the SIAMS section.
Please note that the National Society has made changes to the Framework and Schedule. They have been republished with the date 'September 2013'. I suggest schools particularly read the Worship Section in the Schedule as that's where most of the changes appear to have been made. Core Question 2 is now briefer but more cohesive.
Please note that the role of governors has also been strengthened in the Leadership Section. Any reference to Leaders includes governors.
The new papers can be found in the SIAMS section.
Important Deadlines Reminder: Admissions for VA schools and Academies
1. Admissions policies for 2015/2016
2. Admission Appeals for places in 2014/2015
1. Admissions policies for 2015/2016
- If you are seeking to make any changes from the 2014/15 policy you will have to have completed the statutory 8 weeks of consultation by 1 March this year;
- Whether you are making any changes or not you must make sure that the Governing Body has formally decided on and adopted its Admissions Policy for the year by 15 April. In a recent report from the Schools Adjudicator there was concern that many schools are not able to provide evidence that they have taken this formal decision. If it has been highlighted by the Schools Adjudicator it may well be something that Ofsted pick up on;
- The Schools Adjudicator was also concerned both that not all schools are publishing their admissions policies on their websites and also that even where those policies are published it is not clear what year they apply to as the school has forgotten to amend the date on the published policy. Worth a check!
2. Admission Appeals for places in 2014/2015
- Remember that you need to have published your appeals timetable on your website by 28 February.
SEN case law update: Mr X v The Governing Body of a School
Some of you may be interested in a recent special educational needs Upper Tribunal case which found that an autistic girl was excluded from disability discrimination protection in relation to her tendency to the physical abuse of others. The case involved a 6 year autistic old girl who had been excluded from school on several occasions as a result of her kicking and hitting members of staff and other children on 7 occasions over a 7 month period. Her parents claimed disability discrimination against their daughter as a result of the exclusions from school.
Autism is a disability under the Equality Act 2010 and people suffering from autism are therefore protected from disability discrimination. However, under Regulations certain conditions including the “tendency to physical abuse of other persons” are excluded from being a disability. The reasons for this is due to public policy reasons, for example to avoid protecting people where the effect of their condition may be anti-social or criminal activity. The issue in this case was whether the child’s behaviour leading to the exclusions was exempt from the definition of disability as a result of her ‘tendency to physical abuse’. The Tribunal looked at whether the exemption also applied to children under 18 and whether it applied even where the tendency clearly arose as a result of a protected disability (in this case autism)
The Tribunal found that the cause of the child’s behaviour was undoubtedly her disability, and recognised that a child’s development is a factor which should be considered. Despite this they found that because her exclusion arose from a ‘tendency to the physical abuse of other persons’ this particular impairment could not be considered a disability and the disability discrimination claim against the school was unsuccessful.
The full report of this case can be found by clicking on the following link: Mr X v the Governing body of a school
If anyone would like to discuss this case or requires any further information, please contact Liane Atkin at: liane.atkin@drmnewcanglican.org
Some of you may be interested in a recent special educational needs Upper Tribunal case which found that an autistic girl was excluded from disability discrimination protection in relation to her tendency to the physical abuse of others. The case involved a 6 year autistic old girl who had been excluded from school on several occasions as a result of her kicking and hitting members of staff and other children on 7 occasions over a 7 month period. Her parents claimed disability discrimination against their daughter as a result of the exclusions from school.
Autism is a disability under the Equality Act 2010 and people suffering from autism are therefore protected from disability discrimination. However, under Regulations certain conditions including the “tendency to physical abuse of other persons” are excluded from being a disability. The reasons for this is due to public policy reasons, for example to avoid protecting people where the effect of their condition may be anti-social or criminal activity. The issue in this case was whether the child’s behaviour leading to the exclusions was exempt from the definition of disability as a result of her ‘tendency to physical abuse’. The Tribunal looked at whether the exemption also applied to children under 18 and whether it applied even where the tendency clearly arose as a result of a protected disability (in this case autism)
The Tribunal found that the cause of the child’s behaviour was undoubtedly her disability, and recognised that a child’s development is a factor which should be considered. Despite this they found that because her exclusion arose from a ‘tendency to the physical abuse of other persons’ this particular impairment could not be considered a disability and the disability discrimination claim against the school was unsuccessful.
The full report of this case can be found by clicking on the following link: Mr X v the Governing body of a school
If anyone would like to discuss this case or requires any further information, please contact Liane Atkin at: liane.atkin@drmnewcanglican.org
Mini-Tender Invitation
Please find below the mini-tender invitation for the provision of legal services connected to the setting up of the Durham Diocesan MAT and academy conversion of 3 schools. Further background details and timescales are contained within the document. If you require further information please contact Liane Atkin on 0191 2704164.
Please find below the mini-tender invitation for the provision of legal services connected to the setting up of the Durham Diocesan MAT and academy conversion of 3 schools. Further background details and timescales are contained within the document. If you require further information please contact Liane Atkin on 0191 2704164.
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