St James the Great R.C. (VA)
Primary and Nursery School
Learning with God’s Love
Academy Status
Parental Consultation
Purpose of meeting
• To confirm our school’s vision and values
• To advise parents of the Governors’
discussions regarding Academy status
• To clarify what an Academy is
• To discuss the advantages and risks of a
transfer
• To seek your views as part of the wider
consultation process
Our Vision and Values
We are committed to;
• Catholic education
• Maximising student progress
• Inspirational teaching and learning
• Innovative ways of working
• Developing and supporting pupils and parents
• Making a positive contribution to community
improvement and inter-school links
Our History
• In 1994 St James the Great School became one of
the first primary schools in Croydon to convert to
Grant Maintained status.
• This move was supported by the vast majority of
parents and agreed with the Diocese and LA
• In 1999 GM status was abolished and the School
returned to Voluntary Aided status.
• Our time under GM status is recognised as a
successful period in the School’s history
What is an academy?
• Academies are state-funded schools
that are not accountable to the Local
Authority
• Academies have greater autonomy in
terms of curriculum and finance
• It is not part of the original first phase of
academies which were sponsored by
third-party business
Why Consider Academy Status?
We as a school have a responsibility to;
- Ensure the delivery of the best
education
- Ensure we maintain services for pupils
and staff alike
- Serve the wider Catholic community
- Consider options which allow us to
achieve the above objectives
Why now?
• The political landscape
• Greater freedom to teach what we think
is important
• Finances
• The School’s current position in terms of
finances and ability to make the change
St James the Great R.C. (VA)
Primary and Nursery School
School Budget
Difference
Learning with God’s Love
Where does the money come
from?
• Local Authority Central Spend
Equivalent Grant (LACSEG)
• The majority of services that Croydon
provide and that we make a contribution
to fund are not used by the school.
• Those services that are required will still
be purchased – no change to provision
• We are in a good position to make the
change
What does this mean for the school?
• Surplus money from Grant will fund
school priorities and maintain provision.
• Continue to be subject to Ofsted
inspections
• Continue to be accountable to the
Diocese
• Catholic ethos will remain – school will
continue to look & feel the same
What does this mean for the school?
• Land and property would continue to be
owned by Diocese
• Governors appointed in similar way i.e.
majority by Archbishop
• Staff pay, terms and conditions remain
the same
• Continue to work with other schools and
wider community
It does not mean…
• Changing our name or uniform
• Sponsorship from a third party or joining
a federation of academies
• Changing our admissions policy
• Sweeping changes to the curriculum
• Compulsory pairing with weaker schools
• Changing SEN support
Concerns
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•
•
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Have the costs been considered?
Staff pay and conditions
What happens if future funding is cut?
What happens if future governments
change policy?
• What happens to other schools ‘left
behind’?
If we become an Academy…
• Improved finances to meet school’s needs
• Maintain and improve buildings and
resources
• Retention and recruitment of best teachers
• Targeted support and reasonably sized
teaching groups
• Improved results
Summary
• There are clear advantages
– Finance
– Greater self governance
– Maintain name, ethos, culture within school
• There are risks
– Greater responsibility and liability
– Keeping staff/parents/pupils happy through change
• But what is the risk of doing nothing?