APPENDIX C
Captain Shaw’s C of E School – Informal consultation on a change to the school’s catchment area
analysis
Introduction
Between 8 July and 17 July 2015 the county council carried out an informal consultation on the
proposed change of catchment area to reflect an outline planning application for a housing
development at Wellbank in Copeland, in order to seek the views of stakeholders and the local
community in the area. As part of the informal consultation Captain Shaw’s CofE School and
Waberthwaite CofE School were sent the informal consultation paper via email, and they then chose
to coinduct their own internal consultation involving staff, parents and the local community etc.
There are currently 19 pupils attending Captain Shaw’s CofE School and 53 pupils attending
Waberthwaite CofE School (information taken from the January 2015 School Census data).
Summary of responses
A total of 63 responses were received during the informal consultation period, all of which were
received via email.
Those who indicated their interest when responding were parents/carers of children attending
Captain Shaw’s School, the Diocese of Carlisle, Acting Head teacher at Waberthwaite CofE School,
Executive Headteacher of Captain Shaw’s CofE School, teacher from Captain Shaw’s, Chairs of
Governors from both Captain Shaw’s and Waberthwaite CofE School’s Governing Bodies, Vice-Chair
and Clerk to the Governing Body of Captain Shaw’s, past/ future parents of both Captain Shaw’s and
Waberthwaite CofE Schools, members of the community, ex pupil of Captain Shaw’s, grandparent of
Captain Shaw’s pupils, past/present members of staff at Captain Shaw’s, governors of Captain
Shaw’s as well as 3 responses with no specified interest.
Out of the 63 responses, 24 (38% of the total) are in support of the proposed catchment change, 36
(57% of the total) of the responses received are opposed to the proposed catchment change and 3
(5% of the total) stated other and felt that felt it should be a decision decided locally, had no
comment or that there should be a formal consultation so that there can be an open debate.
There was one late response received from Councillor Hitchen, which has not been included in the
above analysis. The councillor wrote in to support the proposed catchment change as he believes it
will help make the Bootle community more sustainable.
Additional Comment
All 63 respondents made additional comments, a summary of which are shown in the table below:
Summary
It is clear from the map that the Wellbank site is closer to Captain Shaw's
No objections to the proposal
Decision is one to be decided locally, through agreement of the two schools concerned
Who will pay for the transport if this decision is made?
Where will Captain Shaw's stop in the future, where will their next line be?
Current transport should be looked at, rather than changing catchment areas
NO BOUNDARY CHANGE!!
It would neither be fair nor ethical
This has always been Waberthwaite's catchment and as no school faces closure, does not need to be amended
Capt Shaw's should not be able to poach another schools possible pupils to save their school
Leaving the catchment area as it is gives parents the best choice
The size of the catchment areas are misleading due to how the areas are populated and so this shouldn't be used
as an argument in favour of the catchment change
There are families living in the shaded area of the catchment
If any changes are to be made it should be after the houses are built
People will choose Waberthwaite anyway so don't take the transport away from them
The road from Wellbank to Bootle is unsuitable for children to walk to school
Do not support/totally against this change
This is just another attempt to close Waberthwaite School
Unfair to take from one school to benefit another
Bootle is not the only route to the new site, there are other roads that lead to Waberthwaite's catchment
I would have thought the county council priority would be what is best for the children not the housing
development
The community have not been informed and this is being pushed without a consultation opportunity
There is a conflict of interest for one of the governors at Captain Shaw's (as they work for the developer)
Why waste money on things that are working well - Don't fix what’s not broken!
It will cause too much disruption
Waiting until the busiest time of the year leaving people with a week before school closes to respond has been
unfair
Due to the cost of transport and the safety of travelling children, including Bootle Station and Hycemoor in Capt
Shaw’s catchment area would make sense.
The 'informal consultation' has to be vociferously challenged.
The arrangement as it is will conflict with the aims of the site developers, it will also incur unnecessary costs to
CCC and avoidable CO2e emissions into our environment
Changing the catchment will support the councils 'four pronged attack' strategy which promotes sustainable
communities
Wholeheartedly support the changes
Ridiculous for children to on Wellbank to be transported to Waberthwaite, a school further away
Positive step forward in securing Bootle's future growth
No deleterious effect on Waberthwaite School since it currently has no pupils
Changing the catchment will secure the future of Captain Shaw's
It is time Captain Shaw's is recognised for the wonderful school that it is and deserves this catchment change
There should be a formal consultation