Billing Brook School
Academy Status Consultation Document
As part of our consultation process we have produced in the left hand column of the table below a number of questions which we
felt you may require responses to- these responses are given in the centre column. The right hand column is there for you to ask
any further questions or make comments on that particular issue if you wish to. On the last page there is space for you to ask any
questions which we haven’t addressed, or to make any other comments regarding our proposed move to Academy Status. The
Governing Body Academies working group will review all your comments and will respond to them at the end of the consultation
process.
Question
School’s response
Will my child have to leave Billing
Brook School if it becomes an
Academy?
Would the school day/ term/ year
structure change at an Academy?
No- your child will complete their education at
Billing Brook School (BBS).
Would there be any change to school
admissions?
How would Academy Status affect
what the pupils at Billing Brook
School are taught?
Initially we do not anticipate major changes, but we
welcome the idea that in the future, we maybe able
to consider being more flexible and offer extended
school days and/or after school clubs for everyone.
If in the future the school decides changes would
be able to be made, we would have to formally
consult before any decisions are made. However in
September 2012, if we are an Academy, the dates
and term times will all remain the same as other
schools locally.
Our school specification would not change and
pupils would continue to be referred to the school
as part of the SEN provision within the Local
Authority. Specifications are currently reviewed
annually and it is at this point we discuss the needs
of pupils admitted to the school.
An Academy has considerable freedom to develop
its own curriculum as long as what it offers is
‘broad and balanced’. This would allow BBS to
Any further questions or comments?
Would there continue to be an
Annual Review to assess my child’s
progress?
continue to develop an innovative creative
curriculum to suit the needs of all our pupils.
Yes. The school has a legal responsibility to hold
an Annual Review meeting for all pupils as well as
all the other meeting planned throughout the year.
Will my child still be able to access
the special therapies they do now?
The access pupils have to therapies forms part of
their statement and is a legal requirement that the
Local Authority (LA) will have responsibility for. The
funding for these therapies may come direct to the
Academy and be used to commission services to
meet the needs of the pupil population. The school
from its own budget already commissions
additional specialist work. It is the intention of the
school to continue to purchase additional support
from within its own budget, as now as long as
funds are available.
The option of direct employment of therapists
would also be a real one.
What will happen to the
arrangements for transport if the
school becomes an academy?
As now the Local Authority will still have
responsibility for transporting some pupils with
special educational needs to school if they have
this entitlement.
Yes – at the moment Nourish provide the service to
us. As an Academy we would be purchasing their
services, as we have a school kitchen.
Will the school be able to run the
school meal service?
What will happen to the school’s
post-16 provision?
This is part of our specification and as Billing Brook
is a 3 – 19 school there are no planned changes.
Pupils who are ready to leave at 16, 17 or 18 will
continue to do so. College links and work
experience will continue to be provided, as these
are already funded by the school.
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Will there be a change to the school
uniform?
What effect does converting to an
academy have on funding for the
school?
Who will have responsibility for the
maintenance, upkeep and
improvements to the school building
and premises?
Will the move to Academy Status
affect the Pay and conditions of
service for staff at the school?
We do not anticipate changing the school uniform,
logo or name should we become an academy.
However we would be known as Billing Brook
School, Academy Trust.
The school presently has a funding agreement with
the Local Authority who ‘top-slice’ the monies
provided by the Department for Education for
individual schools. An Academy works in
association with the Department for Education and
the funds are paid directly to the school, thus
avoiding ‘top-slicing’. It will mean that we will have
to use this money to purchase services previously
supplied to us, however there is likely to be a cost
saving and more opportunity for us to choose how
and where to spend the money.
The ownership and responsibility for the school
building and premises will be transferred to the
Academy. It is anticipated that the continued
careful monitoring and management of the building
fabric will help avoid sudden and unexpected
expenditure.
The school already employs a Site Facilities
Manager who is responsible for this aspect of the
school.
As now the school would be purchasing
appropriate insurances.
All staff are currently employed by the Local
Authority. They would be transferred and employed
directly by the Governing Body on behalf of the
Academy. The staff’s pay and conditions are
protected within the school’s staffing structure, and
schools are not allowed to make any changes to
these as a direct result of a move to Academy
Status. The staff are already aware that we are
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planning a different staffing structure next year, as
there are planned retirements and other staff
leavers.
Any other development or change which impacts
on pay and conditions of staff currently takes place
after a period of review and consultation and being
an academy would not alter this process.
As an academy we would have the option to
consider any future new staffing contracts having
different terms and conditions, but only if that is in
the best interests of the school.
Will there still be a Governing Body,
and would Academy Status affect the
way that it is made up?
There will still be a Governing Body, and this can
retain its current membership if it wishes but should
it change it must include a minimum of two parent
governors and can include up to a third of
members from the school staff.
Does the school have to remain with
the current HR and legal services ?
We already ‘buy back’ services from the LA as part
of a Service Level of Agreement. We will still have
the option to continue purchasing these services or
investigate other providers. This means we may
well be able to save money by “shopping “ around.
No. The school is completely committed to the
inclusion agenda of both pupils and staff. Our
specification clearly shows the types of special
needs the school is expected to meet. In addition
to this, the school currently and always will be
committed to the equalities agenda for all.
By becoming an academy will it
disadvantage any aspect of special
needs pupils or inclusion
opportunities for our current pupils
and future ones?
THIS DOCUMENT CAN BE EMAILED TO YOU – PLEASE CONTACT THE SCHOOL WITH YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.
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Please feel free to add any additional questions, comments or concerns which you may have in the box below. Continue
on a separate piece of paper if necessary.
Please circle if you are a:
Service Provider
Pupil
Parent / Carer
Staff member
Governor
Stakeholder: Other (please state)___________________________________________________________
Name and Address (optional): _______________________________________________________________________________
e-mail:_____________________________________________
Please post your completed form or other comments to the school address (mark your letter Private and Confidential –
Academy Proposal) or e-mail your response to academyconsultation@billingbrook.northants.sch.uk. by 12.00 on Friday
24th February 2012.
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