Admission Number Variation 2017 - Thornton Primary School

Overview

Variation to the Admission Number at Thornton Primary School from September 2017

We are proposing to request a change to the admission number of Thornton Primary School for entry to Reception in September 2017. This request will be sent to the Schools Adjudicator.

The request for this change will help the school effectively manage their site with a view to improve the overall education offer. It has been considered by the Local Authority, the Governing Body and the Leadership Team of the school that a reduction in the admission number from 30 to 0 for 2017 should be sought from the Schools Adjudicator.

Thornton Primary School is a community school located in the Hodge Hill ward. The school currently caters for pupils aged 4 to 11. It can currently accommodate 720 pupils and in January 2016 there were 716 pupils on roll.

Thornton Primary School is a linked school with Sladefield Infant School. Up to 120 Pupils from Sladefield Infant School transfer to Thornton Primary School at year 3.

In 2009, in order to address demand in the area for additional primary places Thornton Junior School became an all through primary school through the addition of an Infant (Key Stage 1) phase to the school. The school went from being a four form entry junior school with 120 pupils (4 classes) in each year 3, 4, 5, & 6 to an all through primary school with 30 pupils (1 class) in each Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 and 150 pupils (5 classes) in years 3, 4, 5 & 6.

Thornton Primary School offers 30 places at entry year in Reception. These pupils remain on roll at Thornton Primary School until year 6. At year 3 up to 120 pupils from Sladefield Infant School, transfer to Thornton Junior School to account for the 150 pupils in Key Stage 2.

Whilst the expansion served the purpose at the time and addressed the need for places, the school has become unviable to continue operating as a one form entry infant and a five form entry junior School for the following reasons:

• Management & Resourcing - The managing and resourcing of the current configuration of the school has proven to be very difficult and increasingly unviable. The set up/configuration of Thornton Primary School with a one form of entry in infant and a five form of entry junior school was unique, however due to the imbalance of age groups the managing and resourcing of such a configuration has proven to be very difficult and increasingly unviable. 
• Standards & Attainment – The school has undergone many changes in staffing and leadership over the last couple of years. The school was inspected in October 2015 and was found to be requiring improvement. OFSTED inspectors reported that the new Head Teacher had made a good start at pinpointing priorities.  As the school continues on their school improvement journey it would be more beneficial for resources to be focused on improving the attainment and standards in the junior school, which is where the school has the greater expertise and capacity in terms of resources.
• School Community Cohesion - The transition from infant to junior is often an unsettling time for children. In Thornton Primary School pupils from Sladefield and Thornton Primary School come together at year 3. This can create barriers to learning whilst pupils try to adapt to new peer/friendship groups and thus cause further unsettlement for some pupils. The recent OFSTED inspection found that the location of the reception and year 1 class being situated in an annex building across the road from the main building has caused these year groups to become isolated.
• School Buildings – The building solution that was provided has not proved to be the most efficient to run and manage and the layout of the school has proved to not be fully viable. Some of the school buildings are increasingly becoming unfit for purpose and the current set up of the school does not allow for a natural progression of year groups through the school causing some classes to become isolated due to their location.

There will be no displacement of current pupils. All the existing infant classes will work their way through the school until they leave the school at the end of year six.

The change to the admission number will result over time in the removal of the infant provision at the school. Separate statutory proposals will be issued in the future for this purpose. The Local Authority is aware that this will leave a gap in the locality and is currently working with another school in the local area to address this gap.

As the schools admission arrangements and the schools admission number has been determined for September 2017 we are applying to the Office of The School Adjudicator for a variation to the number from 30 to zero for September 2017 because of the significant reasons outlined above.

Why your views matter

We are keen to receive your comments on the proposed reduction in the admission number at Thornton  School from 30 to 0 for September 2017.

You can comment online here until 24th June 2016.

What happens next

The consultation on the variation/change to the admission number will begin on;

16th May 2016

The consultation period will run for 6 weeks until 24th June 2016

During this time anyone who wishes to make comments/objections about this variation to the admission number should do so via this consultation site.

 The proposal including any comments/objections received will be sent to the Office of Schools Adjudicator for a decision at the end of the consultation period. 

We will notify the outcome of the consultation and the Adjudicator's decsion on this website.