Birches Head High School

Foundation Proposals - Public Notice

2nd November 2009

Notice is given in accordance with section 19(3) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 that the governing body of Birches Head High School intends to make a prescribed alteration to Birches Head High School, Birches Head Road, Birches Head, Stoke-on-Trent ST2 8DD.  The proposed alteration is to change school category from Community to Foundation and acquire a foundation established otherwise than under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 from 1st January 2010.

The proposed name of the foundation is Trust for Innovative Learning and Training. The foundation, otherwise known as a trust, will act as the foundation for Birches Head High School.  Membership of the Trust would be open to learners at Birches Head High School, their parents and carers, the staff of the school, members of the local community and community

organisations.

The following organisations will be designated as partners of the Trust:

• Birches Head High School

• Staffordshire University

• The Co-operative Group - business partner (supported by the Co-

                                                                operative College)

• The City of Stoke on Trent Sixth Form College

• Partners in Creative Learning

• Stoke on Trent City Council

Partners of the Trust will each appoint a Trustee of the Trust.  In addition a stakeholder Forum of Trust members will be created and this will also be able to appoint Trustees.

Trust for Innovative Learning and Training would be established using the “Community Development and Co-operative” model. The intention is to provide a mechanism for all members of the community, staff, parents and students to have a voice in the development of the school through membership of the stakeholder Forum.

The Governing Body of Birches Head High School believes that the change of school status and acquisition of a trust would raise standards in the School. The Trust would make a contribution to raising standards by developing:

• a more personalised approach to learning through personalised pathways & progression routes supported by outstanding assessment practice;

• outstanding practice as described above harmonised across the partnership of schools;

• extended and enhanced curriculum opportunities at all Key Stages including more effective enterprise education, better vocational opportunities and improved work related learning;

• more secure progression routes to higher education and the world of work;

• more opportunities to benefit from the partnership’s development of international links - including through the global co-operative movement;

• more stretch and challenge for the most able students in the partnership;

• improved progress between Key Stages particularly between KS2 and KS4 as indicated by levels of progress and measures of value added;

• improved welfare for children and young people through more effective and long lasting liaison with families through personalised transition and pastoral care pathways;

• improved access to the appropriate support services and external agencies through more effective and sustained liaison between families and school;

• the school, schools that may join the Trust in the future and the associated stakeholder Forum will benefit from economies of scale in many aspects of their operation, removing wasteful duplication of support services and allowing a greater resource to be channelled into improving learning and raising achievement for all children, young people and adult learners;

• the school, schools that may join the Trust in the future and the associated stakeholder Forum will also benefit from an enhanced leadership capacity. Developing systems leadership will allow for more flexibility to work between phases and provide sustainable leadership on behalf of all of the children and young people in the partnership;

• local employers will be able to make a greater impact upon the development of a relevant skills base for the businesses in the area. This in turn will help local business to grow and will enhance the development of the district socially and economically;

• the Trust can provide a link between local employers and higher education allowing both sectors to jointly plan the appropriate response to local skill shortages; and

• working with others as part of a developing network of co-operative Trusts.

This notice is a summary of the proposals to make the alterations described above. Copies of the full set of statutory proposals can be obtained from Birches Head High School’s reception or downloaded from the school’s web site at www.bircheshead.org.uk.

Comments on or objections to the proposals can be made to the Governing Body of Birches Head High School by Monday 30th November 2009 by sending them to the Governing Body at Birches Head High School, Birches Head Road, Birches Head, Stoke-on-Trent ST2 8DD clearly marking the envelope ‘TRUST’ or by emailing to bircheshead@sgl.org.uk .

Stephen Barlow

Chairman of the Governing Body