Sabres Educational Trust

Matthew Hancock commends our Free School proposal to the Rt Hon Michael Gove.

Use the following link to see Matthew speaking in parliament. Matthew can be seen at around the 54 minute mark in the broadcast shown using the following link to BBC iPlayer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b012n755/House_of_Commons_Live_Education_Questions/

A PUBLIC meeting will be held in September to give parents the opportunity to learn more about Breckland Free School.

The event – which will take place on Thursday 22nd September 2011 at 7pm - will explain where we are with the process, consult parents about aspects of school life and detail the Admissions Procedure for our school.

On Thursday 30th June it was our pleasure to be invited to attend the meeting, hosted by Breckland Middle School, for parents with pupils currently in Years 5, 6 and 7. When Breckland Middle School closes in July 2012 all parents need to apply for a secondary school for their children to start at in September 2012.

We were delighted sit alongside Ms Susan Byles, Headteacher at Mildenhall College of Technology, whilst Mr Paul Calver from the Local Authority outlined the admissions and transition plans. Schools in the area, with support from Suffolk County Council, are working together to ensure they provide the best quality transfer arrangements for all children regardless of whether they are transferring to our planned free school, MCT or other schools in the area.

Here is a summary of the process:

• In September parents will receive the Admissions Booklet which sets out how to apply for existing schools, ie. MCT or the Bury schools etc.
• This application must be submitted by 31st October 2011.
• Our Free School, although highly likely to open, cannot be guaranteed and so parents will be asked to prioritise an existing secondary school but also fill in a form expressing an interest in our Free School  if given the official go-ahead to open.
• We will have our final answer by the end of January 2012 and will then have another Public Meeting alongside our Education Provider when we can be very specific about what our school will offer.
• When we know that the Free School is opening, Suffolk County Council will write to all parents in the locality asking them to either confirm their initial choice or express a preference for the new school. Offers can then be made on March 1st 2012 to all parents in the area.
• If a parent changes their mind about which school they would like their child to attend there are procedures in place to enable this to happen at any time during the school year.
• Please note that our Free School’s admissions policy is all-inclusive and follows the Admissions Code which all school must.

The opening of our free school is considered to be probable because it extends parents’ choice about which school to send their children to. We were also grateful to be thanked at the meeting for all the work we are putting into this project and felt that parents’ questions were of very high quality and, again, highlight why a secondary school in Brandon is so important.

Article From: Thetford and Brandon Times

Article Title: Free School Boost for Brandon

EXTERNAL LINK:

http://www.thetfordandbrandontimes.co.uk/news/free_school_boost_for_brandon_1_930268

(If this link no longer works please let us know)