Expansion of Cale Green Primary

School

Friday 16th March 2018

What are we going to do today?
• We aim to provide you with the context /
background of the expansion project
• More importantly, the aim of this session is to
provide you with the opportunity, at this
exciting time, to join with Senior Leaders and
Governors in making important decisions
about the future of the school.
The context
• There has been an increasing demand for places
at the school
• In 2013 (the year of the proposed expansion) 86
families applied for the 30 places we had in our
Reception class (of these 52 were first
preferences)
• This meant that there were many disappointed
families, including children who had attended our
Nursery. None of the families who went to appeal
were successful.
 Increase in the birth rate
Birth Rates in Cale Green's Cluster Area
Series1, 2011/12, 548
Series1, 2007/08, 539
Series1, Series1,
2008/09, 5352009/10, 537
Series1, 2010/11, 527

Series1, 2005/06, 479

Series1, 1999/00, 465 Series1, 2006/07, 462
Series1,
Series1, 2003/04, 4452004/05, 453

Series1, 2000/01, 413

Series1, 2002/03, 390
Series1, 2001/02, 365
Number

Academic Year
Impact on birth rate increase on our
school
• There is an increase in the numbers of young children
in the area and this has put pressure on places
• However, we know that almost everyone who applies
for a place at the school does so because of our
excellent reputation
• This excellent reputation lies both in the academic
progress each child makes and also in the care, support
and guidance each child receives
• We pride ourselves in the wide range of enrichment
and engagement activities which take place
• This is in addition to our ability to offer affordable
‘wrap-a-round’ care from 7.45am to 6.00pm each day.
What was the impact of this on our
school?
• School approached in April 2013 as part of the
‘Targeted Basic Need’ programme – for ‘good’
and ‘outstanding’ schools
• Expand the school to 1.5 form entry (not 2 form
due to the limitations of the site)
• Opportunity to expand provision at Cale Green
Primary School for children from the local area
A once in a lifetime opportunity for a significant
investment in local community provision.
Outline of the proposal
• The proposal was to build a new Foundation Stage Unit at
the school with a 40 place Nursery (which was the same as
we currently had) and provide 45 places for Reception age
children
• Each year the school was unable to admit up to 10 children
who had attended the 40 place Nursery as there were only
30 places in Reception
• The additional provision was to be in a brand new building
and was an opportunity to provide a wonderful resource
for the community for years to come
• The numbers of children at the school have increased
slowly by 15 each year and will do so for 7 years.
Timeline overview
September / October 2013

• Stage 1 - Consultation on the proposals – DEADLINE FRIDAY 1 NOVEMBER 2013

October / November 2013

• Review of consultation responses

• Executive considers the responses and takes a decision on whether to publish statutory proposals
• If publication of statutory proposals approved:

November / December 2013

• Stage 2 - Publication of statutory notice/proposals

• Stage 3 - Four-week representation period for expansion proposals (during which comments or objections can be
submitted to the Council)

January 2014
• Stage 4 - Final decision about the proposals
• If proposals approved:

January 2014 Onwards

• Stage 5 – Implementation.
 Consultation – proposal to expand
Cale Green Primary School
The Proposal
• Stockport Council, supported by Cale Green Primary School governors, is proposing to
expand Cale Green Primary School from one form entry to one and a half form entry
(FE)
• This will increase pupil places from 210 to 315 from September 2014
• The school currently admits 30 children to its reception year and the proposal would
increase the admission number to 45
• The Council has a statutory duty to ensure sufficient school places for children who
need them and across Stockport we need to create more school places
• With increases to the birth rate and new housing developments across the Borough,
projections show us that higher numbers of children will need school places in the
future
• As a result of the high birth rates and a projected shortage of places in the local area,
governors at Cale Green Primary School have supported the proposal to increase from
September 2014.
Consultation process

• Consultation response form

• Attend a drop-in session (see below)
• Write a letter to ‘Schools Organisation Team’
• Send an email
• Fill in an online form
• Drop-in session from 1.30pm to 6.30pm at the school
• Council Officers available to discuss the proposal
• The proposal is subject to consultation
and to the agreement of the Council’s Executive following
consideration of all responses
• Consultation closed on Friday 1 November 2013.
Practicalities 1
Additional places would be created by:

• Developing the existing Foundation Stage into 2 new

classes
• Creating a new classroom upstairs from the ICT Suite
• The hall would be extended
• In addition, the children’s toilets and cloakrooms would
be extended and refurbished
• The school office and staffroom would be made bigger.
Practicalities 2
• A temporary classroom was installed on the car
park during summer 2014
• Building work began in autumn 2014
• 45 children admitted to the school for the first
time in autumn 2014
• Building work and refurbishment finally
completed in autumn 2015
• And at the same time we introduced the new
National Curriculum and ‘Assessment without
Levels’ and continued to enhance our teaching
and learning provision.
Planned increase in pupil numbers
2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21

Nursery 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40

Reception 30 45 45 45 45 45 45 45

Year 1 30 30 45 45 45 45 45 45

Year 2 30 30 30 45 45 45 45 45

Year 3 30 30 30 30 45 45 45 45

Year 4 30 30 30 30 30 45 45 45

Year 5 30 30 30 30 30 30 45 45

Year 6 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 45

Total NoR 210 + 20 FTE 225 + 20 FTE 240 + 20 FTE 255 + 20 FTE 270 + 20 FTE 285 + 20 FTE 300 + 20 FTE 315 + 20 FTE
Actual 290
Our objectives
• Implement the expansion of classes from 7
classes 2014/15 to 11 classes 2020/21
• Ensure decisions effectively communicated to
parents and wider school community
• Seek out opportunities to improve standards
as a result of the changes
• Ensure changes fully support improvements in
standards / achievement.
How will we know if we’ve been
successful?
• Expansion plan fully implemented
• Parents / wider school community support
schools decisions and feel that they have been
consulted about the proposals
• Standards across age groups positively
impacted by change to class structure.
What is our action plan?
Change team

• Establish a change team

• Set priorities
• Establish an action plan
• Set timetable for actions
• Facilitate fact finding / information gathering – to
be completed by spring half term 2
• All significant decisions made by end of summer
term 1.
Organisation of class groups
2018/19 + 2019/20 + 2020 /21
Explore options available:

• Nursery / Reception / Reception

• Year 1, Year 1 / 2, Year 2
• Year 3, Year 3 / 4, Year 4
• Year 5, Year 5 / 6 , Year 6
Or

• Nursery / Reception / Reception

• 3 x Year 1 / 2
• 3 x Year 3 / 4
• 3 x Year 5 / 6
Further options 2018/19 only
• Nursery / Reception / Reception
• Year 1, Year 1
• Year 2, Year 2
• Year 3, Year 3 / 4, Year 4

• Nursery / Reception / Reception

• Nursery / Reception / Reception
• Year 1, Year 1
• Year 2, Year 2
• Year 3, Year 3
• Year 4 (37 children)
Identify phase managers /
management structure
Phase managers

• Early Years - Liz Adie

• Key Stage 1 - Emily Best
• Lower Key Stage 2 - Sarah McHugh
• Upper Key Stage 2 - Nicola Lewis
Identify class names
Class names rather than year groups

• Early Years - Acorns / Willow / Birch

• Key Stage 1 - Cherry / Hawthorn / Holly
• Lower Key Stage2 – Hazel / Pine / Sycamore
• Upper Key Stage 2 – Yew / Beech / Oak

These aren’t fixed – just a suggestion!

Criteria for determining classes
Explore options available:

• Age
• Ability
• Mixed / balanced
• Friendships
• Combinations of criteria

SMT to fact find during autumn / spring term

Curriculum organisation
Curriculum organisation

• Core subjects – Maths / English

• All other subjects (including swimming)
• Establish rolling 2 year programme of themes
in preparation of mixed classes.
Classroom organisation
• Allocation of rooms to classes
• 1 Key Stage 2 classroom to be located with Key
Stage 1
• 1 spare classroom in 2017/18.
Timetabling issues
• Start / end of day – entrance and exit
procedures
• Playtimes / lunchtimes
• Midday assistants
• Breakfast club / After School club.
Governing board
• How will the governing board be able to
communicate effectively the aims of moving
to mixed classes?
• How will the SMT keep the governing board
fully informed of developments / decisions?
Children’s voice
• How will elicit children’s views as to class
organisation criteria and class names
• Circle Time
• Assemblies
• School council to visit other schools with
mixed classes.
Parent voice / communication
• How do we respond positively to parent concerns
and effectively communicate our decisions to
parents?
• How can we effectively communicate the
opportunities the change of organisation
presents?
• Use existing consultative groups such as Family
Forum / Frogs
• Hold specific after school meetings to discuss the
range of issues.
Where are we up to now?
• We have been expanding to 1.5 form entry
school over the last 4 years
• We are in the final stages of this process
• From September this will involve a
reorganisation of classes within Key Stage 1
and 2.
Actions so far include
The school has been actively preparing for mixed classes within key
stages by:

• Devising and delivering a 2 year rolling programme working with LA

advisors to ensure full national curriculum coverage for all children
• Members of the SMT have visited other schools in the borough to
observe best practice in a range of settings
• We have made the most of planned opportunities to mix year
groups and phases, for example, curriculum events such as PSHE,
Phonics, PE, English, Maths and trips and visits. Pupil voice tells us
that this has been a positive experience for all involved
• Teachers and TAs are already working together on planning,
assessing and delivering lessons to mixed classes.
Consultation activity
We’ve identified 3 key areas that we would like
to consult with you on:

• curriculum
• class organisation
• benefits.
Further information
• If you have any further thoughts or suggestions,
please write them on the Post-it Notes on the
way out. There will also be an additional
opportunity to add to the Discussion Board
during the Parent Consultation sessions on
Thursday 29th March
• All discussion points raised will form the basis of
our future expansion planning. Decisions
regarding mixed classes will be communicated to
you by the Whit holiday (end of May).
In conclusion
• The expansion of the school opens a new chapter
in the long history of Cale Green
• We currently have a 19th century building
providing a 21st century education – the
opportunity provided by the ‘Targeted Basic
Need’ programme could not be passed up (and
the wider school community agreed with this)
• The investment in the school is vital so that we
can continue to develop and improve both
academically and as a valuable resource for the
community.
In conclusion
• A thriving, successful primary school, right at
the heart of the community of Cale Green, is
something that we can all be proud of and this
project has seen a significant investment in
the future of the school
• This will ensure that we continue to meet our
aim of providing the best possible education
for all the children of Cale Green.
 Thank you for your time and support this
morning. We know from past initiatives that
when our parents are involved in the process
outcomes for our children are greatly improved.

We pride ourselves as knowing each of the

children as individuals. This will not change!