Last year the secondary review team, under the leadership of Sally Boulter, the Assistant Director, carried out a series of public consultation meetings. These were nothing to do with the location of the proposed school (which has never been openly discussed) but were about the Councils proposed catchment area for a school at Redland.

At those meetings it became abundantly clear that there was a significant discrepancy between the number of pupils within the proposed catchment area and the size of the proposed school. This was accepted by Mrs Boulter but no ideas were forthcoming about what would happen to all those who erroneously believed that because they were in the catchment area they would obtain a place.

The reality is that if all those who are closest to the site at Redland applied for a place, it would be full from within a half-mile radius.

What is crucial to remember is that those pupils are already served by Cotham, Fairfield and Monks Park, with a significant number going to St Mary Redcliffe.

The unmet and genuine demand comes from North West Bristol, which has been proven time and time again.

Our proposed catchment area for a school at Stoke Lodge would not affect the surrounding schools to anywhere near the same extent as one at Redland. All the available information clearly shows that the existing schools in North West Bristol do not draw their pupils from within that area.

Our proposed catchment area is designed to provide for pupils who currently seek secondary education in our neighbouring LEA’s or the Independent sector. This is totally consistent with the stated aim of Bristol LEA’s “ Review of Secondary Education”. Redland is not.

OVERSUBSCRIPTION AT COTHAM

It is frequently argued that a new school is required at Redland because of the over subscription at Cotham.

It is true that Cotham is five times over subscribed. A seemingly invincible argument.

What is not told is where that over subscription comes from.

The fact is that from within its own catchment area the overwhelming majority of first preferences for Cotham obtain a place. This includes the majority of leavers from Bishop Road. The “over subscription” arises mainly from applications from North West Bristol which are rejected.

This is verifiable information (check with the Governors…. we have) that the Council has deliberately ignored.

Building a new school at Redland will have a serious impact on all the surrounding schools and will inevitably lead to a redrawing of their catchment areas. Cotham will inevitably be redrawn to take in more of the Inner city.

FUNDING AND COTHAMS SIXTH FORM

Funding for the proposed school is earmarked from three sources. The LEA, the DfES and the Learning and Skills Council.

The LEA and the DfES are funding the 11 to 16 facility, with the LSC funding only the Post 16 provision.

The LSC (a QUANGO) are responsible for Post 16 education and can only invest in facilities they fully own.

The LSC has made it clear that they want to “integrate” Cothams sixth form with the new Post 16 provision at Redland. In return for this they (the LSC) will rebuild the sixth form annex at Charnwood. However, in order to achieve this Cotham will have to hand over control of its sixth form and Charnwood lock stock and barrel.

All this has been decided with no prior consultation and the first Cothams governors knew about it was when the proposal was published.

No wonder they are up in arms.

The LSC has also said that its funding is conditional on the Post 16 provision going at Redland. This is straightforward blackmail by a QUANGO that has decided to do what it wants, regardless of public opinion, or any examination of the facts.

PASE is supposed to be a “stakeholder” in this process but we have not been consulted at any stage by the LSC.

Their responsibility is solely for Post 16 education but they have managed to interfere with the Redland decision to such an extent that no one in authority dares to question them. That is intolerable.

All this may sound incredible but unfortunately it isn’t. The LSC has published its proposals entitled “Preliminary Notice for the Reorganisation of Sixth Form Provision in North Bristol”.

This document is out to consultation and after the final public consultation on 16 March the LSC will draw up its final proposals prior to its submission to the Minister.

That proposal will recommend whether to proceed with the idea, or not.

There will be a further period after it is published during which formal objections can be made. Any objections that were made prior its publication will not be included.

There is absolutely no justification whatsoever in the document for the linkage between Cotham and Redland except for one very telling sentence which reads,

“The possible involvement of Cotham School was seen as bringing to a new centre a track record of success at GCE AS and A level, and popularity with parents”.

In other words, they want Cotham because they believe it will give them a flying start!

Further details will appear on this site when that final proposal is published.

YOUR MP AND COUNCILLORS

PASE is a non-political organisation and we hold all our councillors and MP with varying degrees of distrust, whatever their Party.

Valerie Davey MP and the Bristol Labour group have run with their own agenda from the start. The previous administration (Labour) opposed the idea of a new school in North West Bristol for ideological reasons and refused to examine any of the evidence put forward. It was only after the Interim Director of Education, Simon Jenkin, put forward the idea of Redland that they took any interest. That was for 3 reasons,

1.Mounting pressure from central Government meant they had to do   

   something following dreadful OfSTED reports and league table results.

2.The site at Redland was far enough away from North West Bristol to be   

    politically tolerable.

3.Simon Jenkin was desperate to leave Bristol having already had his

   contract extended once and saw Redland as a compromise he could sell

   to the Labour group.

It is worth noting that not only had Redland been ignored in the trawl for possible sites for the “new Fairfield” despite being only half a mile away, but that Simon Jenkin had also publicly stated that to choose a site without on-site playing fields would be “daft”. This is what he then did, and left!

Valerie Davey MP paid lip service to our campaign but in reality sat firmly on the fence until the Council made a decision. It was only then that she claimed her support for Redland.

After the last Council elections, when Labour lost overall control, Valerie Davey said she did not think it was right for MP’s to meddle in the affairs of local Councils but went on to warn the Council in an open letter that if they faltered and caused delays (in pressing ahead with Redland), the chance of funding may dry up (Evening Post 24 June 2003).

It was this threat that caused both the Lib Dems and the Conservatives to renage on their pre-election pledges to examine both Redland and Stoke Lodge. They bought the bluff.

The sad fact is that not only is there a legal duty on the LEA and the LSC to ensure the adequate provision of places, but that the threat was unfounded.

An e-mail sent to PASE from the Schools Capital Team at the DfES confirmed that the funding is NOT site specific or time limited, just “project specific”. That “project” does not even have to be at Redland.

If Redland fails the funding will not vanish because everyone has now accepted the need for additional provision.

SITE

We are still waiting for a planning application at Redland.

This was due last August.

The arguments will be long and sustained and probably result in a formal appeal to a Planning Inspector.

The sites previous planning history is certainly not in its favour. Neither were the Councils vigorous objections to the flats being built at the entrance to the site. They are on a brown field site, which, according to the Council is a cause to object, whilst Redland is a Greenfield site, which apparently is OK!

We would urge anyone who has not visited the site to go and have a look, preferably at rush hour in term time. The proposed pedestrian access paths are off Kirsteman Road and Cranbrook Road. If you see a path that looks like the side of a mountain you are in the right place.

Climb up through the allotments and judge for yourself if it makes any sense at all, don’t just take our word for it.

The main, and only vehicular access, is at the end of the cul-de-sac on Redland Court Road.

There will only be enough parking on site for the teachers (116 places), everyone else will have to park on the road and that’s on top of any overspill from the new flats and the sixth formers and staff from Redland High School.

To try to accommodate over 1500 people at Redland with such limited access is totally irresponsible and may well be the schemes downfall.

The Council know it.

SUMMARY

From day one PASE has campaigned for an 11 to 16 school with a sixth form at Stoke Lodge. That remains the objective.

The arguments put forward six years ago are still valid and the inability of this Council to provide the right solution is nothing short of criminal.

The campaign continues!