Q. Who will be consulted about these new Academies?
A. Students, parents, members of the community and anyone else with an interest. Staff will be consulted separately on employment issues and what the changes will mean for them. School governors, too, will be consulted separately.
Q. When will the Academies open?
A. The plan is for the Academies to open in their current buildings in September 2008, however the legal status of Greensward College,The John Bramston School and The Rickstones School will need to change to enable them to become Academies. Under current proposals, new facilities and improvements will be provided within the sites of the existing schools and the Academies will share a state-of-the-art Information Technology infrastructure
Q. Who can come to the new Academies?
A. At the point of transfer to Academy status, students at each of the three schools will automatically become students of that Academy. Consultation by the current schools on admissions arrangements for the 2008/09 academic year has already taken place, therefore the Academies will be adopting these for the 2008/09 academic year. Academies, like all schools, are required by law to consult annually on their proposed admissions arrangements. Should the schools receive Academy status in September 2008 they will be required to consult on any changes to their proposed admissions arrangements for the 2009/10 academic year during 2008.
Q. How will the Academies benefit families and the wider community?
A. The new Academies will offer them opportunities to share their range of new facilities and services, and encourage them to be actively involved with their child’s education and the achievements and development of the school.
Q. Where can I find out more about the national Academies programme?
A. At the DCSF website
