Funding confirmed for new Bath schools

Lib Dems have welcomed funding which will unlock the long-awaited new special and alternative provision schools to be built at the old Culverhay site in Bath.

The government has announced a capital fund of at least £3bn over the next four years to help create at least 50,000 new places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in schools across England. 

B&NES Council has this morning (15 December) confirmed that the announcement includes funding for Green Ways Academy (special school) and Sulis Academy (alternative provision), both due to be delivered on the old Culverhay site in Bath. 

The new schools are expected to provide 120 places for children with SEND in Bath and North East Somerset alongside 55 alternative provision places. The project has been on hold for the past 18 months, whilst a government spending review took place.

Speaking at a B&NES Council committee this morning, Councillor Manda Rigby (Cabinet member for Communications and Community) said:

“This announcement strengthens our plans for two new free schools: Green Ways Academy (special school) and Sulis Academy (alternative provision), both due to be delivered on the Culverhay site in Bath. 

“These schools will provide much-needed specialist places for children and young people, reducing the need for families to travel out of area for appropriate provision. This will also help manage council finances by lowering transport costs and improving sustainability.

“We very much look forward to improving the provision in our community.”

The government is also looking at providing new places in mainstream schools. Councillor Rigby confirmed the Lib Dem administration’s commitment to moving forward with the Culverhay scheme, commenting:

“This is money that definitely will unlock the possibilities of us being able to do what we have committed to do on the old Culverhay site.”

Lib Dems have been campaigning for the government to release the funds for the new schools. Just last week, Bath’s Liberal Democrat MP, Wera Hobhouse, asked the Prime Minister directly during PMQs how  much longer families and children with special educational needs will have to wait for the new school.

Following the news that the funding has now been released, Bath’s Lib Dem MP, Wera Hobhouse said:

“I’m very pleased that the Government has now decided to release funding for this much-needed new special school. Families in Bath have been waiting years for this, and the delay meant children were forced to travel further and wait longer for the support they deserve.

“I’m glad that the pressure we have applied has helped to bring about this decision. Just last week the Prime Minister told me he was determined to fix a SEND system that fails parents and fails children. This announcement is a step in the right direction and a welcome win for families in Bath.

“However, there is still much more to do. I will be scrutinising the Government’s long-anticipated and delayed SEND white paper closely to see whether it delivers the real reforms needed to fix a broken system and ensure vulnerable children are properly supported.”

Welcoming the news, Odd Down ward Councillor Steve Hedges commented:

“Culverhay is very close to the community’s hearts and we are delighted that this brings us a step closer to bringing the site back into use for education. Local residents and councillors have been campaigning for this. The new schools will help reduce the long journeys many children have to take to access specialist education.”

Councillor Paul May, Cabinet member for Children’s Services, added:

“The Liberal Democrat administration gave a commitment to keep an education presence on the Culverhay site, after the closure of Bath Community Academy a few years ago. We have been working hard to lobby the government to fund the new schools, as some of our most vulnerable children have had the challenge of travelling out of B&NES for education. We are proud we have been listened to and will be treating this as a priority.”

Culverhay/BCA - Rush Hill Site Update

Local Councillors Sarah Moore and Tim Ball have called on the cabinet to approve the papers at the upcoming Cabinet Meeting in June. 

After years of fighting to retain a strong education role for the Culverhay/BCA site by Councillors Sarah Moore and Tim Ball and other Councillors, and thanks to the dedication of the cabinet member for young people and children, the Council has secured two major government new build investments for the site with a possible total value in excess of £50m. 

We have had regular meetings with fellow South West Bath Councillors, Cabinet Members and Council officers because we value the current site uses and with two such large schools proposed on the site, we are also hopeful we will be able to have shared facilities for our residents outside school hours.

One school is for a 120 place SEND provision to allow for greater access for youngsters locally and another 55 place school for alternative provision for young people struggling at regular schools.

These decisions will commit that the site will retain a clear education role for the long term. We will keep residents updated on the decision for this and also the progress of the work, should it be approved.

Councillor Sarah Moore will be speaking at the Cabinet meeting to urge the proposals are accepted and we will keep you updated on the progress of this project.

Current situation at the Culverhay/BCA site

While discussions are continuing for the future of the Rush Hill site, we wanted to provide the community with an update of what has happened so far.

The Learn@Mat senior school provision has expanded on the site and continues to provide quality education to some of the most vulnerable children in B&NES. The council are in the process of acquiring funds to relocate this excellent provision into the former area occupied by Bath Spa. Creating a modern and safe learning environment. The planned launch date for this enhanced provision is September 2021.

To ensure the site is occupied while the council look to bring much needed vocational learning back to the site. The council have moved in its heritage archive team in to occupy a small section and are in negotiations, for a short term lease, with the local Hindu community to open up the main hall as a community centre and place of worship. 

B&NES musical service also have plans to use the hall for group music lessons that are Covid secure moving forward to complement the online sessions currently being given. 

You will also see that B&NES has contracted the main building space out in the immediate short term to a national film crew to use the space for an upcoming TV series, bringing in much needed revenue and ensuring the building is kept in use before permanent arrangements are made.

Long Term Plans

The council is still in negotiations with a number of educational & sports providers including Bath College to bring much needed vocational learning back to the site. This is in conjunction with other partners on how best we can utilise the Gym and pool facilities for both future tenants and the wider community.

Councillor Sarah Moore said "As a member of the site steering group, I am pleased to see our commitment to continuing education on this site is looking more possible".

Calls to reopen Culverhay School

We the undersigned believe that too many young people in Bath are being failed by the education system. 

The potential closure of The Studio School and the actual closure of Bath Community Academy (formerly Culverhay School) means that there is no longer a mainstream secondary school in south west Bath. 

Parents will now face an even more significant challenge in getting their children into local schools. Growing numbers of young people are being forced to travel across to St Mark’s on the other side of the city. 

We need an education system to fit in with local children’s needs and serve our community. We are calling for a secondary school to open on the Culverhay site as soon as physically possible, to serve families in Twerton, Whiteway, Southdown, Odd Down and Moorlands. 

Sign the petition here.

https://www.werahobhouse.co.uk/culverhay_school

Sponsored Academy agreed for Culverhay

The Government have approved a proposal for Culverhay School to become a Sponsored Academy. The news follows Bath & North East Somerset Council cancelling the closure notice for the school, deciding that there should be co-education provision on the site, and supporting the desire of the Governing Body of Culverhay to become an Academy.

Cabot Learning Federation had already been selected by the Council and the School Governors as the Academy sponsor to bring expertise to raise standards and enable Culverhay to share in services, training and support in a more cost-effective way.

The Cabot Learning Federation has a successful local network of academies in Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire. Culverhay will be paired with one of the Federation’s schools which has been rated ‘Outstanding’ by OFSTED.

Twerton Councillor Gerry Curran who is Chair of Governors, said, "I am delighted by the Minister's announcement. Culverhay has been working closely with the Cabot Learning Federation this year on our development priorities and we have already agreed with the Federation to continue this support in 2011/12. We have already benefited significantly from the Federation's expertise and track record in transforming standards. I am confident that with the Federation as our sponsor, we can achieve our long held aspiration to become an outstanding co-educational school for the local community."

Make a difference Help Culverhay

below is a message from the Culverhay supporters group

Hi

Just a quick email asking you to do something very small that might make a big difference.......

Please spare 30 seconds to complete a short online survey by clicking this link:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Sirius_Wood_School
Although encouraged by a small victory at the Guildhall this week, we are still very aware that, if the Conservatives retain control of the Council after next month's election, Culverhay will be closed.  If this happens our only hope is to take advantage of national government policy which encourages communities to open schools (called Free Schools - pretty much the same as Academies) as part of their Big Society idea. 

A new co-educational school, called Sirius Wood School, could open on the Culverhay site if we can persuade the government that there is enough demand for this from Bath parents.  So clearly we are especially keen for you to complete the survey if you have young children! Even if you haven't got young children, please complete the survey as we would like to know your views too.

Also we would be very grateful if you could forward this email and the link to anyone in your address book who might support this (especially those with children!)

If you want to know more about this proposal, visit www.siriuswoodschool.co.uk

Many thanks, in anticipation

Sean Turner

Why Culverhay Should Stay Open

This short Videos tells you why Culverhay should stay open



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I3oUfc_vQU

Thanks to Kelston View

We would like to thank the residents of Kelston View for the welcome that we were given by the households that we called on Friday although it rained and we were not able to get to as many houses as we would have liked.

Some of the issues that were raised were

1) Bath City Farm comments were made that more of the trees need reducing in height, we note that some polarding work is taking place and have asked that the trees are looked at.

2) Culverhay Many comments were made about Culverhay and why the school should remain open as a mixed school. ( This is something that we have been saying for a long time ).

3) Road Surface Kelston View we have asked for the road surface to be looked at and the numerous pot holes to be filled in.

4) Disabled Living allowance We had many comments about the change in government regulations.

5) Winter Gritting We had comments about the winter maintenance on Kelston View we have referred this to the council