Questions for the SOR team.

1. How has the original funding been cut since the recession began ?
2. How are the funds available being split between the costs of the new building work and the costs of ensuring that children affected by the transfer receive adequate support?
3. What measures of support are in place for those caught up in the transfer?
4. Why has the Bury phase been put ‘on hold’ and do those reasons apply to our area ?
5. How are teachers being encouraged to remain in their middle school posts?
6. Do the middle schools have any funds for improvements during the ‘winding down’ period?
7. What do the building plans at the upper schools consist of ? Where will the new years 7 and 8 be accommodated ?
8. What are the building plans for the primary schools which will remain open?
9. How are the head teachers expected to deliver a smooth transition for their pupils into a new regime when at the crucial time their funding is being cut?
10. How will the ‘bulge’ in numbers of the pupils in primary schools be accommodated while the larger year groups are still moving through the school ?
11. How will the primary school classrooms cope with the physical size of year 5 and 6 children ? Will this not result in a feeling of overcrowding ?
12. If the reorganisation results in a plethora of temporary classrooms as we fear it might, how will this affect pupils’ and teachers’ morale and pride in their school, hence academic results ?
13. Have the council looked at some schools’ preferred options for how their building may be adapted to suit a 2 tier system, and if yes, why have they not responded ?
14. What are the council’s plans for ensuring that the years 5 and 6 remaining in primary schools receive adequate facilities on a par with those in middle school, i.e. designated sports areas, science labs, art rooms etc.?
15. Have the council considered that by building extra classrooms in primary schools they will be reducing outdoor play areas, at the same time as increasing the numbers and age range of the pupils who will require it, which may well increase the risk of minor injuries during playtime, and increase the amount of antisocial behaviour in the classroom due to children having been unable to release energy before going back into their classrooms ? 
16. How do the council intend heads of schools to conduct a satisfactory transfer programme for the year 6’s due to move to a new year 7 class, when during year 6 there is no year 7 class or teacher to carry out the required induction stages such as transfer days?
17. Given that one purpose of moving to a two tier system is to reduce the number of school transfers a child must undergo how is that reconciled with making current year 3 children undergo two transfers in two years?
18. Can the SOR team guarantee a full, rounded, education for those caught up in the transition, i.e. excellent teaching and pastoral care; and sporting, music, arts extra curricula activities, clubs and teams?
19. What extra supports are being put in place for school teachers during the transition?
20. How is the current Upper School going to manage Years 7,8, and 9 ( all joining them at the same time when the local middle schools close in 2013? (I'm not sure of the numbers, but this must be well over 500 pupils)?