Over the past few months, many of you may have become aware of the proposed Khalsa Secondary Academy due to open in the village of Stoke Poges in September 2013.
Since it was announced that the new school will be located
at Pioneer House there has been an element of opposition on the basis that the
identity of the village will be ruined with the establishment of a school.
There have been a number of other reasons stated as to the
objection to the school being based at Pioneer House ranging from:
- School will create traffic and congestion
- Religious schools create segregation
- There is no demand for a secondary school in Stoke Poges
- A village cannot support a secondary school of 850 pupils.
The point I would like to focus on is the last one.
Now comparing Slough to Stoke Poges would be like comparing
apples to oranges as one is a town and the other a village. However, we can
compare apples with apples. Stoke Poges which is part of Buckinghamshire which is
made up of an array of very prosperous villages and small towns such as
Gerrards Cross, Marlow ,Beaconsfield, Chalfont St Peter and Burnham.
The point I would like to make is an interesting one. Most
of these “villages” have secondary schools in them, not just one but some of
them have two. Another interesting fact is that some of these schools have over
1000 pupils.
Let’s take a look at some of the villages below:
Burnham
Population 11,442 with Two schools
Burnham Grammar (923)
Burnham Park Academy (740)
The proportion of school population to overall population is
14.5 %
Beaconsfield
Population 11,550 with Two schools
Beaconsfield High (1081)
Beaconsfield School (822)
The proportion of school population to overall population is
16.5%
Chalfont St Peter
Population 8,392
Chalfont Community College (1,780)
The proportion of school population to overall population is
21.2 %
Marlow
Population 14,000 with Two Schools
Great Marlow School (1,260)
Sir William Borlase Grammar (980)
The proportion of school population to overall population is
16%
Little Chalfont
Population 4,496
Dr Challoner’s High School (1044)
The proportion of school population to overall population is
23.2%
Amersham
Population 16,232
Dr Challoner’s Grammar School (1,286)
The proportion of school population to overall population is
7.9%
Amersham & Wycombe College (7000 – 2000 full time, 5000
part time) – the primary campus is the one in Amersham.
The Student to Overall population is a lot higher.
There are also other small towns and villages within
Buckinghamshire that support secondary schools such as:
Princes Risborough
Population 7,978
Princes Risborough School (over 900 pupils)
Buckingham
Population 12,043 (Supports two private universities)
The University of Buckingham, Royal Latin School, The
Buckingham School as well as independent schools outside it’s borders.
Wing (near Aylesbury)
Population 2,745
Cottesloe School (over a thousand pupils)
This village is almost half the size of Stoke Poges.
Holmer Green
Population 4,077
Holmer Green Senior School (849 pupils) – another village
smaller than Stoke Poges.
If Stoke Poges were to have a school of 845 in a current population of 5044 (as of 2011
census) – it would be 16.7% - however in order for KSA to reach 845 pupils
would take a period of at least five years.The growth projection of Stoke Poges
at current growth rate would mean that the population would be approx 5649.
The proportion of the school population to the overall Stoke
Poges would be 15%. (between 2005 and 2011 – there has been a 12%
growth in population).
This is similar to Little Chalfont. The proportions are
similar to Stoke Poges. It seem Little Chalfont
can really support a school the size of Dr Challoner’s High School.
How is it possible that Little Chalfont can support a school
and Stoke Poges cannot?
How is that Holmer Green can support a secondary school and
Stoke Poges cannot?
The fact of the matter is that both Little Chalfont and
Holmer have remained villages and still
have the characters of a village (with greenbelt intact) even though both have
large secondary schools. There are villages smaller than Stoke Poges such as
Wing that can support a secondary.
The point to note these villages that have large secondary
school are still vibrant villages.
I would like to conclude that Stoke Poges will still be a
village with Khalsa Secondary School at Pioneer House.
None of these villages schools are in the greenbelt!
ReplyDeleteThose villages face traffic chaos, why would we want that?
Bucks schools serve Bucks children on the whole.
No children from stoke Poges wish to attend your school as they are pleased with bucks existing schools or seek to send their child to a grammar school.
The SSET have lied, deceived and generally excluded the views of the whole village. The proposed site is within rhe greenbelt on a b oad with no pavement or street lights. No thought for pupil safety or the impact on local residents. The places were advertised in religious centres with no notice to local schools. Some opposition? The whole village is against this vanity project that has lead to members of the Sikh community in Stoke Poges being bullied and harassed for voicing their opposition. Divisive? Thisbhas been very divisive because of the arrogance of the SSET and will never be accepted- not because it is Sikh school but because it is inappropriate for any school.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, have you spoken to any of the residents of these 'villages'? Or seen the double parking and congestion caused by the schools? As a former student of Beaconsfield High School I can tell you that the residents of surrounding side roads were complaining almost weekly about the disruption caused by parents and sixth formers parking and stopping along their small roads. Yellow lines recently had to be painted on all roads near the school (most of which are ignored). I'm sure if you gave any of them the option now of opposing a school being built there they would.
ReplyDeleteThe other vital piece of information you appear to have missed in your research is the travel infrastructure of these TOWNS. Every single one of these schools is LESS THAN A THIRTY MINUTE WALK to the local train station (as most of these TOWNS have their own train station). The nearest train station to Stoke Poges is OVER AN HOUR AND A QUARTER WALK (can't see any students choosing to do that at 7am personally!) and is in SLOUGH WHERE THERE IS DEMAND FOR THIS SCHOOL.
My third point I would like to make is something else you've managed to overlook, all these schools are SERVING THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEY ARE BASED. This will not be the case for the Khalsa Secondary School as it wasn't even an option for local residents to apply to this school.
My final point is that Buckinghamshire schools are already being used to reduce the deficit of school places in Slough, both Burnham Schools have a high proportion of students from out of area, this is only going to increase until Slough accept their responsibilities and build more schools (like this one) IN SLOUGH!
Becca, you raise valid points, to be honest, no I personally have not spoken to residents of other villages.
DeleteWith regards to your point about the disruption to local residents by the school. As a parent I am fully aware of the steps Khalsa School is taking to help ensure the same problems do NOT occur in the immediate vicinity of the school.
For a start, all pupils/parents have been encouraged to use the designated bus service which is being put into place whereby there will be very minimal congestion in the area.
Secondly the school has a large enough car parking facility to enable cars to efficiently enter and exit the site.
Thirdly the start and finish time of the school will not clash with any other school / business within a three mile radius.
With regards to a train service, to the best of my knowledge parents are satisfied with the bus service which will cover the catchment area.
In relation to your point about 'serving the community', another parent is writing a blog post on that topic which should cover what I would respond, it should be on the site in the next few days.
Onto your final point, I think that is a question for the DfE to take up with Slough Borough Council.
And why should a village be FORCED to 'support a school' when it's the town that needs the school places? There are sites and empty office blocks all over Slough if you choose to look past this beautiful GREEN BELT site that has become your vanity project.
ReplyDeleteYou will find there is evidence of demand for the school within South Bucks.
DeleteAn office block in Slough is not an appropriate location for a school, would you honestly send your child to school in an office block in the middle of the trading estate?
I think we can agree to disagree on your comments here.
For Health and Safety reasons office blocks are not suitable and there is a shortage of school places in South Bucks. This situation will only increase in future years.
DeleteThank you for taking the time to read our blog.
ReplyDeleteWith regards to Greenbelt. The school is actually being located in an existing office building and the planned extension for the sports hall was being built on the existing car park not on Greenbelt land from what I know.
Traffic issues
There will be minimal traffic disruption.
A majority of pupils will travel on the school bus.
The school open and close times will not clash with other nearby schools and businesses.
Pavements
Hollybush Hill has pavement going all the way into Stoke Poges village.
Placement advertising
Correct, places for year 7 were taken up very quickly before there was confirmation from DfE the Pioneer site was to be acquired for the school. South Bucks students are free to apply and are highly likely to be accepted when we begin recruiting years 8 to 11.
Sikh community bullied and harassed?
Who by, when and where?
All are free to express their oppinion and stand for what they may believe is right. As parents we may not agree with you on many of your points but we do respect your viewpoint and your right to hold that opinion.
I live in Denham Green. 5.9 miles from Pioneer House and 6 miles from CCC. With 2 children attending the CCC, this KSA will potentially cost my family £1,400 per year, plus additional council tax as the school will be funded by SBCC.
ReplyDeleteAlthough a few residents in South Bucks are wealthy, the majority are not and these additional costs will remove choice for many families when selecting secondary education.
Aside from the obvious tangible effects on the village of Stoke Poges, the financial effect is more far reaching. This in times of great finanicial hardship for many.
Is this fair?
Hi Karen, as parents ourselves we appreciate the financial burden of such travel costs. We agree it is not fair that you lose out on funding. We are more than happy to join you in your fight to retain the home/school transport costs.
DeleteFrom our understanding there is at least one and perhaps another two secondary schools which are scheduled to open in South Bucks within the next two years. Those being Lynch Hill and another school in Iver which is at the early stages. With those in place, local South Bucks residents will lose out on such funding regardless of Khalsa Secondary Academy being located at Pioneer House.
You also mention that you will be paying additional council tax, we are not quite sure what you mean by that and how the school will impact anyone in such a way.
Karen, Free schools are funded directly from central government, not local councils. As for the free school transport issue, potentially affected families need to lobby Bucks education department as they make the decisions with regard to local school transport policy.
DeleteWe will be responding to comments soon. Please can we ask you to keep comments on topic in relation to the subject of the article. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI find it ironic that the residents of Stoke Poges make so much of the Green Belt issue when so many of them have clearly profited by extending into gardens, demolishing small properties on large plots and subsequently building multiple homes, general in-filling etc.
ReplyDeleteMuch of this has gone on with little or no comment or objection according to planning records.
Whilst I have some sympathy with those twelve residents [some of whom have clearly done the above] who share a boundary with the Pioneer site, the vast bulk of the local population live well away and will never be impacted upon by the school or associated activities.
I not sure if you are aware but we live in a democracy in the UK which means we have a choice and a voice of what happens within our community, all those villages choose to have a school, WE choose NOT to have a secondary school, why do you think it is ok not to listen to what our village says?
ReplyDeleteSadly you can’t be thank full that you have your school.... you just HAVE to have it in Stoke Poges, what is so so wrong with finding a location in Slough?
Gratitude is what we expect from you not the arrogance you are showing, we the tax payers in Buckinghamshire and the rest of the UK are funding your school, what has happened to your moral compass?
Dear Andrea,
DeleteI am aware we live in a democracy in the UK. Thank you for reminding everyone.
We are also very grateful for this democracy.
You mention 'all those villages choose to have a school', was there an election or is there a motion which was passed in each village to say so?
It is the DfE or local authority who decides which schools are located where based on a valid case being put forward.
You will find that parents who are sending their children to the school are also taxpayers. You seem to forget that...
As far as I am aware, most of what many consider potential sites for a school in Slough are only available on a leasehold basis. I doubt the DFE/EFA would consider these to be viable after the PFI fiasco.
DeleteThe democracy in which we live managed to elect a coalition government who passed legislation allowing the foundation of Free Schools. Individual, like minded groups who are dissatisfied with the education being provided for their children also have a choice and are able to take advantage of that legislation to propose their own school.
ReplyDeleteIf that proposal is accepted, then, under the legislation, it is up to the government to spend tax payers money to help set up such schools. These schools are not the specific responsibility of ANY local authority.
As for use of tax payer funds, it is far more financially efficient to use an existing building such as Pioneer House - probably in the region of 40% cheaper, than it is to initiate a 'new build'.
Granted that Amersham and Beaconsfield are towns, however they are small towns and manage to handle several primary schools and very large secondary schools. In proportion to size, Stoke Poges will be able to handle a secondary school that will be smaller than a lot of the secondary schools mentioned above. The fact that it is on the eastern edge of the village with traffic predominantly coming form Wexham Street/Framewood Rd will keep well away from the bulk of the village which west of Bell Hills Rd.
ReplyDeleteWe originally applied to have a school in Slough, but this was rejected. After a lengthy search Pioneer House was selected. The selection criteria was set by the Dfe and they undertook a independent search and this was not influenced by the SSET, this is why Pioneer House was chosen. These are documented and undisputed facts!
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, I am a taxpayer living in South Bucks and I support the school as do others who pay tax and live in South Bucks!