FAQs
Why are we developing an Academy in Barrow?
At the end of 2007, Cumbria County Council carried out a comprehensive consultation exercise on the future of secondary education in Barrow, following concerns over the falling number of pupils, educational standards and performance and out-of-date school facilities. The decision was then made to establish an Academy to replace Alfred Barrow, Parkview and Thorncliffe Schools and create an effective learning space for young people.
How will the Academy benefit Barrow and the wider community?
Academies play a major role in the regeneration of local communities, providing a focus for learning and breaking cycles of underachievement. New premises will mean new facilities to benefit everyone, not only the children who study there, and will ultimately develop confident young people with the right skills
Who are the Sponsors?
The three Sponsors of Furness Academy are Furness College, Barrow Sixth Form College and the University of Cumbria.
Cumbria County Council is also a benefactor and partner in the project.
When will the new build be complete?
The new building process can start once the Government has approved the proposals and the Academy has reached Funding Agreement. The plans for the building design will then be developed. The new buildings are planned to be completed in 2012. There is also interim budget for the existing school buildings to be refreshed to ensure the learning spaces are in line with the vision for the Academy.
What is being taught in the Academy?
The Academy offers students access to the best learning technologies and equips them with the skills to use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the ability to apply them in employment and their personal lives.
Business enterprise is also being taught. The aim is to ensure that all young people are equipped with a ‘can do’ attitude to help them develop their full potential throughout their lives. This will be achieved through a broader/more relevant choice of courses aimed at encouraging more students to continue beyond Year 11 with a form of education or training, leading to improved employment opportunities or progression into higher education.
Students will leave the Academy feeling better prepared for the world of work, equipped with the skills and self-confidence to achieve their goals.
The education brief has now been finalised and can be downloaded here.
Our target of 52 per cent A* to C, including English and Mathematics, at GCSE by 2011 is an ambitious one, but one that can be achieved through consistent, high quality teaching that inspires highly effective learning. It was important for us to set the bar high to help motivate staff to improve the education of our students.
In 2010, there will be new statutory targets for KS2-4 in English and Maths. These will be the subject of further working discussions between subject leaders and Learning Zone directors in the autumn term, and staff will be informed of any changes or issues that arise as a result.
What are specialisms?
Specialisms put emphasis on certain strengths in all aspects of learning, without detracting from good all-round education. Specialisms are emphasised in every subject across the curriculum, and help students to take knowledge from one area to others. This is an important skill, and will help every student, no matter what his or her ability in the specialist subjects themselves.
Furness Academy will specialise in applied mathematics and sport.
How many students will be able to attend the Academy?
There will be a gradual decrease in numbers of students from 1800 in September to around 1200 by 2014 to 2015. All students at the three predecessor schools will have a place at Furness Academy.
The Academies are local schools for local children. Children from the existing predecessor schools will all have priority access whatever their ability and current achievements. The Academy will serve the local community and deliver the best possible education for children in the local area.
While parents could choose to send their children to schools further away, we hope that they will make the Academy their first choice. Children with special, or different, educational needs will also be supported by and welcomed at the Academy.
Please click here to see the Academy’s admissions policy.
How is Furness Academy be organised?
The Academy is organised so that students and staff feel closely connected with the smaller units within the Academy as well as feeling a strong sense of identity with the Academy as a whole.
Gordon Wilson is Vice Principal of School Organisation across both sites, as well as operational head of the South Site (previously Parkview). His responsibilities include:
- Student welfare
- The House system
- Enrichment activities
- Behaviour management
- Inclusion and attendance
- Additional needs including SEN and gifted and talented
- Transition and transition mentors
Kevin Gill is Vice Principal of School Improvement across both sites and operational head of the North Site (previously Thorncliffe). His responsibilities include:
- Curriculum planning
- Timetabling
- Learning and teaching
- Standards of attainment
- Performance management
As Principal, Douglas Blackledge leads and manages Gordon and Kevin and the whole Academy team and will provide the direction and impetus that will lead to Furness Academy transforming the life chances of the students and communities it serves.
Each smaller unit has its own assemblies, competitions and dining arrangements. Learning Zones form an important part of the smaller units system
The Academy Principal has close contact with the students and staff, and every student will be supported by and well known to a key Academy leader.
The Academy has a four house system, each with its own identity. Each student is a member of a House, and all five year groups are represented in each House.
Each House is lead by a senior member of staff with the overall responsibility for students’ academic progress and their care and welfare.
Within the House structure, there are a number of smaller, mixed-age peer groups. These are mixed-age to support students’ personal development and to encourage a spirit of mutual care and respect.
How are students looked after?
The Academy is characterised by closely monitored support and a strong feeling of belonging.
The individual learning plan is the heart of this. Parents and carers are encouraged to work closely with the tutor to establish work patterns that encourage their young people to achieve and even surpass their goals.
Alongside this concern for learning there is an equally important focus on wellbeing and personal support. The tutor, along with specialist support also available in the Academy, oversee all aspects of care, welfare and support for special needs.
How will standards be maintained and raised during a period of change?
Plans have been developed to cover the period from September 2009 to September 2012, when the building programme will be completed. There are transition mentors who are in charge of ensuring student needs are met during this period of change.
All students in Year 11 will keep their full Year 10 curriculum and teaching groups. For example, Alfred Barrow’s Year 11 (Current Year 10s transferring to the North site) will be taught in their existing Year 10 groups to ensure continuity and minimise disruption in their final year before examinations.
Is there provision for children with special educational needs (SEN)?
We understand that certain students need extra help, and we are fully committed to giving them the support they need. We are helping SEN students through teaching and learning assistants and through the Pathway routes, putting in place additional support staff to make sure they have the opportunities they need to develop.
Cumbria County Council has provided accurate descriptions of each SEN student, which the Academy uses to help staff understand what each student needs.
Every student’s needs is evaluated on an individual basis.
Further details on the SEN provision can be found here.
The school day is as follows:
Morning:
08:30 – 8:40 Staff briefing
08.40 – 09.00 Tutor time
09.00 – 10.00 Period 1
10.00 – 11.00 Period 2
11.00 – 11.20 Break
11.20 – 12.20 Period 3
Lunchtime: All students to remain on site
12.20 – 13.05 Lunch for Years 7,9 and11
13.05 – 14.05 Period 4 for Years 7,9 and 11
12.20 – 13.20 Period 4 for Years 8 and 10
13.20 – 14.05 Lunch for Years 8 and10
Afternoon:
14.05 – 15.05 Period 5
15.30 – 17:00 Enrichment activities according to staff and student demand
What is the schools meals provsion?
Entitlement continues as it has done previously. Please contact the Academy if you have any questions regarding individual circumstances.
What enrichment activities are offered?
After the end of the formal school day there is a programme of extension and enrichment activities. This includes support for academic studies including the opportunity for students to study additional GCSE subjects (agreed for a number of current Year 10s) and also the chance to participate in sport, academy productions and House activities. We consult with the students to identify what they like to see offered.
Who runs the new Academy?
It is run by the Governing Body, appointed in part by the Sponsors, with requirements for local representatives. These include:
- The Principal
- The Sponsors
- A person appointed by the County Council
- Parent representatives
- Elected staff member
- Other members as agreed by the Sponsors
- Relevant secretary of state member
Academy Governors are responsible for running the school in the interests of the pupils and community. The Academy must also be run in accordance with the Funding Agreement, which is agreed with the Secretary of State.
Is this the start of privatisation of education?
No. Academies are state-funded schools, funded by the Department for Children Schools and Families. The Local Authority, Cumbria County Council are also benefactors of the Academy and are working in partnership with the Sponsors in its development. The three Sponsors are all leading educational providers, and bring a record of academic success that they can apply to the Barrow Academy.
Furness Academy is not, and never will be, a business. It is an Academy with the best interest of all its students at the heart of everything it does.
Who owns the Academy?
Furness Academy is directly funded by the government and operates independently from the local authority. It is not fee paying or selective, nor is it owned by the Co-Sponsors. The Academy is run by a charitable company. There is also a Governing Body, just like every other school. The land for the Academy and the school playing fields around it are leased to the Academy by Cumbria County Council. The Academy does not own the land.
Who makes sure the Academy is working properly?
The Academy has to adhere to the requirements of the Funding Agreement entered into with the Secretary of State. It will be inspected by Ofsted like every other school and be accountable for its performance. The Academy’s Ofsted report will be published and made freely available on the Ofsted website.
How will parents be involved in the running of Furness Academy?
Academies are accountable to local parents, and the community will have a say in how the institution is run. All Academies must have a local authority governor and parent governor. The Academy Principal is normally a member of the board of governors in an ex-officio capacity. Governing bodies are bound by law to act in the best interest of the Academy, its pupils and the local community. They must set out their proposals for working with other schools and the wider community in their annual development plan. As trustees, the governing body has a public duty to act in the interests of the Academy and not the Sponsors. Their accountability is similar to many maintained schools.
