A Review of Education in the Alston Area An Informal Consultation

Introduction
Between 15 September and 24 October 2014 the county council carried out an informal consultation
in the Alston area seeking the views of stakeholders and the local community over a potential
change in school provision involving Samuel Kings School, Alston Primary School and Nenthead
Primary School.
Summary of responses
A total of 345 responses were received during the consultation period. From this total there were
164 responses in the form of a completed questionnaire, 164 were questionnaires completed online,
6 responses came as emails and 1 letter was received. A petition with 405 signatories was received
on the 9 September (prior to the start of the consultation period) entitled Despite the Alston Moor
Federation Governors recent decision, we the undersigned urge Cumbria County Council to continue
the consultation process into the future of education on Alston Moor so that people in the wider
community are able to express their views. Those making a response to the consultation included
Parish Councillors, a County Councillor and Alston Moor Parish.
There were 254 responses from people indicating an interest in Samuel Kings School. 21.7% (55)
were parents/carers of children at the school, 4.3% (11) were staff at Samuel Kings, 1.2% (3) were
governors at Samuel Kings and 72.8% (185) indicated another interest in the school. Figures may not
add up to 100% as multiple categories were selectable.
There were 154 responses from those who indicated an interest in Alston Primary School. 34.4% (53)
were parents/carers of children at the school. 1.3% (2) were staff at Alston Primary School, 1.3% (2(
were governors at Alston Primary, and 62.9% (97) indicated another interest in Alston Primary
School. Figures may not add up to 100% as multiple categories were selectable.
There were 67 responses indicating an interest in Nenthead Primary School. 13.4% (9) were
parents/carers of children at the school. 1.5% (1) were staff at Nenthead Primary School, 2.9% (2)
were governors at Nenthead Primary and 82.1% (55) indicated another interest in the school.
Figures may not add up to 100% as multiple categories were selectable.
There were 210 responses who indicated their interest as other on the questionnaire. These
included councillors and parish councillors, local residents, former pupils, relatives of pupils, parents
of pre-school children and those involved with local businesses.
Q. Given the information contained in this document please select one option from the list below.

Option One Closure of Samuel Kings

Option Two - Federation
Option Three All-through school
Alternative

There were 345 responses to this question.

7.5% (26) were in favour of closure of Samuel Kings School.

15.9% (55) selected the federation option.
59.4% (205) selected the option for an all-through school.
17.1% (59) were in favour of an alternative option to those listed.
In relation to these results
Of the 26 in favour of the closure of Samuel Kings
o 13 parents selected this option. The remaining 13 stated their interest as staff,
governor or other
o 9 are parents from Alston Primary (34.6%)
o 3 are parents from Nenthead Primary (11.5%)
o 5 are parents from Samuel Kings (19.2%)
o Some parents have children at both a primary school and the secondary school
Of the 55 who selected federation
o 16 parents selected this option. The remaining 39 stated their interest as staff,
governor or other
o 9 are parents from Alston Primary (16.3%)
o 2 are parents from Nenthead Primary (3.6%)
o 8 are parents from Samuel Kings (14.5%)
o Some parents have children at both a primary school and the secondary school
Of the 205 in favour of an all-through school
o 61 parents selected this option. The remaining 144 stated their interest as staff,
governor or other
o 26 are parents from Alston Primary (12.6%)
o 3 are parents from Nenthead Primary (1.4%)
o 43 are parents from Samuel Kings (20.9%)
o Some parents have children at both a primary school and the secondary school
Of the 59 who were in favour of an alternative option
o 26 parents selected this option. The remaining 33 stated their interest as staff,
governor or other
o 15 are parents from Alston Primary (25.4%)
o 4 are parents from Nenthead Primary (6.7%)
o 11 are parents from Samuel Kings (18.6%)
o Some parents have children at both a primary school and the secondary school

Those that selected alternative made the following suggestions

Samuel Kings School should be allowed further time to improve and attract more students.
The operation of Samuel Kings as a satellite school to a larger secondary school or college.
Variously this could operate up to the completion of GCSEs or could see a transfer of
children just prior to GCSEs. Links with the main school would be facilitated through
distance/remote learning.
Have an all-through school operating from the Samuel Kings covering ages 3 to 14 years of
age (ie. nursery age through to just before GCSE at which point children would transfer out
to William Howard School).

Closure of Nenthead and retention of Samuel Kings and Alston (either on a combined site or
separately).
Re-siting of Samuel Kings next to Alston Primary.
Offer life-long learning/an education village on Samuel Kings site (either with or without colocation of schools)
Demolish Samuel Kings and use the site for low cost housing with Samuel Kings re-sited to
Alston Primary and the addition of a community sports hall.
Close William Howard.
Lobby parliament to improve funding for rural schools.
Subsidise transport for Weardale children that wish to apply for Samuel Kings.
Federate Samuel Kings with a larger secondary or group of secondary schools.
Make efficiencies in Cumbria County Council/Local Councils to provide additional monies.
Close poorly performing schools elsewhere to provide additional monies.
18 offered no alternative suggestion.

Additional comments
211 respondents made additional comments (responses with a frequency lower than 2 are not
shown in the table below). There were also a number of questions raised on questionnaire returns
which are attached in Appendix A (Frequently Asked Questions).
Comment
The loss of schools would affect the future of the Moor - it would stop people moving
here and businesses would decline (eventually close the town). It would remove choice &
opportunity for young people.

Frequency
58

SKS Head is doing a great job in turning around the school. It would be a shame if he
could not continue his progress. It will take time to see results in pupil numbers
increasing. The school needs support.
A change to all-through will benefit the community -this is the most sensible option and
will secure education on Alston Moor. Integration would be good for the children.

42

The closure of schools would mean increased journey times, 20/40 miles, which would be
difficult in poor weather (winter weather is a concern).

30

Nenthead and Alston Primary, both have 'Good' Ofsted ratings. Pupil achievement in
Nenthead remains high. Keep the primaries open. Any solution should not put primary
education at risk.
Alternatives to support SKS include - a 6th form, links with a college, adult education,
conversion to an education village to embrace Life Long Learning, a field study centre
which other schools pay to use, a teacher training centre, a distance learning centre, a
federation with a larger secondary (such as William Howard), actively seek more students
from out of county.
Losing the secondary would affect the community. People would have to consider
moving which would affect numbers in the primary schools too.

24

Concern over the burden of travel times and access to extra-curricular activities/parents
involvement- time/council funds could be better spent elsewhere.

18

The primary schools should not stand in the way of change and should be more
supportive of keeping secondary education on the Moor.

17

The secondary school must remain on the moor.

16

36

21

19

The loss of Nenthead would be damaging for the community, it needs to remain open. It
is important that children of this age can get to and from school by foot. The school is
viable.
Pupils are given a lot of support from the staff at SKS, and even after leaving can still go
back for advice/ongoing support. Pastoral care is good.

12

The consultation document needed more detail on all options/some information was
contradictory/ projections can change.

11

Concern over fate of primary if secondary failed after co-location.

I don't want my child to go to the much larger William Howard and have to travel everyone at SKS knows everyone else by name - it is a safe environment.

9
8

It is a fact that children from Northumberland also go to SKS.

Secondary & primary schools are very different and primary school children could find it
very intimidating to be on the same site as secondary pupils.

Nenthead is not viable.

Many ex-SKS students have gone on to do very well.
The projected figures are incorrect/conflicting - there are more 2 1/2- 3 year olds and
babies.
We could end up with schools closing that we wouldn't get back or not a big enough
school to accommodate an influx of children from new housing /mining families.

6
6
6

Closure of SKS is the only viable option.

Combine the primary and secondary into one building.
Federation would secure provision and deliver the best education for local pupils.
Support solutions to bring in money to the federation (eg, residential children's home or
adult education hub).

5
5
5
4

Close SKS and use money from selling site to put back in education budget/develop
affordable/new housing within the town.

Secondary age children are capable of adapting to change and travelling to further their
experience (not unusual).

Couldn't money earmarked for the construction of an academy be used to improve SKS
and make it a cheaper more efficient building to run, further cutting the costs to keeping
it open? - So stopping parents from sending their children elsewhere.

Federation with Alston PS and SKS co-locating and leaving Nenthead as it is, with the
option of co-locating later if they wished to.

The schools should join to save education on the Moor and support the community.
If SKS school closes, sending children to other schools will be disruptive.
It would make economic sense to close Nenthead and sell off the site, using the savings
to reinvigorate SKS and extend learning to age 18.

3
3
3

I would have preferred simple co-location/federation of the schools at SKS but it seems
that the Primary Federation's decision has prevented that.

The small size of the existing Alston and Nenthead is beneficial to pupils.
The curriculum is already limited at SKS and needs improved. Some subjects are not
covered.
Merging SKS & the existing federation severely risks closure of all 3 schools.
Federation but on 3 separate sites.

3
3

11

3
3

Are some parents choosing to school elsewhere due to bullying, general disruptive
behaviour or lack of wider opportunities? Some of these issues could be addressed. Why
do parents choose to send children elsewhere?

Build a new secondary school/campus in the adjacent/behind/field next to Alston

primary school, with a sports hall and all of the energy saving products.

I feel a stronger offer would be cooperation with a larger local secondary offering a
wider split site offer benefiting both schools, a functioning A level and further education
offer could be included adding value.

More children would attend SKS if there was a free transport scheme put in place.
Alston youngsters deserve better education and SKS cannot provide it. Concerned SKS
isn't providing it.
Primary and secondary education is very different both in structure, staff skills, funding
and outputs and cannot simply be used to prop each other up.

3
3

SKS isn't a suitable site- access issues which leads to traffic. There are also issues around
land ownership (garage).

The reputation of SKS is not good at the moment and parents must make choices that are
best for their children even if it's disappointing that so many are choosing schools
elsewhere.
Application of understanding and transparency is lacking in school governance in Alston
Moor.
Secondary children should not have to travel a distance to their school - why don't we
support our local school?

There are huge impacts on children attending smaller secondary schools in that they
receive individual support.

An all-through school could be a positive experience for all involved and seems to be the
most viable economic solution to keep education on the moor - perhaps with a link with
another secondary school where students could attend some lessons part time for a
broader experience?
Option 2 would enable children to be educated locally whilst making savings in costs with
the sharing of staff and other resources.

The schools should all work together for the benefit of the children and community. Not
their own jobs.
Alston Primary is thriving and has a stimulating atmosphere.
A coherent ethos would be very hard to establish in a federation of all schools, while the
present damaging 'them & us' attitudes would very likely continue.

A purpose built building will mean budgets could be spent on resources and staff and not
upkeep of a dated building at the SKS site.

The decision on schools future is being taken in isolation and not with regard to the
future of Alston Moor.

You have divided the Alston Community.

The childrens centre should remain as this will instil continuity from pre-school upwards.
Could William Howard have a satellite site on the Alston Primary school site ( FOR Y7-Y9
ONLY)? This would mean that WHS provided the resources for education on Alston Moor,
whilst pupils would also benefit from the expertise of a larger school, as well as from
increased opportunities ( extra-curricular and some shared experiences).

2
2
2

2
2

2
2

Far better close a school that is poor in Carlisle, such as one of the Richard Rose schools
and divert pupils to others in the city.

Savings made from a combined school could be used to improve teaching qualifications,
meaning the need for children to go elsewhere would be removed.

Wider federation - include other schools

(possibly from other counties).
Parents should not be allowed to send their children to schools outside the local
catchment. Communities should support local schools.

Have an all through school but on the Alston Primary site by building a new extension.
The site would have more room for buses.

It feels like meetings with parents at the schools so far (not the informal consultation
meeting) have not told the whole truth.