Consultation launched to discuss academy status for Tockwith school

The school is the latest to consider becoming an academy and opting out of local authority control.

If it does acquire academy status, the school will join Ebor Academy Trust, a York-based multi-academy trust currently comprising of seven schools across York, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and the East Riding.

Meetings organised for parents, carers and the community will be held over the consultation period.

Chair of governors Sue Corbett said: "Entering a period of consultation does not mean we will become an academy, at this stage it is a commitment to explore the options and fully understand what it will mean to our children, our staff and our school community.

"We have looked into this closely, but it is not a done deal, we still want to talk to our community and hear people’s views.”

Headteacher Justin Reeve said: “We are very excited about the opportunity but we want to make a decision through speaking to parents and the local community.

“We have worked quite a bit with Ebor and their core values fit in with ours. We are in early, informal talks, but should we decide to academise and join them, they would handle core business activities such as payroll, HR and premises, leaving teaching and learning to us.

“This is an exciting opportunity to add resource and increase opportunities but it is ultimately the governors who will decide at the end of the consultation process.”

“Whatever the decision, we want it to have as little impact as possible. We will keep our values and ideals the same as a school."

The consultation process closes on Thursday 9th March 2017.

Consultation timeline:

January 19 - Consultation launched

January 31 - Information evening at school for parents, carers and the local community, 8pm - 9pm Governors, the school leadership team and Ebor representatives will discuss academisation and what it may mean for Tockwith.

February 6 - Drop-in at school from 3pm - 5pm. An opportunity to discuss academisation and talk to governors, the school leadership team and Ebor representatives on a one-to-one basis.

February 14 - Drop-in at school, 8am - 9am. Another opportunity to discuss academisation and talk to governors, the school leadership team and Ebor representatives on a one-to-one basis.

March 9 - Consultation period ends, all responses received will be collated and sent to governors.

March 14 - Governors will hold an Extraordinary Full Governing Body Meeting to consider responses and vote to either continue to explore academisation or to reject the proposal.