Post by paul clough on Apr 7, 2006 16:41:44 GMT
FEDERATION WILL SECURE FUTURE OF SPECIALIST SCHOOLS..
The decision of two specialist County Durham schools to serve their communities as a joint federation will secure both their futures and place them at the forefront of educational innovation in the County, their joint head teacher-elect said today.
Earlier this year, parents and students at Durham Community Business College in Ushaw Moor and Fyndoune Community College in Sacriston, were consulted on proposals to formally extend the schools’ existing close working relationship by creating a federation.
Their support for the move has now been endorsed by the governing bodies of both schools, and the federation will come into effect from September this year.
Unlike a merger or amalgamation, a federation will allow the two schools to retain their individual identity, specialist status and uniqueness and continue to serve their own surrounding communities.
But as a federation, they will be managed and led by the same head teacher, governing body and leadership team.
Students will be able to take courses on either or both sites, community education programmes will be extended, and vocational courses developed.
And the schools will share their resources, expertise, values and beliefs.
Anne Lakey, Head Teacher at Durham Community Business College ( formerly Deerness Valley Comprehensive School ) who will become the acting joint head of both schools on the retirement this Easter of the Fyndoune Head Teacher Mr. Peter Sykes, said: “ I am delighted that there has been such widespread support for the proposal.
“Our two schools have been working together extremely successfully over the last two years with really positive outcomes for our students.
“By coming together to form a federation, our aim is to protect and preserve the small school environments at both colleges.
“As two specialist colleges, each keeping its own different character but operating as a federation, we will be able to offer the broadest possible range of GCSE courses for our students and build on the record results which both colleges achieved in 2005.
“ We shall now be able to move forward together to place our colleges at the very forefront of innovation in County Durham.”
Coun Neil Foster, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for Children’s Services, said: “ We congratulate the governing bodies of both two schools for their vision and collaboration.”
The decision of two specialist County Durham schools to serve their communities as a joint federation will secure both their futures and place them at the forefront of educational innovation in the County, their joint head teacher-elect said today.
Earlier this year, parents and students at Durham Community Business College in Ushaw Moor and Fyndoune Community College in Sacriston, were consulted on proposals to formally extend the schools’ existing close working relationship by creating a federation.
Their support for the move has now been endorsed by the governing bodies of both schools, and the federation will come into effect from September this year.
Unlike a merger or amalgamation, a federation will allow the two schools to retain their individual identity, specialist status and uniqueness and continue to serve their own surrounding communities.
But as a federation, they will be managed and led by the same head teacher, governing body and leadership team.
Students will be able to take courses on either or both sites, community education programmes will be extended, and vocational courses developed.
And the schools will share their resources, expertise, values and beliefs.
Anne Lakey, Head Teacher at Durham Community Business College ( formerly Deerness Valley Comprehensive School ) who will become the acting joint head of both schools on the retirement this Easter of the Fyndoune Head Teacher Mr. Peter Sykes, said: “ I am delighted that there has been such widespread support for the proposal.
“Our two schools have been working together extremely successfully over the last two years with really positive outcomes for our students.
“By coming together to form a federation, our aim is to protect and preserve the small school environments at both colleges.
“As two specialist colleges, each keeping its own different character but operating as a federation, we will be able to offer the broadest possible range of GCSE courses for our students and build on the record results which both colleges achieved in 2005.
“ We shall now be able to move forward together to place our colleges at the very forefront of innovation in County Durham.”
Coun Neil Foster, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for Children’s Services, said: “ We congratulate the governing bodies of both two schools for their vision and collaboration.”