Local Concerns about King Alfred's School Consultation (Oxfordshire Liberal Democrats)

Oxfordshire Liberal Democrats <info@oxfordshirelibdems.org.uk>

Local Concerns about King Alfred's School Consultation

February 15, 2007 12:00 AM

Parents and others have raised concerns about the consultation process for the future of secondary education in Grove and Wantage. Local Councillor Jim Moley has taken these up in the local press and at the County Council. Jim says,

"There have been a few concerns raised with me about the process of the recent consultation on the future of secondary school in Grove, Wantage and the surrounding area.

"It is entirely understandable that King Alfred's School has a view on which option it itself prefers, and it is entirely proper that it should inform parents of current pupils of its preference. But I am concerned that the school is undermining the whole consultation, which was intended to be fair and open. The consultation is being carried out by the County Council, using of course, public money, and its aim to fairly assess the feelings of parents and the whole community. The County Council therefore sent the consultation document to all parents, and is carrying out a MORI-type poll both of parents and of the wider community.

"I am therefore worried by reports that the results will be biased because King Alfred's School has sent out duplicate option forms, accompanied with a strong letter putting its side of the case, not only to its own parents, but to parents of pupils in all the primary schools. This mailing was not authorised by the County Council. No-one else, of course, who might wish to campaign against the school's preferred option, has the necessary funds or access to the parents' addresses. Will it mean that the results of the consultation have to be disregarded because they will be perceived to have been heavily influenced by this unauthorised action? Will the MORI poll be similarly tainted?

"Besides the effect that a second, heavily biased mailing, will have on the consultation, I am concerned at the waste here. Who has paid for the cost of this enormous exercise, which is on top of the consultation documents sent out by the County Council? Was it the schools themselves? But the schools are also funded by the taxpayer.

"I have not seen the results of the consultation yet, but I remain unsure that the results will be reliable as a true reflection of the community's wishes."