Ballot on Reading Grammar and Kendrick

[Goldens Mum]

I'm sure that if theres inconsistencies and the two schools know about them (if people forward the letters to them) that would give them grounds to complain about the process and slow things up. The required 20% signatures need to be achieved by the 31st July, otherwise they have to start again in September (and previous signatures don't count)

[Tinkers]

Hi
My first post. I've stumbled upon this site quite by accident. We were planning on applying to Kendrick in a couple of years so obviously this ballot is very interesting. How likely is it that this will happen? From reading this thread so far I get the impression that it's not likely.

I'm sure I'll be asking advice on other parts of this forum soon.

Tinkers

[cestlavie]

We haven't had a letter from our school even though it is on the list, has the deadline for the ballot passed? It does seem inconsistent, maybe the lack of awareness is a good thing?

[stevew61]

From Kendrick.

PETITION UPDATE TO PARENTS
EMAIL TO PARENTS – TUESDAY 17TH MAY
Dear Parents/Carers
We are writing with regard to the proposed petition about selective education in Reading.
It has come to light that the letter sent out by the Electoral Reform Society (ERS), on the advice of the DfE, has caused considerable confusion and has been interpreted in a number of different ways by the feeder schools. We are taking this up at the highest level.
Kendrick School and Reading School were not consulted about these letters and we are very grateful to those parents who have brought these discrepancies to our notice. If you have received a letter and found it confusing you may like to bring it to the attention of your local MP.
Yours sincerely

No letter from Caversham yet so I have chased them stating I wish to be on the electoral list.

[Bailey]

It may also be worth pointing out that non resident parents are also entitled to a vote. This is not something that was pointed out in the letter we got from Robert Piggott, but I asked as my children's Dad and I no longer live together. I had to give them his name and address to enable him to have his own vote. Even though I responded and the school have my ex's details and know he is fully involved.

Are families with two resident parents automatically going to be given two votes?

Surely they have to make all this clearer for any ballot to be valid?

[Torrylee]

And another update sent to parents by email from both schools:

Legislation was introduced in 1998 to allow local people to have a say in whether grammar schools should remain selective or turn comprehensive. While the 1998 legislation does not apply to Academies – which didn’t exist at the time - the coalition government has maintained the principle by binding selective academies to a similar process by means of a legal agreement. We have tried to outline the regulations below, but in summary to support the continuance of grammar school provision in Reading:

If you are eligible to take part in the petition/ballot process:

1. DO ensure that your name is included on the electoral list
2. DON’T sign any petition
3. VOTE NO in any ballot on the question:
“Are you in favour of the group of Academies introducing admission arrangements which admit children of all abilities?”

If you are not an eligible parent you can support Reading and Kendrick Schools by: writing letters to your MP or the press in favour of grammar school education; explaining the process to friends and neighbours who may be eligible and, should a ballot be triggered, by getting actively involved in a NO campaign at our feeder primary schools.

The provisions are somewhat complex, but to summarise as much as possible:

• Reading and Kendrick Schools are grouped together
• The process is started by any 10 people writing to the grammar schools to advise that they wish to raise a petition to trigger a ballot on selection.
• The grammar schools have to provide the petition organisers with enough information to enable them to gather signatures from the relevant people – known as ‘eligible parents’.
• These are parents of children at feeder schools for Reading School and Kendrick School.
• A feeder school is any school which has sent at least 5 pupils to Reading and Kendrick Schools in the past three years.
• Reading and Kendrick Schools know which primary schools are feeder schools, but obviously do not have the names and addresses of parents of current pupils at these schools. Electoral Reform Services (ERS) have been appointed to obtain this information and deal with the remaining petition and ballot procedure.
• Under the terms of the Data Protection Act feeder schools must get the consent of parents to make their names available to ERS – there is no prescribed format for obtaining consent therefore some feeder primaries have opted all parents in, unless they write to opt out and some have opted all parents out unless they write to opt in.
• Parents who have opted out do not take any further part in the process which is why we would encourage all parents to give consent for their names and addresses to be sent to the ERS.
• Parents additionally should be given a choice as to whether their names and addresses may be released to the petition organisers – this has no effect on their right to take part in the ballot.
• Once ERS has compiled and counted the list they inform the petitioners of the total number of parents and the number of signatures they require on the petition to trigger a ballot (20% of the total), they will also release to the petitioners the names and addresses of those parents who have given their consent to their details being made available.
• If the petition organisers fail to gather enough signatures, the process halts and no ballot is held.
• If at least 20% of the eligible parents sign the petition, a ballot must be held. If a simple majority of the parents votes to remove selection, both Kendrick and Reading schools will become comprehensive schools, otherwise they will remain as grammar schools.

[R3ad1ngDad]

Made it to the local news this morning with a very nothing response from Rob Wilson as well - he just stated it was happening

[stevew61]

http://www.robwilsonmp.com/Local-News/s ... s-rob.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interesting that the gang of ten have not put out any information on why a ballot is a good idea? Maybe even the petitioners don't actually believe in their own cause??

I agree with the points raised by Rob Wilson.

[stevew61]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... hools.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... l?ITO=1490" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Some more comment here.

[Redboys]

How can it have been made so easy for a small group of parents to bring down two institutions such as Reading School and Kendrick School?

It appears from news reports on the Maiden Erlegh catchment area crisis (that I hear has provoked this campaign) that parents can't change a catchment area of a school, but seemingly some can easily change a grammar school to comprehensive status.

Are these schools represented by the National Grammar School Association?