FAQ

9. How is the LA increasing parental choice?

Answer:: The LA is increasing parental choice by providing additional places at Oaklands and other nearby schools that would otherwise be full. Raine’s has not been full for a number of years and it is therefore evident that it is no longer a popular choice for parents in Tower Hamlets and surrounding areas.

10. How many students are on roll at Raines?

Answer:: There were 388 pupils on roll in Years 7 to 11 at the last census in Jan. The current number is 372 (Years 7 to 11).

11. When will the next parents' meeting take place?

Answer:: Parents who have concerns about their children’s education can approach their school or the local authority at any time. If, following this consultation, it is decided to go ahead with these plans a further meeting will be called at the end of the autumn term to hear representations about the "statutory proposals" which will have to be published at that time.

12. Will pupils get special dispensation for examinations due to the unrest?

Answer:: The circumstances in which students can be given special consideration for exams are limited. Ultimately it is for the examination board to decide whether a dispensation can be given in each individual case. The LA is therefore reviewing whether the situation at Raine’s falls within the guidelines agreed by all of the exam boards. Students and their families will be notified as soon as possible.

13. The LA claims it did 'all it could to publicise the school', including the new building, but parents have never seen any evidence of this (i.e. adverts on buses, etc)

Answer:

The LA has said that is has been supporting Raine’s with its efforts to increase its pupil intake over a number of years. This work has included;

developing scholarship programmes in Modern Foreign Languages and Sports Studies
rewriting the school’s admissions policy to encourage applications from children from all world faiths
enabling the school to adopt the LA’s arrangements for pupil banding to support its efforts to achieve a balanced ability intake
appointing the Raine’s headteacher to the Tower Hamlets School Admissions Forum and
reserving places at Raine’s for pupils who were unsuccessful in securing places at any of the preferred schools at secondary transfer.

The Raine’s school leaders during this period would have had the responsibility to consider how best to publicise and promote the school, alongside the support provided by the LA.

14. Who are the 'other communities' referred to in the consultation document; surely we are all one community?

Answer:: The phrase ‘other communities’ is not used in the consultation document. The consultation describes the expansion of Oaklands as being beneficial as it provides all members of the community equal opportunity to access a high quality local school provision. Oaklands GCSE results have consistently been amongst the best in the borough.

15. Why has £17m been spent on renovating Raine's Lower Site, when this could have been spent on promoting the school?

Answer:: £4m is the figure that has been allocated to be spent on renovating the Raine’s Lower Site. This money is limited to ‘capital expenditure’ and can therefore only be used for renovating the school building and its landscape.

16. Given the money being spent on Raine's School building – why is it now being closed?

Answer:

Money was invested in all secondary schools in the borough to ensure that each school could provide great facilities for pupils. Raine’s Foundation School envisaged that modern facilities would help with its recruitment of pupils. This has not proven to be the case.

Should Raine’s School close the building at Approach Road will cease to operate as a secondary school. However, there will still be the opportunity for the building to be put to use for other education or community provision. This will be a matter for consideration by the Raine’s Foundation Charitable Trust, the owner of the Approach Road site.

The LA and Diocese plan to bring the Raine’s building at Old Bethnal Green Road back into use as a 6^th Form provision for Oakland’s School. This will benefit children at Oaklands and also those Raine’s students who will be moving to Oaklands.

17. What would happen if Oaklands can't use the Lower Site?

Answer:

The planned use of the lower school site is separate to the proposal to close Raine’s. The LA would want to make the site a sixth form centre for Oaklands School, regardless of whether or not Raine’s School closes.

The building has been empty for some considerable time and the opportunity provided by Oaklands is the most viable option for the building to be put to good use at this time.

19. What pastoral support for the wellbeing of pupils affected by this process is in place?

Answer:

On an individual level the school has highly experienced staff team who are well aware of the sensitivities around the proposals and the effect that might have on students. Where staff feel students are finding it difficult to cope or are exhibiting behaviours that might stem from change anxiety, they are on hand to intervene on an individual level- that might involve speaking to students, withdrawing them from certain activities, communicating with parents.

On a group or cohort level, the school has prioritised the needs of different year groups. The school has held surgery appointments with all families and looked to support them to transitioning to schools of their preference. The school is planning different sets of activities for different groups of students depending on need. For example, many of the families with students in Year 9 have decided that a school move now would be preferable to waiting till next year.

Therefore, as many of the year group are leaving in July, a two week transition project called ‘New Horizons’ has been organised to positively mark their end of time at Raine’s and help them move on positively to their next school.

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