Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council is seeking expressions of interest to sponsor and run a new primary school in the Eastwood area of Rotherham. [1] The new school is needed due to unprecedented demand for primary school places, with projections showing more births than available spaces in the coming years. [2] The proposed site is on Eldon Road, and the new school would have 315 places plus 44 in foundation stage 1, admitting its first pupils in 2015. [3] Interested sponsors are asked to submit proposals addressing how they would provide high-quality education, raise standards, ensure inclusion, collaborate with the local community, and have the capability and vision to improve outcomes for pupils in the area.

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Children and Young People’s Services
1st Floor, Wing A, Riverside House , Rotherham S60 1AE
Tel: (01709) 822572
Fax: (01709) 372530
Proposal for a New School in the Centre
of Rotherham (Age 3 to 11, PAN 45)
Invitation to Submit Proposals
Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Overview
The Need for a New Primary School
Local Primary Performance
Location
Funding/Procurement
Timeline
School Specifications
Selection of a Sponsor

2. Appendix 1: Expressions of Interest Form – Central Rotherham
Appendix 2: Clifton (local) Learning Community KS2 Performance Summary
Appendix 3: Clifton (local) Learning Community Pupil Premium data
Appendix 4: Clifton (local) Learning Community KS2 Performance data
Overview
Demand for school places is widely known to be growing nationally. Rotherham is
experiencing
unprecedented
demand
for
primary
school
places.
Throughout Rotherham 875 primary places have been added since 2012, but there is
still a shortfall in certain areas of the borough.
The area of main concern is the centre of Rotherham, specifically the Eastwood area
where projections show there are and will be more births than available school places.
A successful bid to the DfE to the Targeted Basic Need Programme (TBNP) will provide
the capital funding to build the school.
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council are seeking expressions of interest to run the
new primary school. This in line with national guidelines for the establishing of a new
school, guidance can be found on the DfE website (www.education.gov.uk).
Interested parties should send their proposals to Dorothy Smith, Director of Schools and
Lifelong
Learning,
Riverside
House, Main
Street, Rotherham, S60
1AE.Dorthothy.smith@rotherham.gov.uk. Applications should be received no later than
the 27th September 2013.
The Need for a New School
The new school will serve the South and East planning area of Rotherham. The area
includes 12 schools varying from through primary schools to separate infant and junior
schools. The schools which are closest to the proposed new school site
include Coleridge Primary Academy, St.
Ann’s
Primary
and East Dene Primary Academy. The two primary academies are sponsored by the
Central Learning Partnership Trust (CLPT).
Census data shows that this area has grown by 7.8% from 2001 to 2011 compared to
3.7% for the Rotherham average. Birth data also indicates that there will be more births
than places available. At present there are 494 available places in the area, but births

3. are projected to be 585 in 2014/15, 550 in 2015/16 and 567 in 2016/17. The area is
known to have a high proportion of EU migration which is not reflected in birth statistics.
This has added significant pressure on the local schools.
Local Primary Performance
The characteristics of the Clifton (local) Learning Community show a high level of BME
and EAL pupils. The schools as a collective also have a cohort of SEN pupils which
is above the national average. Data indicates that the FSM numbers locally are double
the national average FSM figure and 85% of local pupils reside in the 30% SOA.
Key Stage 2 outcomes for schools within the LC are significantly below the national
average except forHerringthorpe Junior school. Based on the new floor standard
criteria Badsley Moor Junior and Coleridge are below for the last three years and East
Dene are below in 2 out of the last 3 years (above in 2012 in mathematics progress).
A high proportion of pupils are eligible for Pupil Premium and the 2013 results show low
levels of attainment for those such pupils and significant gaps in attainment for a
number
of schools. The proportion of pupils achieving L4B+ reading, L4+ writing and L4B+
mathematics is significantly below the national average except for Herringthorpe Junior
school whose results met the national average in 2013.
A key factor in determining the suitable sponsor will be their vision, capacity and
capability to transform outcomes for the pupils that attend the new school so that the
current picture no longer prevails in the future (see appendices for detailed data).
Location
The Eastwood area is that of greatest need, therefore land has been identified to build
the new school. The address of the proposed site is Eldon Road, Rotherham, S65
1RB and is shown on the map below.
The site is currently a disused allotment and informal playing field next to the River
Don. There is sufficient area for the proposed new school, play areas and sports field.
Funding/Procurement

4. The Targeted Basic Need programme will fund the construction of the new school. The
local authority will lead the planning process to deliver the site for development as well
as procure and design the school. The successful sponsor will work closely with the LA
to ensure the school design meets the requirements of the sponsor and will meet the
needs of, and aspirations for the children and young people of this vital area
of Rotherham.
Timeline
The timeline for the selection of a sponsor is provided by the DfE as part of the
Targeted Basic Need programme.
LA alerts the DfE to any expressions of
interest received from potential sponsors
By 23rd August
New sponsor approval applications to the
DfE
By 6th September
DfE provide feedback on expressions of
interest
By 6th September
Sponsor Applications received by the
Local Authority
By 27th September
LA to inform DfE of all proposals received
By 4th October
LA submit assessments of proposals to
DfE indicating preference(s)
By 18th October
DfE confirm sponsor and funding
allocations for the new academy
By 12th December
School opens
By September 2015
School Specifications
The new central Rotheham Academy will be a mainstream, mixed sex primary school
offering 45 places per year group with a foundation stage one unit of 44 places serving

5. the local area. It is proposed to admit pupils from September 2015 in Key Stage 1 only
and then subsequent FS2 cohorts thereafter.
Selection of a Sponsor
The DfE will ultimately approve the sponsor and will assess the proposal based on the
following (from the DfE guidance, The Academy Free School Presumption, July 2013);
The capacity, quality and track record of the proposer,
The capability and capacity of the proposer to deliver this project on time, to
secure best value for money and to maintain financial viability,
The extent to which the proposals demonstrate the proposers’ capability to
promote high standards, to find innovative solutions to long standing issues
and drive forward wider system change.
Additionally Rotherham will expect any potential sponsor to support and sign up to the
principles of Transforming Rotherham Learning:
We are all responsible for all Rotherham's children and young people.
All Rotherham learners will achieve; no one will be left behind.
Learning is the core business: investment, policy and strategy must be driven by
opportunities for learners.
Learning communities will be rooted in and responsive to the needs of local
people.
Rotherham also ‘ask’ that any sponsor would:
Sign up to the Rotherham Strategy for Inclusion, which would mean the
welcoming of children with SEN into its community, a commitment to avoiding the
exclusion of pupils and an agreement to collaborate with other schools to offer
inclusive pathways to all Rotherham students from 0 -19 and beyond.
Follow both the national code for Admissions and sign up to
the Rotherham agreement on Fair Access to Schools.
Engage with the Council and CYPS strategies.
Engaged with the national and Rotherham’s Every Child Matters Agenda,
especially working in partnership with the integrated locality based teams.
Agree that staff should benefit from the same terms and conditions of other
schools within Rotherham.
Promote the new school in the local community with a fair and robust strategy to
raise the schools profile.

6. Appendix 1: Expression of Interest Form – Central Rotherham
1.
Your organisation
Please describe your organisation, including any experience it has of running
schools in similar contexts to the one outlined above and provide full contact
details. Please include details of your current leadership/governance structures.
2.
Outline of the school
Confirmation that the school will provide 315 mainstream, mixed sex, primary
school places and 44 foundation stage 1 places, for pupils between the ages
of 3 and 11.
3.
Education vision and education plan

7. Provide your education vision and educational ethos for the new Academy and
the approach to teaching and learning. Set out your aspirations for the
achievement of individual pupils and for the school as a whole. Set out details of
the experience that pupils will have at the new school, how you will evaluate the
achievement of pupils and how you will evaluate the performance of pupils and
the school.
4.
Effect on standards and contribution to school improvement
How will the Academy help to raise the standard of education in the area and
contribute to wider school improvement? Describe your track record in improving
pupil progress, particularly in areas with a similar context. How will the Academy
support the transition to secondary education?
Describe your approach to behaviour management, pupil well being and
attendance and how they will link to your education vision.
5.
Curriculum
Detail of the proposed curriculum. How will you ensure that the curriculum is
broad and balanced?
6.
Inclusion
Set out your strategy for ensuring that the needs of pupils with differing abilities
are met, especially those with special educational needs and the gifted and
talented. Include confirmation that your approach would be to work in partnership
with the Rotherham learning community of schools to ensure the needs of all
children are met.
Outline the strategies that will be used to overcome barriers to learning and
achievement such as children with English as their second or additional
language.

8. Please outline your approach to ‘narrowing attainment gaps’ for those children in
receipt of pupil premium and for those children who arrive new to Rotherham and
the UK.
How do you propose to ensure that you make the school attractive to pupils of all
backgrounds and abilities?
7.
Admission arrangements
Confirmation that, in line with the Rotherham requirements, the sponsor would
sign up to the borough’s common admissions policy and be prepared to work
with the Local Authority and neighbouring schools on the details of the
arrangements such as a ‘catchment boundary’.
If the bid proposes any change from this please detail the alternative
arrangements and the rationale for them.
8.
Partnership and Collaboration
How will the school develop collaborative working with other schools and
partners to continually make improvements in the provision for the schools pupils
and other children within theClifton Learning Community?
How will the school contribute to and promote community cohesion? Clearly
demonstrate a good understanding of the local community and detail your plan
for community engagement.
Demonstrate a good understanding of the local community and how you would
build good local relationships. Describe any plans you have for working in
partnership with other schools and educational establishments as the school
develops and after it opens. How will you promote good community relations?
9.
Extended services
Set out what extended services you would aim to provide to parents, pupils and
the local community and how you might work with other local providers to
broaden that offer.

9. 10.
Capability to deliver
Provide evidence of your ability to successfully manage schools and of your
ability and experience to run the new primary school.
Provide evidence of your successful ability to financially manage schools and
evidence of your financial expertise and other support services such as HR, ICT.
11.
Staffing the school and recruiting the governing body
Provide evidence of how staff would be recruited to the school to ensure that
there are outstanding leaders at all levels.
Provide evidence of high quality professional development opportunities for early
years and school staff including leadership development
Provide details of how the recruitment of governors to the school would be
managed and how you would ensure local representation. Provide any examples
of a track record in working positively with the parent body.
12.
Managing the opening of the new school
Provide details of how you will work with other agencies to ensure that the
necessary infrastructure and systems (including ICT, HR etc) are in place for the
opening of the new school.
13.
Other
Is there anything further that you would wish to add in support of your expression
of interest?

10. 14. Declaration
I declare that the details provided in this application are correct at the time
of submission
Applicant’s signature, name of applicant and position in organisation
………………………………………………………………………………………
Organisation
………………………………………………………………………………………
Applicant’s contact details
………………………………………………………………………………………
Date
………………………………………………………………………………………