I opened by explaining why I had decided to do all I can to help Farley School. In my 21 years as MP I had seen primary schools close - and others open. Sometimes closure had seemed inevitable and even acceptable. Sometimes it was with very great regret. Sometimes it had been fought tooth and nail. At present Farley is facing an uncertain future. I recognised the good sense of the policy of Wiltshire County Council to retain small village schools wherever possible. Without this, many more small schools would have closed.

However, it seemed to me that neither WCC nor individual schools were being proactive in trumpeting the virtues of individual schools, in competing with private sector schools and in considering relationships with neighbouring schools. Thus, while Winterslow is currently oversubscribed and is turning away children from their own village, Pitton has only 28% of its children from the village and 72% from as far away as Amesbury and Andover and Farley too relies on children from Salisbury and other villages to fill the majority of places. So all three schools are vulnerable – unless they work together and plan for the future together.

I said none of us are indispensable. Just as it was not sensible to close a school on the basis of one short-term situation, thus destroying a precious village resource and tradition, nor was it sensible for any of us to act as if current heads, teachers and governors would be in post forever. People move on for all sorts of reasons. Winterslow, Pitton and Farley are in fact in this together. We need to plan for a sustainable future for this group of schools. Above all we need to ‘think outside the box’.

I pointed out that the energy and commitment of the Farley school and village communities in recent weeks had been quite astonishing and thrilling. In contrast, the Education Authority had been felt to be rather legalistic and bureaucratic – not seeing for itself a proactive role. I urged that now the LEA had seen the enthusiasm and determination of Farley as the Governors addressed the Ofsted issue and their Sub-Committee addressed the future, they would respond positively. After all, we know they can! I quoted the recent announcement by Cllr William Snow of the Early Excellence Centre at The Avenue Primary School in Warminster. He had said, ‘The centre will provide a beacon of good practice for others to follow and will offer the best service possible for children aged up to five years’. Wiltshire will spend £178,000 on this early years school, and the Government will spend £822,000 including £200,000 to run it in its first year. Lucky them! Please can Farley have the odd £20,000?

Seriously, if our County Council really engages with the social as well as the educational value of new thinking, it really can be positive, pro-active and catalyse success. That is precisely why I envisage a ‘Primary Plus’ project at Farley – excellence in the standard curriculum plus specialism in environment and music.

I said I had been convinced by the LEA and the Diocese that the principle of federation might be the answer for Farley and Pitton. I said that if I was at Pitton, I’d ask what was in it for us – they are popular and successful. The school has a reputation based on a much-admired Head and very talented Governors. To which the answer is, it could be your turn in a few years, so don’t let it happen. And take advantage of the strengths of Farley and the exciting proposals being planned.

Federation is not a ‘bog standard’, prescribed formula for schools. It is flexible and tailor-made. It might mean Key Stage 1 at Farley and Key Stage 2 at Pitton, all under one head and one governing body, with a senior ‘site manager’ at Farley to take the daily load off the Head of Pitton, and sub-committees of the Governing Body to oversee each school. Or something quite different!

Frank Simmons said he had heard what he had wanted to hear. David Morgan had given us his wise professional opinion on what might work and how. Simon Tong had assisted greatly in bringing to bear the perspective of Salisbury Diocese and administrative and legal points. Cllr William Snow was much encouraged that we all seemed to be working along the right lines as far as the LEA was concerned. I felt that a great deal of suspicion and speculation had been lifted and that we were all singing from the same hymn-sheet.

We all agreed that although none of us is yet in a position to debate the details of any scheme we would all get out there and report that we are now confident that a sustainable way forward is possible. We all want to make that happen.

The next milestone will be the closing date for applications for a new head of Farley on 19th July.

I have written to Bob Wolfson, Director for Children and Education at County Hall, asking him to give us an assurance that while these discussions are in progress, the LEA will not start the process of ‘consulting’ with a view to closure. Nothing should be done to unsettle existing parents nor to put off new parents.

Let us now be very positive about the future – and see if we can persuade parents from our nearby villages not to take their children into Salisbury (or anywhere else!) to private or LEA schools – but instead to help build the excellent and exciting ‘primary plus’ future we envisage for our communities in the wonderful environment of the villages east of Salisbury.

Robert Key MP
21st June 2004