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The Purbeck Review team
- Director of Children's Services John Nash
- Project Manager Rick Perry
- Head of raising achievement John England
This team will report back to the Dorset County Council Cabinet after the consultation finishes on 25 February.
The Cabinet, not the full council, will review the options in light of the consultation responses.
For a list of the Cabinet members click here
However all county councillors are seen as 'stakeholders' and their opinion will be listened to, both during this initial consultation period and during the formal six-week representation period if the decision is taken to press ahead.
Please write to voice your concern and show them how strong public opinion is. Remember, county council elections will be held on 4 June this year.
For a complete list of Dorset county councillors click here
Publication
If the decision is to change the pattern of provision in the way proposed, the council will then start the legal process of making this happen.
This will include the issuing of statutory notices in the Autumn 2009. These will appear in the local paper, in schools and libraries.
Representation
The statutory notice period lasts six weeks and anyone can comment on the final proposals.
We will be able to make representations about these notices during the six-week period after they are published. The notices will explain how we can comment on them.
Dorset’s County Council Cabinet will then consider the responses from the six-week consultation.
If the Cabinet cannot agree the proposals, they will be referred to the School Adjudicator.
The School Adjudicator acts as an independent body. The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families appoints the Schools Adjudicator.
A final decision for the Purbeck area is expected by the end of 2009.
Implementation
For children the first changes will happen in September 2011.
Children who have just completed Year 4 will stay in the newly formed primary schools for Year 5.
The following year, September 2012, these pupils will become Year 6 in their primary schools.
It is proposed that middle schools will close at the end of the summer term 2012 and in September 2012 their pupils will transfer to secondary school to start Years 7 and 8.