APPENDIX 5
Memorandum submitted by Oxfordshire County
Council (T6)
1. Maintaining rural primary schools.
The Council's decision from 1992 to retain rural schools has
been adhered to for a decade. School closure is only considered
in schools where the national curriculum cannot be satisfactorily
delivered or where peer groups are too small to provide a social
context for learning. Since 1992, only three rural schools have
been closed, each having less than 25 pupils, and pupils have
been transferred to other nearby rural schools.
2. The Rural Beacon Schools network
whereby the LEA is presently supporting high quality training
and inter-visitation for approximately 30 village schools via
the work of the rural beacon schools. The LEA has worked with
DfES in recommending five rural schools for Beacon status: Combe
CE; St Birinus CE, Dorchester; Hornton CP; Longcot and Fernham
CE; Shenington CE.
3. The Oxfordshire Rural Schools network
provides termly seminars for heads staff and governors of
schools less than 110 on roll. The LEA has a designated officer
to support and coordinate the activities of this network, specifically
to address rural education matters.
4. Early Years and Childcare provision
including support for developing partnership early years units
on primary school sites. This work is focussed particularly on
rural areas. Its purpose is to link voluntary sector pre-schools
with their local primary schools. This enables greater continuity
and better quality of early learning experience for young children
between the ages of three and five. It also encourages small rural
providers to pool their resources more effectively and to offer
an integrated early years and childcare service to families. Across
the County, some 35 partnership EYU schemes are now at different
stages of development. The majority of these are in rural areas.
A small number of schemes are already established, including those
at Charlton-on-Otmoor, Kidmore End and Radley Primary Schools.
5. Provision for adult learners
including the creation of some 50 learning centres in rural areas
and outreach support for learners with low levels of IT and other
basic learning skills. This is a useful way of attracting adults
back into to other forms of learning and training. Much of this
work takes place in village halls and other community settings
such as libraries and employers' premises.
6. Rural Transport Initiatives.
Specific in this area is the joint work of the Education and Environment
Directorates in promoting "Better Ways to School".
7. Wider Council support, which
have implications for rural education include:
— Village shops development scheme.
— A study of the future of village
pubs.
— Promoting rural diversification and
local produce.
12 January 2003
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