Questions sent to Head of School

1. This is clearly a decision made on financial grounds. When was the true financial situation of SLC known by the governors?

2. In the last filed accounts, there was a deficit shown of £1.4 million to the year ended 2024. However, this takes into account accounting policies such as depreciation and amortisation. What was the actual cash position of the school in that year? Also, for last year?

3. When did the governors take the decision to close the school?

4. Why was there no prior consultation with parents?

5. What other alternatives were considered? Was crowd funding ever mentioned, in order to raise money?

6. Why was this not communicated to parents and pupils prior to the deadline for submission of the sixth form/secondary/junior school applications through Kent Choices?

7. What is the capacity in terms of pupil numbers for Dover College?

8. Was a full cost/benefit analysis undertaken in relation to the consideration of both the Ramsgate site and the Dover site as potential sites for the merged school? If so, what was the outcome of that?

9. How does a relocation to the Dover site benefit the pupils of both schools, over a relocation to the Ramsgate site?

10. Have discussions already been entered into with potential developers for the Ramsgate site? Is that the overriding consideration here?

11. What scope is there to develop the Dover site, in order to provide facilities similar to those already existing at the Ramsgate site?

12. What will the cost be of such works, assuming they are possible?

13. Is there an option for the merger of the two schools to go ahead, but for them to operate on both sites under a single management and administrative structure? If so, what would be the potential cost saving of that, from the perspective of both schools?

14. Was a possible merger with Wellesley Haddon Dene considered? If not, why not?

15. What will happen to the community groups currently using the site, such as Cliftonville Hockey Club, Broadstairs Cricket Club and Sandwith Town Cricket Club (as well as all the other sports. Dance and arts organisations)?

16. Will current scholarships (including sports scholarships) and bursaries be honoured from September 2026?

17. What is the current plan for leadership of the new junior school? There would appear to be provision only for a single deputy head.

18. What additional support is going to be put in place for pupils at key stages of transition/exams – Year 6, Year 10 and Year 12?