A teacher for more than 20 years, head teacher Asma Mansuri says she counts herself lucky to have this opportunity. "It's a privilege to be the head teacher of any school, but in this situation it's even more exciting. I know it's a cliche, but it's a once in a lifetime opportunity to be involved in starting everything from scratch, from designing the school uniform and logo to planning the curriculum and hiring staff."
A parent promoted foundation (PPF) is the basis of the school. Its 380-strong membership includes parents of year seven students and parents from children at 13 local primary schools.
"It's not about parents running the school, as some media have portrayed, but it is about trying to engage parents much more in the process of learning," says Mansuri.
There is a close relationship between the PPF and the governing body - of 20 governors 12 are parents. The idea of a new parent-promoted school was first proposed by the council, and together with them the school has been designed with and for parents and guardians of children.
There's a parents room with internet access, the home-school agreement has set out resolutely to be jargon-free and instead of parents evenings the school will run a "contact week" where tutors make appointments with parents at a time that suits them.
"We're trying to maximise parental input and that means we've got to be flexible," says Mansuri. "We have put a lot of thought in and planned a raft of activities where teaching staff will work with the PPF to promote parental engagement. Lots of activities are planned such as helping parents help their children with homework and developing work-related learning opportunities based on parents' skills." Parents are already closely involved with the school - the Saturday before last, 20 families planted tubs of lavender and other plants ready for the opening last week.
The school received well over 700 applications for its 180 year seven places, before it had a building or any staff. Proximity to the school is the key admissions criteria, says Mansuri and the main aim is "to create a local community school".
Staff and pupils will be based on an interim site until 2009 while they await completion of their new school, made possible through the government's Building Schools for the Future programme. Any compromises in the first two years will be worth it, says Mansuri, once the school moves to its "wonderful new building".
Elmgreen is also the first school in the country to have completed the application process for a specialism before it even existed. It received the news that it had been successful in gaining specialist humanities status on the eve of its opening.
Mansuri says the Department for Children, Schools and Families recognised the skills staff had - and Mansuri herself began her career as a secondary history teacher.
Being a secondary school with just 15 members of teaching staff and a further 10 administration and support staff, has brought its challenges and rewards. "Everyone working together across different subject areas has led to a lot of cross-fertilisation of ideas and a really thoughtful curriculum," says Mansuri.
"I have appointed some wonderful staff that were attracted to the opportunity of being able to create something from the beginning," she says. "We have a team of people committed to the same vision for the school - that means there is a fantastic buzz in the air."
BACKGROUND SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS
- The Elmgreen School in the London Borough of Lambeth is the country's first parent-promoted school
- Parents responded to a proposal from the council to build a brand new school and establish a parent promoted foundation (PPF)
- The PPF, which currently has 380 members including 13 directors, works closely with the school, sharing ideas about developing family engagement
- Members of the PPF are either parents of children at The Elmgreen School or from one of 13 local primary schools
- The school opened on Monday 10 September. Students will spend two years at an interim school site while their new school is built.
