Consultation relating to education

Consultation is about giving you a voice.

Through the provision of appropriate consultation channels, you can express your views, concerns and opinions and put forward ideas that will help us to provide a service tailored to your needs.

By listening to what you have to say, and acting on the results, we can make sure that we develop new policies and practices, and continue to improve existing ones, in order to provide the optimum service.

Who we consult

We arrange extensive processes to consult those potentially affected by proposed changes in education provision, including school staff, parents, governors, elected members, unions and you, the public.

The service has a well-established framework of consultation forums that allows us to seek the views of all our major stakeholders on a wide range of topics, for example service quality, service planning, and the budget. These include two major forums for consulting our schools - BAHT (the association for primary heads) and BADASH (the association for secondary heads) - so that the services we provide lend themselves to the continuous raising of attainment by learners across the borough.

How we consult

The procedures for consulting with our stakeholders can vary depending on the issues and the consultation period available to us, but these can take the form of face-to-face consultation through public meetings, paper-based through postal surveys, or increasingly through electronic, web-based questionnaires.

 

Proposals are usually advertised in the press, and copies of relevant documentation (paper-based and electronic) are made available to interested parties. Responses to proposals are invited from those wishing to express their views.  On closure of the consultation period, these responses are collated and analysed to form the basis of recommendations for action.

Leaflets

Now and again we will publish leaflets to emphasise and support the consultation process. These will either be mailed to consultees, posted on the website, or made accessible in Education Services buildings and other public places.

Distribution Points

Education services are delivered from a range of locations across the borough.  Any consultation documentation, therefore, will be clearly marked to indicate where responses should be returned.  However, consultation will increasingly be conducted electronically via the Education Services website.

Legislation

Whilst we consult voluntarily on a broad range of issues, we are also bound by government legislation to carry out statutory consultation in some areas, for example as part of the process for reorganising school provision across the borough.  In these cases, the consultation process will be dictated by the guidelines set out by the appropriate government bodies.

Response Times/Next Steps

Consultation periods and response times will vary, as quite often these can be driven by government legislation that we must adhere to, or by other external bodies, but wherever possible, we will try our best to give you enough notice and sufficient time to respond.

Helplines

If you want to know more about consultation in general, or have questions about specific issues, you should contact the Communications Officer on (01226) 773605

Opening Times/Locations

The Communications Section is part of  Business, Innovation and Partnerships, and is based at the Education Office, Berneslai Close, Barnsley S70 2HS.  Core opening hours are as follows:  

Monday  Thursday 8.30 am  5.00 pm
Friday 8.30 am  4.30 pm

How the Customer Can Help

You can make a difference to the services we provide - but first you have to tell us what we're doing right and what we could do better.  If we offer you the chance to put your views forward on any topic that interests or affects you, or your family, then please take the opportunity.  All we ask is that you respond, in the required format, by the required deadline, to the specified location.  It's as simple as that.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to my feedback at a public meeting?

When consultation is conducted through a public meeting, for instance for parents, all questions, answers, and suggestions are noted.  These are collated to form a report to senior management, or to Cabinet.  Any recommendations for action are based on feedback from the consultation process.

How do we get to know the results of any consultation?

The results will usually take the form of the original consultation. For example, if this was conducted electronically, then a summary of the outcomes of the consultation will usually be published on the website.  The service conducting the consultation will usually indicate the feedback mechanism on their initial consultation request.

Owner Officer Contact Details

Contact the Communications Officer on (01226) 773605
Email: cypf@barnsley.gov.uk

Last modified on 15/9/2008