Process & Timeline

Placing student leadership, voice and democracy at the heart of this project, our name change consultation has been developed by students with support from their teachers. Immediately after CGS announced its decision to move into consultation over the school’s name on 12th June 2020, 130 students and 25 staff volunteered to help facilitate this important conversation.

Four working parties made up of students and staff were assigned specific responsibilities to ensure that the consultation process would be developed in an open and honest way; and to ensure that the school community would benefit long-term from the research material that the consultation is expected to generate.

The first group was tasked with developing the consultation process by interviewing a range of stakeholders. This included students, alumni, Bristol City Council representatives, including the Mayor, our local MP, members of the local governing body, multi-academy-trust board members and sponsors.

The second group worked to develop a bank of resources to help inform discussion and debate. This group will subsequently collate responses to the consultation questionnaire into a report to be reviewed by students in September, leading up to the vote.

People completing the questionnaire are not casting a vote, they are being invited to share their thoughts and opinions. The responses gathered through the questionnaire will be used to add greater depth to the resource material being used by teachers and students as they research and explore this topic.

As a diverse and inclusive school community, we believe that everyone deserves the right to be heard. Although the final decision on whether to keep or change our name will be made by the current students and staff of CGS and V6, we wish to take into account the views of everyone who has taken the time to share their thoughts with us.

The third group will draw on all the research, resources and feedback to develop a series of workshops and lessons for CGS students, to be delivered in class in September. History and PSHE (personal, social, health and economic) lessons will be designed to facilitate discussion and debate and to promote deep thinking around the possible name change; the Black Lives Matter movement; black British history; and the legacy of Edward Colston.

If the decision is made to change the name of the school, the fourth group will establish a criteria by which to select a possible new name. They will then develop and lead a survey in October, which will ask students, staff and those who responded to the questionnaire for their views on what the new name of the school should be.

A list of possible names will be prepared by group four who will then make a presentation to the Trust Board. The Board will reduce the list down to three possible names and all current CGS and V6 students and staff will then be invited to participate in a vote, making a democratic choice to select the new name of our school.

 

Timeline

Date

 Activity Detail
17 July - 14 Aug Open Consultation Parents, stakeholders and members of the wider community will be invited to express their opinion by completing a questionnaire available on the CGS website. This will be supported by background information, research and resources to help inform the debate. CGS and V6 students will be encouraged to engage with this material over the summer break in preparing for a series of workshops and lessons leading up to the vote.
17 July - 21 Sept Stimulate discussion and debate Building on the online resource, a dedicated group of CGS students and teachers will collate the feedback from the questionnaire and develop a series of thought-provoking PSHE lessons and workshops to stimulate discussion and debate in school, leading up to the vote.
21 Sept - 30 Sept In-school educational activities

History and PSHE lessons and workshops, facilitating discussion and debate.
30 Sept - 04 Oct Students and staff of CGS and V6 vote

‘Should Colston’s Girls’ School have a new name? Yes or no?’

Current students and staff (for the academic year 2020-2021) will be eligible to vote. Each individual will be able to cast one vote.

The voting timeframe has been extended from 30th September to 4th October to ensure that every student and member of staff has time to vote.
1st week of October The Trust Board will review the outcome of the vote and the feedback from the questionnaires The Board will consult with the Principal and the students involved in developing the consultation in order to finalise the decision.
1st week of October Announcement made regarding the name of the school

If the decision is to change the school’s name, the process to identify a new name will begin, driven by CGS students.

Whether or not the name of the school changes, there will be a detailed review of how the history of the school is taught to students.

PROVISIONAL PROCESS AND TIMELINE TO SELECT A NEW NAME
1st week of October Launch of ‘new name’ survey The fourth group of CGS students will lead an initiative to determine what the new name of the school should be.  The public consultation will contribute to this.  
16 Oct List of potential new names presented to the Trust Board for review

The Principal and the students involved in developing the consultation will meet with the Board to present a list of names gathered through the survey.

Taking into account the wishes of students, the Board will reduce the list to three possible names.
19 Oct - 29 Oct Vote open to CGS and V6 students and staff to choose a new name from three options

The name with the majority vote will be the new name of the school.
30 Oct New name announced

The news will be shared with students and staff, followed by a public announcement.

A designer will subsequently be appointed to develop the new school logo and a comprehensive rebranding project will begin.

 

*If you are a designer and would like to express an interest in working on the logo and branding project, please send you contact details, CV or portfolio to Debbie Kirk: Debbie.Kirk@colstonsgirls.org.