Issue - meetings

A report from the Director of Schools and Children’s Services and Director of Finance, Resources and Customer Services is attached. This sets the scene for the new administration’s approach to the provision of school places for Enfield residents and updates the strategy for the provision of places. (Key decision – reference number 3943)

(Report No.15)

(8.25 – 8.30 pm)

Councillor Ayfer Orhan (Cabinet Member for Education, Children’s Services and Protection) introduced the report of the Director of Schools and Children’s Services and Director of Finance, Resources and Customer Services (No.15) setting out the Council’s approach to the provision of school places for Enfield residents and updating the strategy for the provision of places.

NOTED

1.               Councillor Orhan thanked the deputation (detailed in Minute No.4 above) and noted that previous discussions had also taken place with SWEAT. The concerns which had been raised were recognised together with the impact of the unsuccessful free school application by Ashmole Academy.

2.               Councillor Orhan stated that the Council did not have any control over free schools or academies or for schools that were not within the Borough. The Council’s responsibility was for the provision of sufficient school places within the Borough, an additional 4410 places had been provided. The reports presented to Cabinet provided flexibility to take account of subsequent changes which arose and regular reviews took place.

3.               Andrew Fraser, Director of Schools and Children’s Services, summarised the content of the report.  The GLA projections were released and reviewed annually and the need for extra secondary, primary and special school places determined. The Borough was divided into pupil place planning areas for this purpose; Edmonton County School was in the south west pupil place planning area. In total an additional 9 forms of entry were required by September 2018, with 7 of those needing to be delivered by the Council, as set out in the report.

4.               Members’ attention was drawn to a number of sections in the report including 1.8 – the reallocation of capital funding; 3.4 – the phase two schemes that were either being delivered or subject to feasibility work; 4.2 – the GLA school roll projections. There was less identified immediate pressure in the south west of the Borough for September 2014. The table set out in section 4.8 of the report outlined the need for primary school places for September 2015 and beyond but this was subject to annual review of the GLA projections. The table detailed in section 4.9 of the report listed the options for meeting the demand for primary school reception classes and places from September 2015.

5.               That additional secondary school places would be required from September 2018. There were also identified challenges to be met in special school provision.

6.               That the proposals contained within the report were borough-wide and included primary, secondary and special school provision. The significant capital expenditure requirement, set out in the report, was noted.

7.               Councillor Taylor concluded, in response to points raised in the deputation, the short and longer-term proposals for the south west of the Borough as detailed in the report.

Alternative Options Considered: Enfield Council had a statutory responsibility to provide the necessary school places. The School Expansion Programme created a mechanism to assist with the delivery of extra capacity required. Failure to provide enough school places was not an option. The following proposals  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6