Agenda item

A report from the Director of Schools and Children’s Services is attached. This sets out the most recent pupil projections together with the implications of these projections from 2012/13. (Key decision – reference number 3360)

(Report No.158)

(8.35 – 8.40 pm)

Councillor Ayfer Orhan (Cabinet Member for Children and Young People) introduced a report of the Director of Schools and Children’s Services (No.158) setting out the most recent pupil projections together with the implications of these projections from 2012/13.

NOTED

1.         Jennifer Hill, Assistant Director Schools and Children’s Services, outlined for Members the main elements of the revised ten year primary pupil places strategy. A level of 3% flexibility between the forecast demand and planned supply of places was now being recommended in order to provide a level of contingency to react to demand uncertainty beyond the control of the Local Authority (as detailed in paragraph 3.2 of the report);

2.         the projected reception places over future years as set out in detail in the table in paragraph 6.4 of the report. Members noted the changes from previous projections;

3.         the proposals for the setting up of two free schools in the Borough, as set out in paragraph 6.5 of the report. The schools were yet to identify appropriate accommodation in the Borough;

4.         the detail of the Primary Strategy for September 2012 to September 2013 as detailed in section 7 of the report. The proposals included the re-use of existing one-off classes from 2014 (paragraph 7.2 of the report referred);

5.         that the DfE had today announced a capital grant of £9.4 million for 2012/13 to provide additional school places;

6.         Members discussed in detail the implications of the two proposed free schools in the Borough and the potential impact on the Council in the provision of sufficient school places should the free schools not be in place by September 2012 as planned. Issues discussed included appropriate accommodation for the sites and the admissions procedures. Members were reassured that the Strategy now being presented covered such eventualities and the Council would meet its obligations;

7.         a discussion took place on the accuracy of the projected pupil numbers set out in the report and the many factors which could increase pressures on school places in the Borough. A 3% flexibility was being built into the strategy. It was noted that the forecast figures had been externally evaluated. Councillor Doug Taylor requested that the figures be subject to periodic monitoring on a six monthly basis and any significant variations in figures be reported and dealt with appropriately;

8.         a number of issues of general concern in relation to lack of Government funding and Government policies regarding educational provision. The revised strategy was designed to manage the challenges being faced by the Council. It was noted that many risks existed which the Council would strive to manage appropriately. Members stated that Officers should carry out full risk analyses, if they had not already done so, to ensure that the Council was ready to react to any extreme and unexpected situations in the future.

Alternative Options Considered: NOTED

1.         not pursuing the recommendations in the report would mean that the Authority would have insufficient primary school places available in those areas of the Borough where demand was projected to exceed supply. The Authority would therefore be unable to meet its statutory duty in this respect. Not providing the places could not be considered as an option;

2.         officers had been exploring all possible options to increase the provision of places to meet the short term demand and anticipated long term needs, using desk top studies, site visits and feasibility studies. In accordance with the previous Primary Strategy, priority had been given to providing additional places where the demand for additional places was highest;

3.         further consideration had also been given to the following proposals: increasing class sizes to over 30 pupils; the use of community halls as emergency class bases; restructuring the school day and using the building for two separate sessions (section 8 of the report referred).

DECISION: The Cabinet

1.         noted the progress made in relation to the implementation of the previous strategy including the Partner School initiative;

2.         formally adopt the Revised 10 Year Strategy for the provision of Primary Pupil Places, as outlined in the report;

3.         give priority, where possible, to recycling additional capacity that had already been provided;

4.         noted that a flexible strategy was required in order to react swiftly to the creation of any new Academies developed as part of the Department for Education’s free school initiative;

5.         increase the level of flexibility for pupil pace planning to 3% in order to ensure that there was more capacity available to react to unpredicted demand;

6.         approve further feasibility studies being commissioned in order to develop expansion project options at three primary schools as a further contingency for managing the risk of unpredicted demand;

7.         noted that planning applications would be submitted for a number of options in order to ensure that any issues related to planning and traffic and transportation were identified at an early stage;

8.         noted that Statutory Proposals would be published where there was a planned permanent expansion and increase to the Admission Number for a particular school.

Reason: The local authority had an overriding statutory duty to provide sufficient pupil places to meet anticipated demand as near as possible to the areas of this demand. This duty could not be discharged with the current capacity of the Borough’s primary schools. The recommendation to adopt this Revised Primary Strategy would allow the authority to maximise opportunities to secure funding from central government for new schools, whilst also keeping investment in new places to a minimum through the re-use of one-off classes and the continuation of the partner school initiative.

(Key decision – reference number 3360)