Issue - meetings

Officer: Robert Henderson

Key decision: yes

The Leader of the Council delegated to the Cabinet the power to make the decisions set out below.

RESOLVED: to

School Place Planning

1.    Note the review of mainstream school pupil projections undertaken and submitted to the Department for Education (DfE) in July 2018 – available places vs SCAP18 forecasts – at Appendix 1 of the report;

2.    Early Years Provision

Note publication of the 2018 Childcare Sufficiency Assessment report – at Appendix 2 of the report;

3.    Alternative Provision / Pupil Referral Unit (PRU)

3.1Note the intention that the Cabinet Member for Finance and Treasury in consultation with the Leader will approve the lease of land from John Ruskin College and to delegate authority to the Executive Director, Children, Families and Education to agree terms and sign the lease;

3.2Note the entering in of a licence for refurbishment of the existing Cotelands PRU building at John Ruskin College;

Special Educational Needs and Disability

4.    Agree the proposed Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) School Place Supply Strategy (at paragraph 3.44, Table 1 of the report) for the next 3 academic years – 2019/20 to 2021/22;

5.    Consider the responses to statutory consultation and approve the proposed extension of the age range from 4 – 11 to 2 - 11 for Red Gates School from September 2019 – at Appendix 3 of the report;

6.    Note that the ESFA commissioned Croydon to lead on the delivery of the new special free school - Addington Valley Academy (Timebridge site) which will be fully funded by the ESFA at a budget of £13.510m (paragraphs 3.29-3.31 of the report);

7.    Note update on the partnership with Croydon Further Education (FE) college to establish new local post 16 places in an SEN Centre of Excellence (paragraphs 3.32-3.33 of the report);

8.    Note the continued planned expansion of secondary autism Enhanced Learning provision at Oasis Arena. (paragraph 3.34 of the report);

           School Admissions

9.    Agree to recommend to full Council  the proposed changes to the admission arrangements for the 2020/21 academic year – Appendix 4 of the report (Consultation outcomes report)

·         Acceptance of first preference offers as part of the coordinated admission arrangements

·         Pan-London primary and secondary coordinated admissions schemes and post offer process (main rounds of admissions)

·         The processing of overseas applications for admission to school within the normal admissions rounds (excluding Crown servants)

10.Agree to recommend to full Council that it determine the proposed Community schools Admission Arrangements for the 2020/21 academic year (Appendix 4a of the report),

·         adoption of the proposed Pan London scheme for co-ordination of admissions to Reception and Junior schools – at Appendix 4b of the report; and

·         adoption of the proposed Pan London scheme for co-ordination of admissions to secondary schools – at Appendix 4c of the report;

           Capital Programme

11.Approve the Capital Programme as set out in Appendix 5a of the report;

          School Maintenance and Compliance

12.Note the detailed proposed Schools’ Maintenance Plan for 2019/20 of £2m as set out  ...  view the full decision text for item 7

The Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Learning stated that the annual report ensured the council met its duties to ensure there was a sufficient supply of school places throughout the education system. Forecasts suggest that there were sufficient places for the next five years as there had been a 5% drop in the birth rate in the borough.

Work continued on ensuring the education estate provided good quality buildings for young people to be educated in so as to ensure improved outcome for young people. Cabinet was shown a video of the construction of a new education space at West Thornton Academy which provided a different environment from traditional classrooms. This was part of the clear direction of travel of ensuring young people received the best education which reflected modern thinking.

With regards to SEN provision, Cabinet was asked to note the work that had been undertaken to establish the Addington Valley SEN free school, which was to be fully funded by the Education Funding Agency. Further work had also been undertaken to develop SEN provision in the borough with St Nicolas to be expanded to provide two new forms of entry.

Cabinet was informed that challenges remained, with some parts of the borough having more school places than necessary, however it was intended to develop housing where there was available provision in schools. It was further noted that some school buildings required high levels of maintenance, and the cost of building maintenance had increased. The Cabinet Member stated it was important to ensure that schools continued to receive the required level of funding to maintain these buildings and provide good education standards for children.

Members were informed that a fire safety audit had been completed in October 2018, and it was noted that there were management requirements for all schools to meet fire safety standards. It was intended to ensure all schools had the required management arrangements in place by March 2020.

In response to Member questions the Cabinet Member stated that most surplus places were at primary school level and it was anticipated that the surplus places at secondary schools would be filled by the bulge classes moving through primary education at present. In response to the surplus places at primary level it was intended that in-year reductions in classes would be undertaken.

In relation to the Pupil Referral Units the Cabinet Member stated that land from John Ruskin College was being refurbished and work had continued with Saffron Valley Collegiate to ensure good provision for PRUs.

Members queried whether the council was able to encourage schools to let out their facilities out of school hours to community groups; however the Leader stated that the local authority had a reduced influence on schools and the use of their facilities as many were academies. The Cabinet Member further noted that while a number of community groups were using school facilities, it was on a case by case basis and in agreement with the school and not the council.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7