The Council has a programme of school expansions which it is delivering to ensure that all Children have a school place available. To date many of the expansion projects have been at primary school level but secondary Schools are now been expanded as the increased pupil numbers move through from primary to secondary schools.

The Strategic Director, Children’s Services will submit Document “AP” which details the school expansion projects the Authority is currently undertaking.

Recommended-

That the report be noted.

                                                                        (Judith Kirk – 01274 431078)

It was reported that:

·         The Education Funding Agency had announced that £3.7 million would be allocated as the Schools Capital Maintenance Grant for repairs to schools.

·         There was a reduction on the previous allocation of the Schools Capital Maintenance Grant due to a number of schools becoming academies.

·         The Basic Need funding allocated for 2019-20 was £1.1 million for primary school expansions which was a significant drop from last year; the money allocated was for 91 primary places approximately.

·         No money had been allocated for secondary school expansions; a meeting should be held with DfE in April in relation to the funding needs for secondary schools and the way that had been calculated.

Members commented on a number of issues which included:

·         What difficulties did not knowing location of free schools in time pose? What difficulties did Schools not being in locations where they should be pose? The travel distance to free schools; most children attending the Dixons Schools did not live in the locality.

·         Was physical space per child considered when planning for places?

·         Did the aspect of funding include accessibility to schools such as children with wheelchairs etc?

·         Did the funding take into account PRU’s (Pupil Referral Units)?

·         What were the next steps for secondary school planning?

·         What happened if a sponsor of an academy or free school withdrew?

In response to Members’ questions it was reported that:

·         Free schools had their own admission policies; it was parental preference for sending a child to a particular school; primary schools were generally within the local area.

·         More discussions were taking place with free school sponsors and academies; free schools did present a huge challenge as previously the authority decided where a school should be located; until the authority knows where a free school would be cited it could not start planning.

·         Space allocated for each child was undertaken through government guidelines (Building Bulletin – design guide for safety in schools); free schools did not have to follow Building Bulletin guidance.

·         There was no SEN Capital funding; authorities had to comply with the DDAct (Disability Discrimination Act); challenges from older schools had not been taken into account; recent notification was to use basic need funding to support SEN work.

·         There was no separate funding allocated for Pupil Referral Units.

·         It was difficult to plan for secondary places as the authority was still not made aware of where the new girls academy would be sited? as well as the issue of funding for secondary schools.

·         Free schools and academies were the responsibility of the Regional Schools Commissioner; withdrawal of an academy would need to be processed through the Regional Schools Commissioner; a sponsor could not withdraw without the agreement of the Department for Education as they were tied into a contractual agreement.

In response to a Member’s question it was reported that when schools were expanded, environmental factors were taken into account, where trees had to be removed they were planted in another location if possible.

Resolved-

That the Chair writes on behalf of the Committee to the Regional Schools Commissioner and the District’s MPs highlighting concerns regarding:

·         The adverse impact of free schools on the Authority’s school place planning process

·         Equalities of provision in building standards

·         The impact upon free school buildings of environmental/traffic issues.

Action:           Strategic Director, Children’s Services