Issue - meetings

Background:

This report requested authorisation to commence the statutory process and proceed to public consultation on the proposals to make prescribed alterations to Danecourt Community Special School.

Danecourt was a community special school, which currently provided education for pupils with Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD) and Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) between the ages of 2 and 11 who were too complex to be supported within a mainstream setting. The proposals, as set out in the report, were to:

(a)   increase the numbers that attend the school by up to 40 pupils. This would enable more pupils to be placed at Danecourt where it was the most appropriate provision; thereby reducing the number of pupils needing to be placed outside of Medway.

(b)   increase the range of SEN designation by adding SLD (Severe Learning Difficulties) to the school’s current range of provision. This would enable the school to provide suitable education for those children with needs more complex than their current designation allows.

Initial discussions had been held with the Headteacher at the school, who was supportive of these proposals. However, to make these prescribed alterations there was a requirement to follow a statutory process and conduct a public consultation. An indicative consultation timeline was included in the report, which would result in implementation on or before 1 September 2015.

It was noted that proposals for the physical building expansion project at Danecourt School would follow the Council’s procurement processes and be presented to Cabinet for the approval at the appropriate time.

Reasons:

The Council is required to consult on the proposals in accordance with the School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2007.