Issue - meetings

2016 Annual Review of the School Organisation Plan

Meeting: 27/09/2016 - Cabinet (Item 6)

6 2016 Annual Review of the School Organisation Plan PDF 643 KB

Minutes:

Background

This report gave the Cabinet an update on progress that had been made against the School Organisation Plan 2011-16. The report was submitted annually to highlight areas of emerging need and to ensure a sufficient supply of good quality school places was maintained.

The report set out three areas of emerging need, which had been brought to the attention of the Education Funding Agency (EFA);

· primary provision in Strood and Gillingham/Rainham;

· secondary provision in Strood and Rainham;

· special provision for primary Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

The report also highlighted to Cabinet that, overall, in Medway there was potential for a deficit in primary capacity and that additional capacity would be required to meet demand, with reference to individual proposals, as summarised in paragraph 3.11 of the report.

Diversity Impact Assessments would be undertaken on individual proposals brought forwards as a result of actions arising from this report.

Decision Number:	Decision
	The Cabinet noted the continued excellent progress made against the School Organisation Plan framework, which had ensured that sufficient school places were available to meet the increasing demand.
114/2016	The Cabinet approved the proposal to expand St Mary’s Island Primary School from 2FE to 3FE, which will meet demand from new housing, both ongoing and proposed, in the immediate and wider local area, subject to there being no successful free school bid in the area.
115/2016	The Cabinet approved the proposal to expand Halling Primary School to a full 2FE to meet demand and parental preference in the area as a result of significant housing development and the inward movement of families.
116/2016	The Cabinet approved the proposal to expand Riverside Primary School from 1FE to 2FE to mitigate the effect of a number of housing developments planned for the immediate area and the subsequent expected additional demand, subject to there being no successful free school bid in the area.
117/2016	The Cabinet authorised officers to commence the consultation, detailed design and procurement processes outlined in decisions 114/2016 to 116/2016 above.
118/2016	The Cabinet approved the proposal to establish a Hearing Impaired Unit at Thomas Aveling Secondary Academy, to meet the needs of Medway’s secondary aged pupils with hearing impairment, resulting in fewer pupils being placed at out of area provision.
119/2016	The Cabinet authorised officers to undertake further feasibility studies as necessary to ensure that forward planning is in place to meet demand as and where it emerges.

Reasons:

To ensure that the Council meets its statutory duty to ensure sufficient good quality school places are available.