Issue - meetings

Outcomes of Consultation for the Proposals to Amalgamate Park Wood Infant and Junior Schools

Meeting: 14/01/2020 - Cabinet (Item 8)

8 Outcomes of Consultation for the Proposals to Amalgamate Park Wood Infant and Junior Schools pdf icon PDF 181 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Background:

 

This report provided details of the outcome of the informal consultation period on the Council’s proposal to amalgamate Park Wood Infant and Junior Schools. The proposals were, by way of statutory prescribed alterations:

 

·         to change the upper age range at Park Wood Infant School from 7 to 11 years old, to enable them to admit the older children from the junior school;

·         the enlargement of the premises at Park Wood Infant School to enable it to incorporate the buildings currently occupied by Park Wood Junior School; and

·         the closure of Park Wood Junior School.

 

The report noted that it was proposed, subject to the outcome of the period of statutory representation, to formally implement the changes on 1 September 2020, when the school would become known as Park Wood Primary School.

 

The six-week informal consultation took place between 9 September 2019 and 20 October 2019, and the results of this were set out in sections 4 and 5 of the report. There were four written responses to the consultation, three responses overwhelmingly supported the proposal and one was neutral. There were no objections.

 

Decision number:

Decision:

6/2020

The Cabinet noted the responses to the informal consultation together with the advice and analysis from officers and agreed to instruct the Director of People - Children and Adults Services to commence the period of statutory representation for the proposed changes to Park Wood Infant and Junior Schools, as set out in paragraphs 9.1 and 9.2 of the report, when statutory notices and full proposals will be published.

7/2020

The Cabinet agreed to delegate authority to the Director of People - Children and Adults Services, in consultation with Portfolio Holders for Children's Services (Lead Member) and Education and Schools, to determine whether to approve the proposals at the end of the statutory consultation period if no objections are received. However, if any objections are received during that time then a report will be prepared and presented to Cabinet for determination.

 

Reasons:

 

Approval to proceed to a period of statutory representation will ensure the Council complies with its duty to follow the full consultation process when proposing changes to school organisation.