Issue - meetings

Background:

This report provided details of the formal objections relating to theStatutory Notice proposing to close St. John’s Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant School from 31 August 2010.  The Cabinet originally considered a report on the formal objections on 15 December 2009. However, it agreed to instruct officers to reconsider the ratio of denominational places taking into account the Cabinet decision on St. Nicholas Church of England Voluntary Controlled Infant School and All Faiths Children’s Community School (decision no. 205/2009), and that officers publish a new notice and proposal taking this into account.

The new Statutory Notice and full proposals were subsequently published on 11 January 2010 and the deadline for representations ended on 21 February 2010. The Council received 15 formal objections to the content of the first Statutory Notice in which the Council proposed to close St. John’s CEVC School, a further 65 responses were sent to the Church of England Diocese of Rochester Board of Education, which were also passed onto Medway Council. A further 20 formal objections were received in response to the second Statutory Notice, including a formal objection from the Church of England Diocese of Rochester Board of Education. The majority of objections received had been from parents with children who currently attend the school. Responses were also received from the head teacher of the school and the governing body of the school and were appended to the report.

A diversity impact assessment had been completed and it was noted that this series of proposals had been designed to ensure primary age children across Medway were provided with opportunities within first class learning environments to succeed in learning.

Reasons:

The suggested reasons for the decision are set out in paragraphs 4.1-4.2 of this report. In summary the main reasons are: the high level of surplus places at the school and the risk therefore to future viability; the need to ensure effective use of resources and in turn raise standards across schools; and the need to secure value for money in public services.

Rolls have fallen since 2003 and, though they are projected to rise to 2014, the school will remain small at less than 80 pupils. 

The school’s most recent OfSTED report in September 2009 commented, “St John’s is providing a satisfactory education with strengths in some important areas... overall progress is satisfactory rather than good.

Small schools in Medway receive a curriculum protection element within their budgets: this is calculated on a sliding scale so that the smallest schools receive the highest payments.  In the case of St. John’s, this amounted to £47,274 in 2009/10.  The school also attracts private donations – these have varied between £892 and zero  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3