Agenda item

This report updates the committee on the School Organisation Plan 2011-16.  It reviews the plan and the actions taken so far and sets out what further actions will need to be included in the ongoing implementation programme.  It describes how situations have changed since Cabinet approved the School Organisation Plan in November 2011 and the impact these changes have had and will have on expected pupil numbers in the future. 

Discussion:

The Performance, Intelligence and Strategic Planning Manager introduced the report and gave an update on actions against the agreed plan and changes required based on more up to date pupil forecast data that had been collected.

Since the plan was agreed there had been a further increase in the birth rate and an increase of families moving into Medway.  Therefore, some of the plans for increased capacity of school places had to be bought forward to accommodate the increased number of primary school age children by expanding provision in schools, including temporarily increasing the capacity at Greenvale Primary School. A new primary school was also due to be opened in Chatham in September 2014.

Officers then answered questions from Members, which related to:

·        A commitment being given to actively involve Ward Councillors with any discussions with regards to school places across Medway, and in particular in the Hoo area;

·        In terms of the Section 106 agreement funding relating to housing developments on the peninsula that had been assigned for education, members of the committee would be provided with a briefing note showing a breakdown of how the total allocation of funding had been spent;

·        Confirmation of the figures relating to actual births in Medway and the net gain in actual pre-school children would be provided to Members;

·        The decision by the Council to close Ridge Meadow Primary School in December 2009 had been due to the pressure placed on local authorities at the time by the previous government to close schools when they had surplus places, which resulted in the local authorities being penalised if action was not taken;

·        The issue of over supply of secondary school places was a challenge going forward but the current Government policy was to encourage a market of choice so it was important to manage the tensions until spaces begin to fill, which was expected to be in approximately three years;

·        In terms of capacity at early years provision, a balance would need to be struck between the local authority and the private sector, as there would be additional pressure when the local authority becomes statutorily required to provide places for two year olds from 40% of the most deprived families;

·        The expansion at Saxon Way Primary School was still planned to go ahead despite it being in the process of becoming an academy;

·        The Lodge Hill development had been an ongoing matter due to the delays in its commencement. Any development would however require an increase in school capacity;

·        For any new school provision, to develop this as a voluntary aided school, instead of an academy or a free school, would have to be a Cabinet decision;

·        Additional places in Chatham/Rochester are being explored to identify suitable solutions should further capacity be required;

·        Design work had recently been completed on the Chatham South site for the new primary school and some surplus buildings had been identified, however it would be a Cabinet decision in relation to what should happen to those buildings.

Decision:

1)         The Committee recommended the Cabinet to approve the revised action plan taking into account the demographic changes to the population as reflected in forecasts updated in Spring 2011.

2)         The Committee requested that:

·        A briefing note on the Section 106 agreement funding relating to development on the Peninsula and how it has been spent on education is circulated to Members.

·        Members are updated on exact figures for the graphs showing actual birth figures from 1997 – 2012 and the net gain in actual pre-school age children 2004 to 2012.

·        Any future discussions relating to pupil places involve Ward Councillors.