Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Schools Improvement

Forward Plan Ref: 2009/107

Contact: Roy Leach, Strategic Lead

Report by Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families (CA11).

The Wantage and Grove area has been identified as an area offering the potential for significant additional housing. If this housing is built it will require additional secondary school provision to meet the anticipated increased demand for school places.

A previous review of secondary school places confirmed the desirability of rationalising the current King Alfred's School, Wantage from its current 3 sites to just two.

The report explores the implications of one or more significant housing developments in the Wantage and Grove area and how the secondary school needs arising from these can be met alongside delivering the King Alfred's School rationalisation.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

(a)              note the contents of this report and confirm that a new secondary school (with sixth form provision) should be planned and available prior to significant development as part of Grove airfield and/or North East Wantage; and

(b)       request officers, once Oxfordshire’s position regarding Building Schools for the Future is confirmed, to work together with King Alfred’s School governors to try to reach agreement on a strategy to achieve rationalisation of the school onto 2 sites.

Councillor Patrick reminded those present that this had come before the Cabinet two years ago, when three options were on the table.  She stated that Grove needed its own secondary school with sixth-form provision.

The Cabinet considered a report (CA11) on the implications of housing growth in the Grove and Wantage area on the provision of secondary school places

The Wantage and Grove area has been identified as an area offering the potential for significant additional housing. If this housing is built it will require additional secondary school provision to meet the anticipated increased demand for school places.  A previous review of secondary school places confirmed the desirability of rationalising the current King Alfred's School, Wantage from its current 3 sites to just two.

The report explores the implications of one or more significant housing developments in the Wantage and Grove area and how the secondary school needs arising from these can be met alongside delivering the King Alfred's School rationalisation.

RESOLVED:            to

(a)               note the contents of this report and confirm that a new secondary school (with sixth form provision) should be planned and available prior to significant development as part of Grove airfield and/or North East Wantage; and

(b)               request officers, once Oxfordshire’s position regarding Building Schools for the Future is confirmed, to work together with King Alfred’s School governors to try to reach agreement on a strategy to achieve rationalisation of the school onto 2 sites.