Cabinet Member: Children and Young People

Forward Plan Ref: 2025/109

Contact: Barbara Chillman, Service Manager – Pupil Place Planning

Barbara.chillman@oxfordshire.gov.uk

The information in this case is exempt in that it falls within the following prescribed categories: 

3. Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) 

and since it is considered that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. 

The annex containing exempt information under the above paragraph is attached. 

Report of the Director of Children’s Services (CA20)

Woodeaton Manor School is a foundation school without a foundation, catering for children with social and emotional difficulties and is set to convert to academy status on 1st October 2025 following the issue of Directive Academy Order, with Propeller Academy Trust (PAT) as the academy trust.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:-

a)   approve the proposal for Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) to retain maintenance and repairs of Woodeaton manor school building after it converts to academy status and until the lease is terminated, at an annual cap of up to £0.2m per annum, for a period of between 2-4 years until the school can be relocated to new accommodation, the maximum cost to the general fund is £0.4m to £0.8m.

b)   approve the proposed funding, subject to conditions, as detailed in the annex, to support the trust with adaptations to the building to meet the special educational needs and disabilities (send) requirements of current students.

c)   approve an enhanced level of revenue funding for Woodeaton Manor School, as detailed in the annex, starting on the date of academy conversion (scheduled for 1 October 2025) and being reviewed on an annual basis, with any changes taking effect from 1 April each year.

d)   note the options relating to the land transfer set out in this report and to approve the delegation of authority to the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Director of Law & Governance and the Director of Property & Assets as appropriate, to finalise and execute the necessary documentation to meet the department for education (DFE) timescales for academisation. this includes the final decision relating to the transference of insurance excess costs in the case of negligence by the trust employees, and the final processes relating to freehold transfer.

Amended recommendations approved as follows:-

RESOLVED to:-

a)   approve the proposal for Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) to retain maintenance and repairs of Woodeaton Manor School building after it converts to academy status and until the lease is terminated, at an annual cap of up to £0.2m per annum, for a period of between 2-4 years until the school can be relocated to new accommodation. the maximum cost to the general fund is £0.4m to £0.8m.

b)   approve the proposed funding, subject to conditions, as detailed in the annex, to support the trust with adaptations to the building to meet the special educational needs and disabilities (send) requirements of current students.

c)   approve an enhanced level of revenue funding for Woodeaton Manor School, as detailed in the annex, starting on the date of academy conversion (scheduled for 1 October 2025) and being reviewed on an annual basis, with any changes taking effect from 1 April each year.

d)   note the options relating to the land transfer set out in this report and to approve the delegation of authority to the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Director of Law & Governance and the Director of Property & Assets as appropriate, to finalise and execute the necessary documentation to meet the Department for Education (DFE) timescales for academisation. this includes the final decision relating to the transference of insurance excess costs in the case of negligence by the trust employees, and the final processes relating to freehold transfer.

RESOLVED: that the public be excluded for the duration of item 20 since it is likely that if they were present during that item there would be disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) and specified below in relation to those items and since it is considered that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, presented the report.

Councillor Gaul moved and Councillor Hannaby seconded the following amended recommendations which were approved.

RESOLVED to:-

a)   approve the proposal for Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) to retain maintenance and repairs of Woodeaton Manor School building after it converts to academy status and until the lease is terminated, at an annual cap of up to £0.2m per annum, for a period of between 2-4 years until the school can be relocated to new accommodation. the maximum cost to the general fund is £0.4m to £0.8m.

b)   approve the proposed funding, subject to conditions, as detailed in the annex, to support the trust with adaptations to the building to meet the special educational needs and disabilities (send) requirements of current students.

c)   approve an enhanced level of revenue funding for Woodeaton Manor School, as detailed in the annex, starting on the date of academy conversion (scheduled for 1 October 2025) and being reviewed on an annual basis, with any changes taking effect from 1 April each year.

d)   note the options relating to the land transfer set out in this report and to approve the delegation of authority to the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Director of Law & Governance and the Director of Property & Assets as appropriate, to finalise and execute the necessary documentation to meet the Department for Education (DFE) timescales for academisation. this includes the final decision relating to the transference of insurance excess costs in the case of negligence by the trust employees, and the final processes relating to freehold transfer.