Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Schools Improvement

Forward Plan Ref: 2010/105

Contact: Barbara Chillman, Principal Officer – School Organisation and Planning Tel: (01865) 816459

Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families (CA 10).

This report considers two alternative proposals to expand primary school provision within Henley. The number of 4-year-olds needing school places has risen over the last few years, and is forecast to peak in 2012 before again falling. This has led to increasing pressure on primary school places across the town, which has been met in the last two years through Trinity CE Primary School and Badgemore Primary School agreeing to admit over their admission number on a temporary basis.

A consultation was carried out in Henley (9 June – 21 July 2010) to gather views on whether Trinity CE Primary School or Badgemore Primary School should be expanded permanently. Feasibility studies have been carried out at both schools to assess the accommodation requirements and capital implications for each expansion.

A decision is now sought as to whether to proceed to issuing statutory notices to expand either Trinity CE Primary School or Badgemore Primary School. Publication of such a statutory proposal requires confirmation from the local authority that funds will be made available for the necessary capital costs. 

The  Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to either:

(a)               approve the publication of a statutory notice for the expansion of Badgemore Primary School, Henley to 1 form entry, confirming that funds will be made available for the capital costs identified in paragraph 25 above; or

(b)              approve the publication of a statutory notice for the expansion of Trinity Primary School, Henley to 2 form entry, confirming that funds will be made available for the capital costs identified in paragraph 24 above.

The Cabinet had before them a report (CA10) that considered two alternative proposals to expand primary school provision within Henley. The number of 4-year-olds needing school places has risen over the last few years, and is forecast to peak in 2012 before again falling. This has led to increasing pressure on primary school places across the town, which has been met in the last two years through Trinity CE Primary School and Badgemore Primary School agreeing to admit over their admission number on a temporary basis.

A consultation was carried out in Henley (9 June – 21 July 2010) to gather views on whether Trinity CE Primary School or Badgemore Primary School should be expanded permanently. Feasibility studies have been carried out at both schools to assess the accommodation requirements and capital implications for each expansion.

A decision is now sought as to whether to proceed to issuing statutory notices to expand either Trinity CE Primary School or Badgemore Primary School. Publication of such a statutory proposal requires confirmation from the local authority that funds will be made available for the necessary capital costs. 

The  Cabinet were recommended to either:

(a)               approve the publication of a statutory notice for the expansion of Badgemore Primary School, Henley to 1 form entry, confirming that funds will be made available for the capital costs identified in paragraph 25 above; or

(b)              approve the publication of a statutory notice for the expansion of Trinity Primary School, Henley to 2 form entry, confirming that funds will be made available for the capital costs identified in paragraph 24 above.

Prior to consideration of this item the Cabinet were addressed by Jo Edmondson, Chair of Governors, Trinity C. of E. Primary School, Henley. She circulated an alternative submission on behalf of the School Governing Body which was substantially less than the stated £3.5m, as a result of amending the design and substantially reducing the scope.

In response to this Councillor Michael Waine pointed out that the pressure on numbers was similar for Badgemore School, who had also worked with officers to alleviate the situation.

Following a full discussion and after receiving advice given by Barbara Chillman and Roy Leach, it was

RESOLVED to defer decision on this item to either the 1 March 2011 Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement Delegated Decisions meeting or to the next meeting of Cabinet on 15 March 2011, so that further advice could be given by the officers, taking into account consultation with both schools.