Agenda and minutes

Forward Plan Ref: 2013/043

Contact: Diane Cameron, School Organisation Officer Tel: (01865) 816445

Report by Director for Children’s Services (CMDE4).

The report outlines a proposal is to merge John Hampden Primary School with its federated Nursery School. The legal mechanism to achieve this is to formally close the Nursery School, and extend the age range of the Primary School to include 3 year olds. Currently the same Governing Body and Headteacher run both establishments. Under this proposal, the services provided by each school would continue, under the same management as presently but with simplified administration.

Additionally if the proposal is approved, only one Ofsted inspection would need to be carried out on the site, and only one set of data requested by the Department for Education would need to be returned by the school staff. This would release  administrative and management time in each case.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Families is RECOMMENDED to approve the alteration of the lower age limit of John Hampden Primary School and the linked closure of John Hampden Nursery School with effect from 1 September 2013.

Forward Plan Ref: 2013/041

Contact: Diane Cameron, School Organisation Officer Tel: (01865) 816445

Report by Director for Children’s Services (CMDE5).

The report outlines a proposal to merge Five Acres Primary School with its federated Nursery School. The legal mechanism to achieve this is to formally close the Nursery School, and extend the age range of the Primary School to include 3 year olds. Currently the same Governing Body and Headteacher run both establishments. Under this proposal, the services provided by each school would continue, under the same management as presently but with simplified administration.

The reasons for proposing this change are to consolidate the Governing Body’s financial responsibility into one budget where they currently must manage two. With a single budget to manage, funding could be directed toward priorities agreed upon across the whole school whereas currently for example, the primary budget cannot be spent on the nursery school.

Additionally if the proposal is approved, only one Ofsted inspection would need to be carried out on the site, and only one set of data requested by the Department for Education would need to be returned by the school staff. This would release administrative and management time in each case.

The Cabinet Member for Education is RECOMMENDED to approve the alteration of the lower age limit of Five Acres Primary School and the linked closure of Five Acres Nursery School with effect from 1 September 2013.