Agenda, decisions and minutes

Forward Plan Ref: 2014/124

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

Report by Director for Children’s Services (CMDCEF4).

This proposal is led by Oxfordshire County Council and is to formally remove the boarding provision at the "hostel" run as part of Northfield School, Oxford. The report sets out what alternative provision is envisaged in due course.

The reason for the proposal is that following a Health & Safety survey, the building had to be closed to students and is beyond economic repair.

The proposal includes the intention to use receipts of the sale of the site to improve the main building of Northfield School.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Families is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposal to close the boarding facility at Northfield School.

Forward Plan Ref: 2014/100

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

Report by Director for Children’s Services (CMDCEF5).

This proposal is led by Oxfordshire County Council and is effectively a "merger" of West Kidlington Nursery and Primary Schools.

The process that must be followed in order to effect this merger, is to close the Nursery School as a separate establishment and alter the age range of the Primary School.

The two schools are run by the same governing body and Headteacher already and so there should be no change on the ground to provision offered. All accommodation remains as before and the intended result is a streamlining of administration, reducing time for staff and consolidating two budgets into one.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Families is RECOMMENDED to approve the publication of a statutory notice for the closure of West Kidlington Nursery School and the linked extension of age range of West Kidlington Primary School.

Forward Plan Ref: 2014/035

Contact: Debbie Rouget, Early Years & Childcare Sufficiency & Access Manager Tel (01865) 810617

Report by Director for Children’s Services (CMDCEF6).

The last review of rents and lease arrangements for early years providers’, operating on school premises, was carried out and approved by the Council’s Executive in 2003

Since 2003 there have been many significant developments and changes in national policy for both funded early education and the provision of childcare.

These include the introduction of statutory sufficiency duties for Local Authorities to secure sufficient provision and an expansion of childcare provided on school sites.

 The current coalition government has a clear desire to see access to more childcare on school sites, providing an 8am to 6pm offer of integrated education and care for children. The  Children and Families Bill 2013 paves the way to implementing a range of proposals, including making easier for schools to offer out of school care, either directly themselves or through 3rd parties.

These changes are against a current background of the availability and affordability of childcare being a significant concern of all the main political parties, local authorities, families, organisations concerned with the well-being of children and families, and many providers.

In light of the above there is a need for the Council to provide clear, consistent and transparent additional guidance to support both schools and providers.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Families is RECOMMENDED to:-

(a)          confirm support for the principle that school premises should be available for suitable community and extended services, particularly access to more childcare on school sites, providing an 8am to 6pm offer of integrated education and care for children;

(b)         implement the premises charges contained in Annexe 1 for arrangements being made between community schools and 3^rd party early years and childcare providers, where the parties themselves cannot agree the charges, and when other council premises are used to deliver these services;

(c)          recommend the arrangements contained in Annex 1 to all  other schools, including those operated by Diocesan authorities (voluntary controlled and voluntary aided schools) and academies in Oxfordshire.