Agenda, decisions and minutes

Any county councillor may, by giving notice to the Proper Officer by 9 am two working days before the meeting, ask a question on any matter in respect of the Cabinet Member’s delegated powers.

The number of questions which may be asked by any councillor at any one meeting is limited to two (or one question with notice and a supplementary question at the meeting) and the time for questions will be limited to 30 minutes in total. As with questions at Council, any questions which remain unanswered at the end of this item will receive a written response.

Questions submitted prior to the agenda being despatched are shown below and will be the subject of a response from the appropriate Cabinet Member or such other councillor or officer as is determined by the Cabinet Member, and shall not be the subject of further debate at this meeting. Questions received after the despatch of the agenda, but before the deadline, will be shown on the Schedule of Addenda circulated at the meeting, together with any written response which is available at that time.

Forward Plan Ref: 2013/048

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

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

Hill View Primary School has completed the first section of the County Council scheme for applying to open a Foundation Stage Unit. In order to proceed to the second stage the application this requires the approval of the Cabinet Member for Education. If approved the County Council will publish statutory notices to lower the age range at which they admit pupils from 4, to 3 years of age. 

At present, children access their pre-school education at a variety of nurseries and pre-schools in Banbury. These included Hill View Pre-school which operates on the school site in the former Caretakers bungalow This Pre-school have received two consecutive Inadequate Ofsted ratings and as a result has had funding for early education places withdrawn by the Council.  The pre school have therefore decided to close.  The school would now like to develop their own FSU places to ensure a high quality provision for local families

The FSU, if approved, will initially open in September 2013 in the premises vacated by Hill View Pre-School. Funds have been identified to remodel and improve the accommodation. Longer term, Officers are investigating the possibility of including the FSU within already scheduled extension and remodelling of the school.   The school intends to offer up to 40 part time places but allow parents to of rising 3s to pay for a term of nursery prior to qualifying for a free place.

The School has consulted governors, parents, partnership schools and private and voluntary pre school providers in the area on these proposals and at the time of report submission, no objections had been received. However, the consultations are still ongoing and an update will be provided to the Cabinet Member before the meeting should any objections arise.

The Cabinet Member for Education is RECOMMENDED to agree to the publication of statutory notices to take this proposal forward to the next formal phase.

Forward Plan Ref: 2012/185

Contact: Debbie Rouget, Sufficiency and Access Manager, Early Years & Childcare Tel: (018654) 810617

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

St Peter's CE Primary School has completed the first section of the County Council scheme for applying to open a Foundation Stage Unit. If approved this will allow the School to publish statutory notices to lower the age range at which they admit pupils from 4 to 3 years of age. 

Most of the pupils who attend the school have had their pre school experience in Cassington Pre-school which is in a small prefabricated building on the School site. This unit is reaching the end of it's useful life and is becoming increasingly expensive to maintain.  Both the School and the pre school work closely in partnership to ensure smooth transitions for children. The School has successfully bid for a share of Local Capital Voluntary Aided Programme (LCVAP) money to fund a permanent extension to create a new FSU. The School and pre-school together have also fundraised in excess of £25,000 to put towards the project.

If the project is approved, the pre-school will close and the staff will transfer to the school. The extension will create a purpose-built foundation stage unit to house the F1 to F3 age group. The School Headteacher has the full support of the pre school staff in making this application.  The school intends to offer childcare for 2 1/2 year olds to ensure this provision isn't lost with the closure of Cassington Pre-school. The school will register with Ofsted for this purpose.

The School has consulted governors, parents, partnership schools and private and voluntary pre school providers in the area on these proposals and no objections have been received.

The Cabinet Member for Education is RECOMMENDED to agree to the publication of statutory notices to take this proposal forward to the next formal phase.