Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Education

Forward Plan Ref: 2013/007

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

Report by Director for Children’s Services (CA7).

Since starting in post, the current Headteacher of Cutteslowe Primary School, Oxford has raised a concern about the sufficiency of the FSU accommodation.

Officers consider that the school has sufficient floor area for 60 F1 pupils and up to 26fte F2 (Nursery) pupils which would be typical of a 2 Form of Entry (admission number 60) primary school. However, the Headteacher and TCSAT, wish to continue to admit up to 39 fte F2 (Nursery) pupils, which the school has chosen to do for several years. There is an over-sufficiency of childcare for this age group in the area.

An option appraisal was commissioned by Children Education & Families to investigate the FSU area and present options on what work might be carried out, and its cost. No budget is identified to carry out any works to the FSU and so the matter has now been referred to Cabinet to make a decision on whether to allocate funds, and if so, how much.

Cabinet is recommended to:

(a)      decide whether it would wish to financially support The Cherwell School Academy Trust's aspiration to make provision for 78 (39 fte) rather than 52 (26 fte) F2 (nursery pupils); and

(b)      if it decides so to do whether to:

i.          fully fund the expansion of the Cutteslowe School foundation stage area (as per Option 2 in Annex 1); or

ii.       make a maximum contribution towards the scheme and determine what that sum shall be.

In the light of a wish by the Head Teacher and The Cherwell School Academy Trust to continue to provide 39 full time equivalent (fte) F2 nursery places an option appraisal was commissioned by Children Education & Families to investigate the Foundation Stage Unit area and to present options on what work might be carried out, and its cost. Cabinet considered a report on the options appraisal that sought their decision on whether to allocate funds, and if so, how much.

Jon Gray, Head Teacher Cutteslowe Primary School, spoke in support of the extension of the FSU to be able to continue to provide 39fte nursery places. He highlighted that the school had been in special measures for a number of years and that he had taken over late in 2011. In their most recent OFSTED they had been found to making good progress. He explained the background to the recent move under The Cherwell School Academy Trust and highlighted that 40% of pupils were on free school meals and 50% did not have English as a first language. These challenges shaped the curriculum on offer. In referring to the report he stated that the concerns about the size of the nursery unit had been voiced by the school before he had started. The feasibility, procurement and design had all happened at once and he felt that because of that these concerns had been missed. He was aware of only one school of 60 F1 pupils that had only 26 F2 places. The rest were similar to Cutteslowe Primary School and he noted that they already had 39 children in the morning session. The additional provision would allow the school to take children earlier and this would assist in their achievement. With an extended classroom they could take some two year olds in line with the policy around provision for disadvantaged two year olds.

Responding to a question on numbers from Councillor Heathcoat, Mr Gray indicated that they already had 39 children in the morning session and would want 39 in the afternoon session.

Councillor Jean Fooks, speaking as a local councillor expressed surprise that the report referred to over provision in Summertown and Wolvercote and stated that she did not think this was the case. Of the nursery provision taken into account most were private and very few are within one mile of school. Parents would not travel 3 miles with a young child. Cutteslowe Primary School nursery provision was full and there was a waiting list. The school served a deprived area. The extension of the main school to two form was good and The Cherwell School was delighted at the joint Trust status. She felt that it was important that the County Council did what it could and she very much hoped that some support could be found. She referred to the map tabled by Mr Gray and explained where the extended classroom could go. She referred to the additional housing in Wolvercote and that much of this would be social housing.

In response to a question from Councillor Hibbert-Biles about the waiting list, Mr Gray returned to the table. He replied that there were 28 in September but would be 39 in January. He added that he had had to turn children away.

Councillor Tilley, Cabinet Member for Education in introducing the contents of the report paid tribute to Jon Gray. She highlighted that the County Council was spending £2m for the school to become 2-form entry. There was no funding available from the County Council to pay for additional nursery provision as it could not be considered under the Basic Needs budget. As an Academy there were other funding streams available to the school. She proposed that no financial support be provided to make provision for 78 (39 fte) F2 places.

Roy Leach, confirmed the officer view that there was not a basic need for additional places. It was expected that all other provision be considered and there were sufficient places in the recognised planning area. The School has sufficient space for 60 F1 pupils. Responding to a question from the Leader he confirmed that if Cabinet agreed the proposal then there would be additional over provision.

During discussion the following points were made:

(1) This was money that the Council had not got and there were many areas where Cabinet Members could identify additional spend within their own areas that could not take place because funding was not available.

(2) There was over capacity so funding could not be provided through the Basic Needs budget. There was no objective need for 39 places morning and afternoon. However the school could access alternative funding on suitability and condition as well as capacity. The Leader added that he was sure that officers would be happy to assist in applying for these other funding streams.

(3) As an Academy the School had more autonomy and as there was a sufficiency of places then the County Council was not responsible for this additional provision.

RESOLVED: Not to financially support The Cherwell School Academy Trust's aspiration to make provision for 78 (39 full time equivalent (fte)) rather than 52 (26 fte) F2 (nursery pupils).