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for Decision
CABINET MEMBER FOR
SCHOOLS IMPROVEMENT –
SCHOOL ORGANISATION
PROPOSALS TO EXTEND THE AGE RANGE OF LAUNTON , BURFORD
AND
Report by Strategic Manager (Property & Assets), Strategy and Performance
Introduction
1.
These statutory proposals are to be considered under
the transitional arrangements brought about by the Education & Inspections
Act 2006. All three proposals involve the extension of the age range of the
school from 4 - 11 to 3 - 11 with the opening of a nursery class at the
schools. The notices (attached as an Annex) were published before
Background
2.
A report was approved by the Cabinet Member for
Schools Improvement to support the publication of statutory notices for
Decision making
process
3.
Decision makers are required to have regard to the
appropriate guidance. In this case the guidance in operation prior to
4.
The proportion of children under compulsory school
age in the area of the local education authority who are educated at schools
maintained by the local education authority is approximately 48%, averaged over
the school year.
5.
The proportion of children who are educated at
schools not maintained by the local education authority is approximately 44%,
averaged over the school year.
6.
The proposal is to open a nursery class for 15 x 4-year
olds and 15 x 3-year olds some of whom will attend part time. If there is
sufficient interest the school will look into the viability of offering ‘wrap around’
care. The current number of children on the
roll is 75. The admission number for the
school is 15, however, since 2004, the actual number of children applying for a
place each year has been lower: between four and ten. The school came out of the Ofsted category of
Special Measures in July 2005 which had identified underachievement in the
Early Years. The school believes that
its progress in addressing the weaknesses will be reflected in higher numbers
of parents requesting a place at the school in the future and that admitting
younger children will also boost their popularity. At the present time there
are likely to be 17 x 4-year old children starting at the school in September
2007.
7.
The report carried out by the Senior Advisory Teacher
is positive and recognizes the benefits of the current Head Teacher’s Early
Years expertise. An extra teacher would
need to be employed to job share with the Head Teacher in this new class. The premises report indicates that the school
has sufficient capital funding to develop the proposed alterations to the
accommodation which will then meet the space requirements for both indoors and
outdoors for the anticipated number of Foundation Stage children; there will
also be sufficient toilet provision. This
report raises concerns over the sustainability of this venture. Whilst the Head Teacher feels the school is
well placed to expand there is a risk that if this does not happen, the budget
will not support this proposal.
8.
The school is demonstrating a gradual trend in
growing numbers since coming out of special measures in July 2005; however
there is currently no surplus budget available to accommodate any variations in
the plans put forward for this new nursery class. The plan relies on the predicted pupil numbers
put forward in the proposal that may be optimistic based on the past few
years. The local pre-school is not full
either. The proposed budget allows for a
basic grade teacher with a maximum of three years experience and would require
the Head Teacher to teach two days a week in the nursery class, as well as
covering teacher absence in the school. The finance officer has, therefore, concluded
that this proposal could put the school in a financially vulnerable position.
9.
The school held a consultation evening, sent out
letters to local providers and held a meeting for parents. The local pre-school, which has operated for
over 40 years and developed its provision, has attended all meetings and sent a
written response to the school and the local authority raising objections. The pre-school suggests that this development
would put them seriously at risk of closure because it would directly compete
for the same children. It currently
offers places for children younger than 3 years so this service for parents
could be lost. The pre-school received a
good Ofsted report and operates in its own building up the hill from the primary
school. It states it would like to
develop a stronger partnership with the school and build good links which would
be of benefit to both children and parents.
10.
Taking into account the uncertainty of pupil numbers
and, therefore, the delicate financial position of the school, together with
the concerns raised by the pre-school, there is a risk that the school will
struggle to be able to maintain this provision. However, the Head Teacher has worked very hard
to bring the school out of Special Measures and in so doing, she has been
successful in raising standards of teaching and learning and, as a consequence,
attracting families back to the school. The Head Teacher and Governors are committed to making this project a
success and further developing its potential. Following a series of meetings with the
playgroup those objections have been withdrawn and the 2 are planning to work
in partnership.
11.
The current capacity is 60 pupils, with one spare
classroom; 90, including the spare classroom (excluding F1 areas); 105
including F1. However, the school has
carried out a major internal remodel, and the spare classroom will be in use
and a larger, more suitable area will be available for F1 and F2 pupils. There are no other planning issues. The number
on the roll is 76 including F1 pupils. There
are no other schools within a 2 mile radius.
12.
Forecast pupils numbers for the
next five years are stable. Assuming the
proposals are approved, the school would rise to 8 year groups, without
affecting the capacity of the school as F2 pupils would share the same
accommodation as F1 pupils, where there are currently surplus places. The admission arrangements for F2 children
will be handled by the school direct. The
admission arrangements for F1 children will be handled by the County Council’s
admissions team. The Ofsted report in 2005 removed the school from special measures.
Charlton-on-Otmoor
13.
The proposal from this school is to admit younger
children from the age of 3 years who are currently on the pre-school roll
within the school building. This situation
has arisen because the pre-school has been unable to maintain a committee and
the necessary staffing over the past year. They are managing to keep the pre-school open
but have asked the School Governors and Head Teacher to take over the
responsibility from them from September 2007. At the present time they operate as a
Partnership Foundation Stage Unit and work together sharing staff and
resources. There are currently 26
children attending each of the two half day sessions. The school has just lost its Foundation Stage
teacher but will be recruiting for September. The advisory teacher‘s report is positive and
highlights good staffing ratios and facilities and a sound understanding of the
needs of young children. The school is
well-placed to develop further. The
recent Ofsted concluded the Foundation Stage in the
School is ‘good’. The children will
remain in the same room in which they are currently accommodated. This space is of sufficient size to
accommodate the number of children already there and this will remain the same.
The outdoor garden is fenced and there is a covered area. There are sufficient
toilets. Children attend for 2 ½ hours a day. There are no additional childcare
arrangements.
14.
The School finance officer has confirmed that at the
present time the School can afford to recruit support staff for the new class.
The staff currently employed by the preschool will transfer to work in the
school under T.U.P.E arrangements. The school already employs the Foundation
Stage teacher.
15.
All the required consultations have been carried out
and this indicated that there is complete support from the community, local
providers and parents.
16.
The current capacity for the school is 90 and the
number on roll is 77 and forecasts for the school remain stable. The admission
number is 15. There are no other schools within 2 miles. The school was
inspected in November 2006 and was deemed to be good.
Launton VC Primary school
17.
The objective of the
proposal is to continue to maintain current provision. A staggered entry to the
school has always worked well. Most children are familiar with the school
context prior to their F1 year. Parents, children and the community in general
have been happy with this including other ‘early years’ providers. The current provision
involves maintaining Foundation stage Unit for upto 24 pupils. The autumn born
and spring born children come to the school for ½ days either morning or
afternoon depending on numbers 2 terms before the term in which they are 5. The
numbers are never above 30 in the FSU. The education provided will be
consistent with integration of nursery education for this age of child.
Children attend for 2 ½ hours a day. There are no additional childcare
arrangements.
18.
The early years adviser
initially met with the head teacher in October 2005 to set up a system of
consultation between governors, parents and the local pre-school with wider
consultation in September 2006 with positive comments received from a number of
local schools and the local playgroup on site. As these proposals confirm the
current position there will be no change to the operation of the playgroup at
the present time.
19.
The following Primary schools are within 2 miles
radius of the school. They mostly have early years facilities. The children attending Launton are mainly
local and there is no impact on other schools as these
proposals regularize a practice that has been in place for some time.
20.
The school has an admission number of 27 a capacity
of 115 and 95 on roll with 24 F1’s and 5 F2’s. The forecasts are stable. The
school was inspected in May 2006 and was judged as satisfactory. The school is
voluntary controlled but there are no planning or capital costs associated with
these proposals.
RECOMMENDATION
21.
The
Cabinet Member for School Improvement is RECOMMENDED to approve the statutory
proposals extending the age range of Launton, Burford
and Charlton-on-Otmoor Primary schools from 4 - 11 to
3 - 11 by the addition of a nursery class.
MICHAEL MILL
Strategic Manager (Property & Assets), Strategy
and Performance Service
Children, Young People &
Families
Background papers:
Contact Officer: Michael
Mill, Strategic Manager (Property & Assets), Strategy and Performance
Service Tel: (01865) 816458
July 2007 |