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ITEM CC9 - Supplement - Annex

EXECUTIVE – 28 OCTOBER 2003

DISPOSAL OF WINDMILL FIRST SCHOOL - REQUEST BY IQRA SCHOOL COMMITTEE

Notes by the Head of Resources (Learning & Culture) and Head of Property

 

IQRA School Committee Request

  1. As noted on the Executive's agenda, the Iqra School Committee have approached members and officers asking that they be given the opportunity to purchase the Windmill School site. A formal request has not been made but it is understood that the Committee would like to be granted an option which would be exercisable within 12 months, and that the school would not be disposed of on the open market during that time.

  2. The principal concerns of the Muslim community are believed to be as follows:

  • They feel it essential that Muslim girls should have single sex education at the secondary age. This problem has arisen as a result of the closure of Milham Ford School.

  • There is a perception that Muslim students under-achieve in the present schooling system.

  • Some in the community feel schools do not nurture and teach the moral values that the Muslim community believe in.

  1. The solution perceived by the Muslim community is that a separate school should be created for them (especially for secondary age girls). Initially the school would be private and independent. At a later date, based on anticipated success, the Muslim community might initiate the process of seeking a change to Voluntary Aided status.

    2. Comments on the IQRA School Proposal

  2. There are some factors members may wish to bear in mind in forming a view over whether to support the Muslim request for special consideration in relation to the purchase of the Windmill School premises:

  • Performance data do not support the claim of under-achievement; indeed, Muslim girls achieve at least as well as their non-Muslim peers.

  • The more generalised belief that faith schools achieve better results than community schools should be viewed in the light of the National Foundation for Educational Research findings (2001) which suggest that the marginal improvements could be accounted for by the greater degree of selection in faith schools.

  • There is no quantified evidence of demand for a girls-only school within Oxford City. At the time of writing, it is thought that there are five Muslim schools within the maintained system nationally (2 secondary; 3 primary), with several more applications (8) to the Secretary of State pending. It is understood that all the maintained Muslim schools had previously demonstrated their viability as private, independent schools. The two current secondary Muslim schools are in Bradford and Birmingham; both these areas have a potential market vastly greater than that seen in Oxford.

  • Members will wish to consider whether they would want to actively support the creation of a further independent school within Oxford. Independent schools are not obliged to employ qualified staff, follow the National Curriculum, undertake standard assessment tests, etc.

  1. The Government Green Paper Schools: Building on Success (2001) endorsed an increase in the number of state-funded religious schools, an increase predicated on a faith schools' contribution to the wider community, as well as the nurturing of the faith. Whilst some commentators support this policy, others regard it as socially and racially divisive.

    2. Property Issues

  2. The capital receipt from the sale of the school is required as part of the funding of the Reorganisation of City Schools and is programmed to be received in 2004/5. Marketing is likely to start in April 2004 with a tender date in July and completion late September. The Council's normal procedure is that all surplus property should be offered for sale on the open market unless there are exceptional reasons why a sale should be negotiated with a particular party. The Constitution states that:

    3. 'Except with the express agreement of the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council, or if otherwise required by any statutory provision or specifically ordered by the Council, no property estimated to exceed £25,000 in value shall be sold or otherwise disposed of except by public auction, sealed bid or by tender after public advertisement'.

  3. The guidance notes on the Procedures for the Acquisition and Disposal of Property state that:

    4. 'There must be good reasons for selling property otherwise than on the open market. Property will normally only be sold to named purchasers, provided that the Council is satisfied that the price agreed is not less than could be reasonably obtained on the open market'.

  4. From time to time the Council does agree to the sale of property other than on the open market. This is normally in relation to: the sale of small areas of land to adjoining owners where there is a request from the adjoining owner and the Council is satisfied that the sale does not prejudice the use of any retained land for the Council's purposes or future development and it is unlikely that any other party would wish to acquire the land; and to sales where the Council supports the proposed use or development of the land and there is a clear benefit from that use or development and the Council's policies e.g. sales to District Councils and Housing Associations where land is to be used for affordable housing and there are agreements either for nomination rights or accommodation is provided specifically for the use of the County Council.

  5. The test should be whether the Council can adequately demonstrate that there is good reason to deny all other parties the opportunity to bid for the property on the open market. There should therefore be some identifiable benefit to the Council, or it is safe to assume that no other party would be interested in acquiring the property. Consideration should be given to whether the open market value of the property can reasonably be assessed. This will normally depend upon whether there is adequate evidence of market values from other sales. In relation to the Windmill School site the Council does have evidence from the sales already agreed of other surplus school sites. However, some of the receipts have exceeded expectations. The market for housing land in Oxford City is still very strong and it is clearly possible that a sale on the open market would achieve a price in excess of the estimate beyond the normal margin of accuracy for estimates.

  6. The Council should also take into consideration the likelihood of the sale being completed within the agreed time scale. Evidence of funding and any conditions to be satisfied prior to completion should be considered.

  7. Should members conclude that there are exceptional reasons for making special arrangements with the Iqra School Committee for the sale of the Windmill School site then there would need to be further discussion on those arrangements and the terms for any option agreement or sale, which would be subject to the approval of the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council.

ROBERT CAPSTICK
Head of Resources (Learning & Culture)

NEIL MONAGHAN
Head of Property

Background Papers: Nil

Contact Officers:
Robert Capstick, Tel 01865 815155
 Neil Monaghan, Tel 01865 815712

October 2003

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