ITEM EX5 - ANNEX 1 - APPENDIX 2EXECUTIVE - 7 APRIL 2004DEVELOPMENT OF COUNTYWIDE SPECIAL SCHOOL PROVISION INCLUDING WOODEATON MANOR AND IFFLEY MEAD SCHOOLS
Philip Scott Dear Mr Scott, WOODEATON MANOR: PROPOSED USE FOR PUPILS WITH EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIOURAL DIFFICULTIES (EBD) I am writing following our site meeting on 2nd March. We discussed the above proposal to change the present use of the school from a provision for pupils with moderate learning difficulties (MLD) to one for those with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD). It is proposed to teach some, or alternatively, all, the pupils from Northfield EBD School at Woodeaton (Options 1 and 2 respectively). If Northfield School were relocated here as a whole, this would include the full range of EBD children, including those with challenging behaviour. In either option, it is my understanding that it is proposed to house 20 children, including some with challenging behaviour, in residential accommodation at Woodeaton (and that this may be increased from the present residential provision for MLD children of four nights up to seven). English Heritage does not claim to be in any way expert in the behaviour of children with special needs. However, we do have a clear understanding of the needs of historic buildings. Woodeaton Manor is a fine country house of 1775 with additions dated 1791 by Sir John Soane. It has important interiors by Soane. Its importance is recognised in its Grade II* listing. Many of the interior features are potentially very vulnerable to damage, notably the fine polished West African mahogany doors (many with their original door furniture); the intricately carved and inlaid fireplaces, each one of a different design; the original, extremely precious pier glasses in the Saloon with gold surrounds and inlaid veneered segmental tables below; the jib doors with early book spines in the same room; the doorframes with their decorative cornices; the decorative cornices in each room; the main staircase with its polished mahogany handrail and wrought iron balustrade. This is to mention only some of the features of interest. The decorative detailing throughout is delicate and extremely vulnerable, even to ordinary wear and tear. The present use of the school has been essentially benign, having been cherished by the staff, and respected by the reportedly relatively governable MLD children, over many years. Indeed we commend the school and the County itself on the care they have bestowed upon this important house over the years. However, it is our understanding that EBD children are not all so governable, and that some have aggressive and damaging behaviour. Indeed the DfES Design Bulletin (p.17) states that ‘there is a strong need for a robust and resilient environment for EBD children’. The proposal to use of Woodeaton for EBD children is therefore a cause of grave concern to English Heritage. Keith Borien explained at my visit that in Option 1 it is intended to choose only those EBD children who do not have destructive behaviour to come to Woodeaton, and he personally doubted whether there would be much perceptible difference, if any, in comparison with the behaviour of the present pupils. However, it is our understanding that EBD pupils represent a continuum of behaviour and that no clear definition can be made and no clear line can be pre-defined, between those with behaviour that would be benign to the historic fabric and those whose behaviour may be damaging to it. It would presumably be a matter for the school to decide on an individual basis which pupils would attend Woodeaton. This would leave Woodeaton School extremely vulnerable to internal pressures and changes of policy within the school and the authority, that could potentially allow a relaxation in the kinds of pupils allowed at Woodeaton, towards those in the more behaviorally disturbed part of the spectrum. Option 2 would allow the full range of pupils in straight away, which in our view would be entirely unacceptable and should be immediately ruled out. However, in our view Option 1 would also be unacceptable, because of the difficulty of pre-defining and controlling over time the kinds of pupils allowed at Woodeaton. Options 1 and 2 would also be unacceptable because of the proposed EBD residential provision (see below). It is our understanding that the proposed residential children in both Options 1 and 2 would be from all parts of the EBD spectrum. It was stated at our meeting that none of them would be housed overnight in the Manor, but only in the Grade II listed stable block. However, we presume that they would still need to use the facilities inside the Manor, in particular, the Soane dining hall and the gymnasium and would therefore have to move through the Manor to do so? (Indeed, we understand that at a recent public meeting LEA officials were unable to state that the Manor House would be out-of-bounds to the children in the residence.) This is likely to put the internal fabric of the Manor at risk. There would also be an increased risk of external vandalism. Furthermore, it was pointed out at our meeting that the present boarding MLD children share bedrooms (all of which are in the stable block) and the expectation is that the EBD children would do the same. However, I also heard it said at our meeting that it is undesirable for EBD children to share bedrooms and that single rooms are highly preferable for them. We wonder how this could be accommodated at Woodeaton without, either, considerable alteration to the Grade II stables or the occupation of the bedrooms in the Manor itself by these children, with attendant potential risks to the fabric? It should be stressed that English Heritage does not see any potential for additional buildings or extensions to be erected at Woodeaton. It was stated at our meeting that no building work is planned to accommodate the proposed new use at Woodeaton. However we note that a ‘suitability survey’ was to take place the following day and we wonder whether this has highlighted any necessary changes? It would appear that the impact on the fabric of Woodeaton Manor has yet to be defined. (In this connection we note that some features of the Manor are unsafe even for the present pupils, notably the main staircase with its low balustrade. We understand that this is ‘out-of bounds’ to pupils.) In summary, English Heritage considers that both Options 1 and 2 would be highly inappropriate for Woodeaton Manor and we have grave concerns about the proposals. Option 2 would clearly be worse, but Option 1 would also be a matter of grave concern for English Heritage. This is not only because of what we regard as a significant potential risk to the fabric of the Manor and its setting of housing in residential accommodation the full range of EBD children, but also in principle because once the school is under the EBD umbrella it would in our view be difficult to control the kind of pupils allowed to attend Woodeaton. Someone mentioned at the meeting that delicate features such as the fireplaces and the staircase balustrade might need to be boxed in to protect them from damage. However, in our view this would be a very last resort, which in itself would brutalize and degrade the environment of the house and might attract more damage (if not actual theft). It would be an entirely inappropriate way to treat a Grade II* house. Also, there are features that would be difficult to protect in this way, for example the highly polished mahogany doors and their original door furniture. (Indeed the latter might need to be changed in order to allow for locking rooms when not in use - which we understand is the practice at Northfield School at present.) Instead, a house such as this, needs a ‘loose fit’ use that is not too demanding of the fabric. We are very concerned indeed that both the options now offered would put additional pressure on the fabric, which would be expected to perform in a more intensive way than at present, with more pupils and potentially longer residential stays. Whilst English Heritage fully appreciates the County Council’s need to fulfill its educational requirements, we also most strongly request that it continues to fulfill its responsibility to protect this important Grade II* listed house in its care, by using it for a function which is appropriate to its fabric. It is our understanding that a continuation of the present MLD school use (and intensity of use) at Woodeaton is simply not an option, on cost grounds. We regret this. In view of the matters discussed above, we strongly object to the use of Woodeaton for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties. We wonder whether alternative uses have been or could be explored, that would allow a relatively benign and ‘loose fit’ level of use, such as we see at present? The present time is clearly an important turning point in the life of this Grade II* country house. In view of this we strongly recommend that your Council, as responsible owners of this important historic building, commission a Conservation Plan from a suitably qualified external conservation consultant. This would define in detail the significances of the building, would examine its vulnerabilities and define appropriate policies to manage these vulnerabilities. (We would be more than happy to provide a generic brief for this, upon request.) Should Oxfordshire County Council wish to further pursue the proposal to educate and/or house EBD children at Woodeaton, we would also wish to see a separate Impact Assessment, likewise by a suitably qualified external conservation consultant, written in the light of the Conservation Plan. Please do contact me if you would like to discuss the above matters, or if there is anything else I can do. Yours sincerely,
Dr
Diane Green Cc
John Griffin (OCC)
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