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ITEM CA9 CABINET – 15 JULY 2008
THE FUTURE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION IN DIDCOT
Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families
Introduction
1. Didcot is expanding and it is predicted that 850 secondary school places will be needed by 2013, with an additional 700 by 2020. If these predictions are correct, the equivalent of two small secondary schools will be needed.
2. Technical and scientific skills are likely to be increasingly required in the Didcot area given the nature of the local industries. A feasibility study is being commissioned by South Oxfordshire District Council to identify and quantify the present skills shortages and to explore the possibility of bringing stakeholders together to develop a Learning Park.
3. A site for a new secondary facility has been designated within the proposed major new housing development at Great Western Park on the western edge of Didcot.
4. Didcot currently has two secondary schools. Didcot Girls and St. Birinus Boys. Both have limited capacity for expansion. There is no Local Authority co-educational secondary provision in the area.
Issues
5. The new facility would need to provide co-education in order to offer parental choice in the Didcot area.
6. Any new secondary facility must include provision that enables the delivery of diplomas involving practical skills, vocational subjects and work experience.
7. It is now a requirement that every new educational facility catering for students under the age of 16 must be subject to a competition. The county council could not submit a bid because it would be the decision-maker for the competition. Bids would be invited from other interested parties.
8. The county council would need to draw up a specification for the new facility and consult widely on that. Then bids would be invited against the agreed specification.
9. The specification must include clear identification of the site available, the timescales and the funding sources.. Financial and Staff Implications
10. The costs of the new secondary facility would not be entirely covered from Section 106 developer funding so other forms of potential funding would need to be sought, including:
· Learning and Skills Council funding; · Building Schools for the Future funding for the second phase as part of Oxfordshire County Council’s expression of interest; · Capital Programme funding; · grant funding opportunities with strategic partners; and · private funding or sponsorship.
Risks
11. There is a risk that timescales could slip because of the downturn in the housing market and the knock-on effects on the timing of the availability of the site (referred to in paragraph 3) and on the payment of Section 106 developer funding. However, this could be mitigated by the fact that the school places will not be needed until the houses are built.
12. There is a risk that no bidders would come forward. If this happened, the county council would be able to commission the new facility as it has done in the past.
13. There is a small risk that government could propose modifications to the draft South East Plan (publication expected in July), amending the level of housing proposed for Didcot. This would impact in pupil numbers and timescales for delivery.
14. Next Steps
· If Cabinet granted approval, a specification for the new secondary facility would be drawn up.
· Consultation with stakeholders would then take place.
· Following the consultation, a competition would be held and the Cabinet would select the successful bid.
RECOMMENDATION
15. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:
(a) approve the proposal to open a competition for the provision of a new secondary facility in Didcot;
(b) instruct officers to prepare a specification of the new secondary facility during autumn 2008, for consultation with all stakeholders prior to holding the competition; and
(c) decide whether the specification is to be approved by Cabinet or by Delegated Decision.
JANET TOMLINSON Director for Children, Young People & Families
Background papers: Nil
Contact Officer: Irene Kirkman, Assistant Head of Raising Achievement Service, School Support Services Tel: (01865) 815141
July 2008
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