ITEM CA9 CABINET - 18 SEPTEMBER 2007
PEERS SCHOOL, LITTLEMORE: CREATION OF AN ACADEMY
Report by Director for Children, Young People & Families
Introduction
1. On 4 June 2007 the Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement considered a report on a consultation process for the closure of Peers School, with the aim of it being replaced by an Academy. That report included copies of the brochure for the proposed Oxford Academy, the proposed consultation timetable and the Expression of Interest submitted by the local authority and the sponsors to the then Department for Education and Skills. The Cabinet Member for School Improvement resolved:
to authorise officers to consult informally in June and July on the proposal to close Peers School and open an Academy on the Peers School site and report the outcomes to the full Cabinet in September along with a full appraisal of the project and its risks.
2. The brochure is attached at Annex 1 (download as .doc file) to provide the background on reasons why the Academy proposal is being taken forward. Academic attainment levels at the school, though improving, are low. The fabric of the school and the facilities are poor. The numbers of students attending the 11-16 part of the school and the post-sixteen provision have been falling and this is having an impact on the funding levels. The Academy option allows local sponsors with appropriate knowledge and experience in educational provision and development to come forward, to work with the local authority (LA) and other partners. Together they wish to support and improve the experience of students, staff and the local community and to establish an Academy for local children and young people that will raise aspirations and achievement. It also allows capital funds to be released to develop a ‘fit for purpose’ building for the proposed Academy that matches the sponsors’ educational vision, which has been developed with the school Governors, staff and the LA and builds on the Expression of Interest that was submitted to the DfES at the beginning of the process. Should this Academy be established, a Trust fund will be available to equalise opportunity for students and staff and to broaden the range of experiences available.
3. The Oxford Diocese and Oxford Brookes University have worked very closely with the LA in developing the project and have carried out the consultation together. This report updates the current position, the outcome of the consultation and identifies the next steps to take, if it is decided in the light of the consultation responses, to proceed with the proposal. The option appraisal on the different ways of providing the new school buildings and accommodating other current users on the site is still being developed in consultation with a Department for Children, Schools and Families (DfCSF) and Partnership for Schools (PfS). A report, which will take the form of an outline business case, will be the subject of a report to the Cabinet in November. If approved, it would be considered alongside any feedback from the issue of the School Closure notice at the same meeting. If the Cabinet decision is to close Peers School and to approve the opening of an Academy, the business case would be submitted to the DfCSF for final approval.
4. This proposal to develop an Academy aligns with Oxfordshire County Council’s (OCC) commitment to promote ‘real choice’, as the proposed Academy will add to the diversity of schools and will allow local parents the choice of a good local school. It agrees with the strategic priorities: to give all of us - throughout our lives - the opportunity to enjoy effective teaching and learning; to help our disadvantaged residents to live fulfilling and independent lives; and to keep improving our services by listening to users’ views.
Consultation Process
5. Under the current arrangements for the procurement of the Academy building, a structure has been set up which has allowed the full involvement of the Local Authority on the project management team and there is also a separate project group that is managing the buildings issues. It was decided at an early stage that the consultation on the two proposals, closure of Peers school and the opening of an academy would be a joint consultation. The Oxford Diocese has been able to employ consultants for this purpose and a document was produced in conjunction with the County Council. These documents were circulated in accordance with Government guidance. Four thousand copies of the brochure were distributed directly and through the current school and primary schools to: · Current students, parents and carers · Current staff and governors · Neighbouring secondary school head teachers · Local higher and further education organisations · Local Councillors and MPs · Local sports and business organisations · Local libraries · Local doctors’ surgeries · Local dentists’ surgeries · Parents, pupils, staff and governors of local primary schools. · Local politicians and stakeholders, including Andrew Smith MP and local City and County Councillors · Local information points, such as doctors’ surgeries, libraries and places of worship
6. The written responses, the Questions and Answer document and other appendices to the consultants’ report produced as a result of the public meetings are available in the Members’ Resource Centre. Four public meetings were held between 12 and 19 June. These meetings were held in different venues in the main parts of the Peers catchment area and started at varying times to coincide with the end of the school day as well as evening to enable as many people to attend as possible. The meetings were attended by approximately 150 people of whom approximately 20 were parents of Peers School students. The meetings were also attended by other parents, local Councillors, members of the Oxford Anti Academies Alliance, staff and governors from Peers School as well as local press agencies. In addition to this, meetings were held with stakeholder reference groups including staff, governors, students and parents and the community. A consultation meeting took place on 1 May with the head teachers of the six feeder primary schools. The closing date for responses was 24 July 2007. The full report (not including appendices) on the process and the outcomes of the consultation is attached at Annex 2 (download as .doc file).
7. At the end of the informal consultation period on 24 July 2007, 22 responses had been received through the feedback form (15), letters (4) and via the Academy website (3). The responses contain messages expressing support or concerns, agreement or disagreement, towards the Academy proposal. The feedback has been summarised in the table below.
Consultation Feedback - Breakdown of Responses
Next Steps
8. Subject to the decision, in light of the consultation and potential statutory processes, the objective would be to implement the proposals for the 2008/9 school year. In order for the Secretary of State to approve the Academy project and commit further funding for the outline business case to be developed, the statutory process for the closure of Peers School would need to be completed. Any eventual decision for closure would be conditional upon the Academy being approved by the Secretary of State. If a proposal is supported at this meeting the notice can be published on 28 September, subject to any “call in” of the decision. The notice period will be six weeks. Any decision and details of the notice will be made available to parents and other key stakeholders. There will be further consultation with the stakeholder reference groups.
9. Under the new regulations governing decisions on school organisation the County Council is the decision maker and the Cabinet has agreed that should there be objections in response to statutory notices then this would necessitate the final decision being made by the full Cabinet, rather than the Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement, in this case, at its meeting on 20 November 2007. The intention is that the conditional approval of the statutory notices would be a major step forward in releasing funding to enable the development of the school site to proceed with the expectation that the new buildings for the school will be available in September 2010.
Financial and Staff Implications
10. There are no financial and staffing implications with regard to this report though the more significant implications in developing the building project and the outline business case will be brought to the November meeting subject to the agreement for formal notices to be published. This will provide the opportunity to provide further information to enable a decision to be made on the statutory proposals.
RECOMMENDATION
11. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to consider the outcome of the consultation and on the basis of this decide whether to proceed with the proposal to close Peers School, conditional upon the creation of the Academy in its place, and issue the appropriate statutory notices.
JANET TOMLINSON Director for Children Young People & Families
Background papers: Consultation documents and responses.
Contact Officers: Shannon Moore, Assistant Head of Educational Effectiveness Tel: (01865) 428084 Michael Mill, Strategic Manager Property & Assets Tel: (01865) 816458 September 2007
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