Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Children, Education & Families

Forward Plan Ref: 2013/107

Contact: Roy Leach, School Organisation & Planning Manager Tel: (01865) 816458

Report by Director for Children’s Services (CA11).

The Department for Education has approved a proposal to create a 600 place University Technical College in Didcot. Subject to the outcome of a public consultation, which is currently underway, the UTC would serve a large catchment area covering the southern part of Oxfordshire. The UTC would make a substantial contribution towards the additional school places required to meet the needs of a rapidly growing Didcot and it is proposed that the Council makes available a site on the Great Western Park development.

In addition it is proposed that the Council enhances the facilities available in the UTC, to the benefit of local pupils, by making a financial contribution towards the construction costs.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)       approve the leasing of 2 hectares to the University Technology College trust; and

(b)       make a contribution of up to £2 million towards the construction costs of the University Technology College.

The Department for Education had approved a proposal to create a 600 place University Technical College in Didcot. Subject to the outcome of a public consultation, which was currently underway, the UTC would serve a large catchment area covering the southern part of Oxfordshire. The UTC would make a substantial contribution towards the additional school places required to meet the needs of a rapidly growing Didcot and it was proposed that the Council make available a site on the Great Western Park development.

In addition it was proposed that the Council enhances the facilities available in the UTC, to the benefit of local pupils, by making a financial contribution towards the construction costs.  Cabinet had before them a report that sought agreement to a lease of land and contribution of £2m towards construction.

Councillor Nick Hards, Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance, spoke in support of the recommendations.  However, he expressed concern over the large catchment area for the college. He was concerned that the equal intake from the furthest rural areas to that from Didcot, Wallingford and Abingdon, was unachievable. He urged the Cabinet to ensure that they would do what they could to influence the selection criteria to provide for a decent intake of girls.  He also expressed the caution against the College taking students from the other Secondary provision in Didcot.

Councillor Tilly responding to comments from Councillor Hards commented that the catchment area and the selection criteria for the College were not the responsibility of the County Council.

Mr Leach added that the admission rules set down for the College were in line with the code of practice and that although the UTC served a broader area than Didcot, it was likely that the uptake would be from the immediate area.  He further commented that the UTC was a highly specialised area and would appeal to a limited proportion of the student population so would not take students from other schools, but that it was likely that there would be more boys than girls given the subject.

RESOLVED: to

(a)       approve the leasing of 2 hectares to the University Technology College trust; and

(b)       make a contribution of up to £2 million towards the construction costs of the University Technology College.