Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Schools Improvement

Forward Plan Ref: 2011/118

Contact: Barbara Chillman, Principal Officer – School Organisation and Planning Tel: (01865) 816459

Report by Director for Children, Education & Families (CA10).

Until recently Woodstock CE Primary School had planned to admit 30 children each year. Due to growth in the local population of young children, in recent years the school has received more applications from within the Woodstock catchment area than it has been able to accommodate.

Population data shows that this level of demand can be expected to continue. In addition, nearly 100 new homes are being, or have recently been built, close to the school, and this can be expected to increase demand for pupil places.

The proposal is to increase the school admission number (at F1 entry) from 30 to 45.  Because the published admission number for 2011 and 2012 has already been decided, the school's admission number can only now formally change from 2013. However, the school would like to accept over its official admission number in 2011 and 2012 to allow all in-catchment children to attend. The plan is therefore to accept up to 45 children into Reception (F1) from September 2011.

To accommodate this growth in pupil numbers, there will be some extension of the school’s buildings, and a feasibility study is underway to investigate how this can best be provided.  Some minor enabling works have been completed already during the summer holiday 2011 at the school to extend the current Foundation Stage room to ensure that the agreed 45 pupils could be accommodated from September 2011, as stated above.???

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)              Consider the representations made in response to the statutory closure notice with particular reference to the issues detailed in paragraphs 12-20 and the Statutory Guidance; and

(b)              Approve the permanent expansion of Woodstock CE Primary School with effect from 1 September 2013.

Cabinet considered a report on the outcome of consultation, on proposals to expand Woodstock CE Primary School by increasing the school admission number (at F1 entry) from 30 to 45 with effect from 1 September 2013.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, as a local member spoke in support of the proposals.

Note: As set out under Rule 17(a) of the Scrutiny Procedure Rules, this decision was exempt from Call-In as it was deemed urgent and any delay would have seriously prejudiced the Council’s interests, in that the Cabinet’s role would be negated by referral to the Schools’ Adjudicator if the decision was not taken within two months of the end of the Statutory Notice, in this case being 5 October 2011.?

RESOLVED:                       to:

(a)       consider the representations made in response to the statutory closure notice with particular reference to the issues detailed in paragraphs 12-20 and the Statutory Guidance; and

(b)       approve the permanent expansion of Woodstock CE Primary School with effect from 1 September 2013.