Agenda item

This item contains an EXEMPT appendix

Cabinet:

1. Agreed that Phase 3 and 4 of the school expansion programme should continue to be developed based on the following approach in line with consultation responses:

i. To have a preference for expanding existing popular and high-performing schools and inclusion of nursery provision and Additional Resource Provisions (ARPs) where appropriate and practicable.

ii. To consider the expansion of existing schools, but only to a maximum size of 4 Forms of Entry (FE) in the primary phase, ensuring at all times that high standards of education was paramount; to consider the possible establishment of primary phase provision on secondary school sites as “all through” provision and the encouragement of Free Schools where needed and where they provided best value.

2. Delegated the power to take further decisions regarding the approval of which settings/schools included within the report should be expanded or supported financially (subject to the appropriate statutory processes) for Phase 4 of the Expansion Programme to the Cabinet Member for Children & Learning.

3. Delegated the power to take further decisions regarding expansion or financial support for Academies - not included within the report - in urgent and exceptional circumstances, (subject to the appropriate statutory processes and within the agreed capital programme) for Phase 4 of the Expansion Programme, to the Cabinet Member for Children & Learning after consultation with the Leader.

4. Delegated to the Director of Asset Management authority to submit planning applications after consultation with planning officers, commission all associated surveys/investigations (including transport assessment, soils survey, environmental check etc.) and commence tender processes as required to support the development of options appraisals to deliver Phases 3 and 4 expansions required and noted that tender awards would remain the subject of separate Executive Decision(s).

5. Noted the updated Commissioning Plan for Education Provision 2015/16 – 2019/20 and School Planning Data Pack appended to the report.

In respect of increasing Primary places:

6. Agreed the following Phase 4 proposals for Permanent expansion, to be subject to consultationand statutory processes, including planning:

Harold Hill Planning area:

Expansion of Pyrgo Priory Primary School from 2FE to 3FE for 2017/18.

Expansion of Broadford Primary School from 3FE to 4FE for 2018/19.

Romford Planning area:

Expansion of Hylands Primary School from 2FE to 3FE for 2017/18.

Expansion of Gidea Park Primary School from 2FE to 3FE for 2019/20.

Rainham and South Hornchurch Planning area:

Expansion of Rainham Village Primary School from 2FE to 3FE for 2017/18.

Expansion of Whybridge Infant and Junior School from 2FE to 3FE for 2017/18.

Expansion of Brady Primary School from 1FE to 2FE for 2017/18.

Expansion of Parsonage Farm Primary School from 3FE to 4FE for 2018/19.

Expansion of Newtons Primary School from 2FE to 3FE in 2019/20.

7. Agreed to support proposals for a new 3FE Primary Free School in the Rainham and South Hornchurch Planning area on the Beam Park development site.

In respect of increasing Secondary places:

8. Agreed the Permanent expansion through the rationalisation of Published Admission Numbers of the following schools for 2017/18;

Marshalls Park School from 172 to 180 8 places

Emerson Park School from 192 to 210 18 places

Frances Bardsley Academy from 220 to 240 20 places

9. Agreed to financially support the Phase 4 proposals for Permanent expansion, in the following schools:

North East Planning area:

Expansion of Drapers’ Academy from 6FE to 8FE for 2018/19.

North West Planning area:

Expansion of Bower Park Academy from 6FE to 7FE for 2019/20.

Central Planning area:

Expansion of Royal Liberty School from 4FE to 5FE for 2018/19.

Expansion of Marshalls Park School from 6FE to 8FE for 2018/19.

Expansion of Redden Court Academy from 5FE to 7FE for 2019/20.

Expansion of Emerson Park School from 7 FE to 8FE for 2019/20.

East Planning area:

Rationalisation of PAN for Hall Mead Academy from 192 to 210 for 2019/20.

In respect of increasing SEN places:

10. Primary SEN places;

Agreed to establish two Additionally Resourced Provisions (ARPs) for primary children with Communication and Interaction Needs, each with 12 places in mainstream primary schools for 2017/18. The ARPs would be established in the Upminster, or Harold Hill, or Rainham and South Hornchurch primary planning areas.

Secondary SEN places;

Agreed to establish two ARPs containing 12 places each in secondary schools in the schools in the North West, or East, or South, or Central secondary planning areas to meet the needs of secondary pupils with Communication and Interaction Needs for 2017/18.

Special Schools;

Noted that plans to address the SEN need for 2018/19 would be the subject of future reports.

In respect of increasing Early Education and Childcare places:

11. Approved the implementation of the following four projects subject to the grant of capital funding from the Department for Education to support the delivery of 30 hours free childcare for working parents of 3- and 4-year-olds from September 2017, and RECOMMENDED to Council that it agree funding of approximately 25% of the total project cost for each project.

Early Years Capital Bid 30 hours of free childcare - 4 projects;

Projects	Wards	Type of Project	Expected number of newly created 30 hour places
James Oglethorpe Preschool	Upminster	New build	30
Crownfield Nursery	Mawney	Extension	30
The Old School Playgroup	Harold Wood	Extension	18
Towers Nursery	Hylands	New build	30

In respect of the Romford Housing Zone:

12. Noted that recommendations regarding preferred sites for one 4 FE primary school or two 2 FE primary schools and one 5/6FE secondary school in Romford to meet the need for places for the Romford new housing zone framework. Delivery would be subject to a future Cabinet report.

In respect of additions to the Capital Programme:

13. Cabinet RECOMMENDED to Council that the following items of funding were added to the Capital Programme:

i. £2.5m of unallocated S106 developer contributions for Education purposes

1. £1.4m early years grant referred to in recommendation 7 above (subject to bid being successful)

ii. £5m estimated 19/20 basic need grant (to be adjusted to final grant allocation once announced).

NOTE: tenders would not be awarded to commit expenditure against this grant prior to confirmation of the grant. However, inclusion within the capital programme at an earlier stage would enable schemes to be developed.

14. Cabinet RECOMMENDEDto Council that the detailed schemes as attached at appendix 3 to the report and subject to any revisions following confirmation of any grant funding, should be approved for inclusion in the Capital Programme.

Councillor Robert Benham, Cabinet member for Children & Learning, introduced the report

Cabinet was informed that Havering had seen an increase of over 45% in the number of births between 2002 and 2015. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) live birth data for 2013 showed that most London boroughs had experienced a drop in their birth rate from 2013 to 2014. Havering, however, had experienced a 5% increase.

While many London boroughs had already had an increase in birth rate - which was now starting to plateau - Havering was still at the early stages of its increase in the birth rate. The borough therefore needed to build the necessary capacity to accommodate its children who required a school place for years to come. In 2014/15-2015/16 an additional permanent 4 Forms of Entry (FE) in Primary schools were created together with 292 temporary places to cover short-term pressures for primary age pupils.

The number of Primary age pupils however, was expected to continue rising significantly from 21,074 in 2015/16, to 25,677 in 2020/21 which was more than 4,000 extra pupils over the next five years and this would continue to rise further. The result would be that there would be a need to make new provision available in most planning areas across the borough on both a permanent and temporary basis.

Members were informed that as these pupils advance toward secondary education the borough’s current surplus of places in the secondary sector would be eroded and surpassed. Havering would exceed its overall Secondary places (in all year groups) around 2019/20, but was projected to exceed its Year 7 capacity sooner; in 2018/19.

There were currently 3,252 places available in Havering for Year 7 pupils. The Local Authority would begin the process of planning additional capacity across the borough for the projected increase in secondary pupil numbers through phases 3 and 4 of the expansion programme.

This rise in demand meant that the Council needed to do two things:

1. Find ways to absorb the immediate extra demand for places, while protecting the Borough’s historic good reputation for schools – which was already well underway.

2. Plan for a longer term growth in pupil numbers, which meant creating more capacity in the Havering school system.

The report before Members sought Cabinet’s approval to an approach to managing the forecast increase in early years, primary, secondary and SEN pupil numbers beyond the current Phase 3 of the Council’s Programme of Primary School Expansions.

Cabinet was assured that the recommendations took account of the very wide resident, parent and stakeholder consultation outcomes, the Council’s agreed Commissioning Plan for Education Provision 2015/16 - 2019/20 (appendix 1 to the report), updated pupil forecasts (appendix 2 to the report) and other related developments.

Cabinet was informed that approval of the recommendations would enable officers to undertake consultation with stakeholders including the encouragement of new Free Schools where appropriate and ensuring value for money as part of the Council’s strategy of ensuring that there were sufficient school places to meet likely future demands.

Reasons for the decision:

This decision was necessary to ensure the provision of sufficient school places to meet the forecast rise in early years, primary, secondary and SEN pupil numbers projected beyond Phase 3 of the Council’s Programme of School Expansions.

Other options considered:

A number of options had been identified in the report each requiring further consideration. So far no option had been rejected.

Not providing any additional places was not an option as the Council would be failing to meet its statutory duties.