Cabinet:

1.     Approved the draft Commissioning Plan for Education Provision (CPEP) in Havering 2019-2023;

2.     Approved the circulation of the draft CPEP for consultation to all stake holders in early years and school place planning;

3.     Delegated the determination of the final CPEP, to the Cabinet Member for  Children &Learning in consultation with the Director of Children’s services;

4.     Approved for the LA to work with Havering sponsors to submit an application in Wave 13 for a new 3 FE mainstream primary free school in Romford.

5.     Approved for the LA to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) for a new special free school and an  AP free school

6.     Noted that a further report will be going to Cabinet, setting out the details of each expansion scheme, the consultation process and indicative costs and funding for each scheme.

Councillor Robert Benham, Cabinet Member for Education, Children and Families presented the report to Cabinet, detailing the Commissioning Plan for Education Provision (CPEP).  This is a four year rolling plan which is updated annually. The CPEP sets out how Havering Council seeks to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to meet demand for early years, primary, secondary, post 16 and special school places across the Borough.

The draft Plan is available for consideration at Appendix 1 of the report and contains information on:

·       The current pattern of early years, primary, secondary, post 16 and special school provision across the Borough;

·       Forecast of future demand;

·       Plans to meet the needs for additional places in areas for growth and regeneration; and

·       Policy for school organisation and expansion

Additionally, it is intended that the CPEP will:

·       Help the education community to understand the longer term school population trends;

·       Inform parents and the wider community of the changes planned and seek their views and preferences; and

·       Outline to potential sponsors the need for school places.

Subject to approval by Cabinet, the draft CPEP will be circulated for consultation to schools, parents, residents, the Dioceses and all other education stakeholders.  The consultation period will run for eight weeks commencing mid-September, 2018.

Following this consultation the CPEP will be revised accordingly and, subject to the approval of the Cabinet Lead Member, will be in place for the next four years.

There will be close consideration of recruitment to staff school expansions and a strategy to retain staff in schools which is a challenge across the whole of East London at present.  The Havering Academy of Leadership will be working closely with schools in this regard.

In terms of finance, there are a number of provisions which will be looked at.  The Council are currently bidding for the next wave of free school provision which will have funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).  In 2019/2020 there is a projected allocation of close to £20 million and this will be used to fund the plan.

There will be a further report to Cabinet in January, 2019 which will detail the schemes required.  Close working with regeneration colleagues will take place to ensure appropriate provision is made in line with growth schemes in the Borough.

Updates will be going to the Children’s Overview and Scrutiny Sub Committee.

Birth rate figures will be closely checked and monitored in order to shape the most accurate forecasts for expansion and demand to sustain communities moving forward.

Cabinet:

1.     Approved the draft Commissioning Plan for Education Provision (CPEP) in Havering 2019-2023;

2.     Approved the circulation of the draft CPEP for consultation to all stake holders in early years and school place planning;

3.     Delegated the determination of the final CPEP, to the Cabinet Member for  Children &Learning in consultation with the Director of Children’s services;

4.     Approved for the LA to work with Havering sponsors to submit an application in Wave 13 for a new 3 FE mainstream primary free school in Romford.

5.     Approved for the LA to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) for a new special free school and an  AP free school

6.     Noted that a further report will be going to Cabinet, setting out the details of each expansion scheme, the consultation process and indicative costs and funding for each scheme.