Agenda item - Outline Proposals to address Early Years, Primary, Secondary and SEND rising rolls – Update to Phase 5 expansion Programme

Agenda item

Outline Proposals to address Early Years, Primary, Secondary and SEND rising rolls – Update to Phase 5 expansion Programme

Decision:

Cabinet:

1 Agreed

1.1 An increase in Early Years and Childcare Places including

1.1.1 Approval of the spend of the £566,841 childcare capital expansion funding grant as set out at para 2.4 of the Report.

1.2 An increase in Primary Places including implementation of:

1.2.1 The establishment of one-off bulge classes as an interim measure to increase primary places between 2024/25 and 2027/28.

1.2.2 The permanent 1FE expansion of a primary school in the Romford planning area.

1.3 An increase in Secondary Places including implementation of:

1.3.1 One-off bulge classes as an interim measure to increase secondary places to meet demand

1.3.2 1 FE permanent expansion at one secondary school in the Central planning area in 2026/27

1.4 To increasing SEND Places

1.4.1 Primary SEND places

· Approved SEND Units to be implemented for primary children at the following schools:

School name	Number of places	SEND need type	Due to open
Harrow Lodge Primary School	12	Communication and Interaction (C&I)	2026/27
Harold Wood Primary School	12	Communication and Interaction (C&I)	2026/27

· To expand the existing SEND provision at RJ Mitchell Primary School from 21 to 40 places.

1.4.2 Secondary SEND places

Supported the implementation of temporary accommodation to provide SEND unit places at Royal Liberty School from January 2025 - 12 places for pupils (11-16 years) with Communication and Interaction needs.

Approved that the SEND Unit to be implemented for secondary pupils at the following school:

School name	Number of places	SEND need type	Due to open
The Brittons Academy	20	Communication and Interaction (C&I)	2026/27

1.4.3 Special Schools

Agreed the funding to be transferred to Lime Trust in order to increase the capacity at Lime Academy Forest Approach so that the school can increase their pupil numbers from 120 to 150.

END Capital Grant Programme

Agreed to establish a SEND capital grants programme allowing schools and settings to apply for part of the fund that could be used to make adaptations to their building in order to promote better outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

1.4.4 School Houses

Agreed that the net-capital receipts from the sale of the school houses at Scotts Primary School and Newtons Primary School be included in the capital programme to deliver the respective school improvement projects.

1.5 Increasing Alternative Provision (AP) Places

1.5.1 Agreed to implement a primary AP provision, to operate from the site of and to be run by Olive AP Academy Havering.

2 Delegated the power for Phase 5 of the Expansion Programme to the Cabinet Member for Children & Young People

· To take further decisions regarding the implementation of these projects and the approval of which schools/early years/childcare settings should be expanded including any amendments to the proposals above, such as a decision not to proceed or to expand a different school/early years/childcare setting, in the light of developing circumstances or the results of consultation (subject to the appropriate statutory processes).

· To approve the Executive decision to award the contract to construct and design the new special free school on Balgores Fields.

3 Delegated to the Assistant Director of Regeneration & Place Shaping 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 Phase 5 expansions required- noting that tender awards will remain the subject of separate Executive Decision(s).

4 Delegated to the Assistant Director of Education authority to:

· Select proposers for new schools and make recommendations to the Secretary of State for Education in respect of free school processes.

· Apply for grant funding opportunities from the DfE

· Accept grant funding from the DfE on behalf of the Local Authority

· Apply for free schools via future free school waves

· Determine that capital receipts from the future sale of school houses be returned to the respective school with funds used to enhance education provision at that school.

· To sign off any statutory proposals needed to implement the projects.

Minutes:

Report: Outline Proposals to address Early Years, Primary, Secondary and SEND rising rolls – To implement Phase 5 expansion Programme

Presented by: Councillor Oscar Ford, Cabinet Member for Children & Young People

Summary:

1. The report seeks Cabinet’s approval of the projects and associated capital funding to implement Phase 5 of the expansion programme to manage the forecast increase in early years, primary, secondary and SEND pupil numbers, as approved in the Outline Proposals to address Early Years, Primary, Secondary, SEND and AP rising rolls – Update to Phase 5 expansion Programme cabinet report in November 2023.

2. Phase 5 of the Schools Expansion Programme sets out proposals for capital investment of £66m to provide for expansion of school places in those areas where there is clear evidence of sustained growth in need over the next five years. The investment will be funded from a combination of basic needs allocation, unallocated capital budget from earlier phases, SEND capital grant and S106 Housing Development contributions.

3. This rise in demand in Primary, Secondary and SEND means that the Council needs to do two things:

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

· Plan for a longer term growth in pupil numbers to meet demand from new housing and a growing population and establish new schools as and when required.

4. Approval will enable officers to implement the education projects detailed in this report as part of the Council’s strategy of ensuring that there are sufficient school places to meet likely future demands.