Issue - meetings

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1.Agree the continued strategic approach to School Organisation as detailed in the report of the Executive Member for Children, Young People and Families.

2.Agree the following proposals to progress with corporate colleagues:

(a)Agree a principle to prioritise development of the expanded childcare offer on school sites.

(b)Align Additionally Resourced Provision and review of Alternative Provision to the School Organisation programme.

(c)Continue developing a set of principles of engagement with Headteachers for the agreed expectations of how to engage with school closures/amalgamations in a way that is professional and supportive.

(d)Align the School Organisation Plan with our corporate commitment to greener schools.

(e)Align the developing Strategic Asset Management Plan, specifically the education chapter, to agree a process for vacated school sites and alternative uses of vacant premises managers’ houses.

(f)Embed the implementation of the School Organisation Plan within a corporate communication plan that sets out the compelling vision to drive educational excellence through an inclusive, financially viable school estate. This will support the goals of ‘Putting Children First’, the Education Plan agreed at Executive in October 2022 alongside the SEND Strategy and School Organisation Plan.

3. To approve the recommendations in exempt Appendix A. 

DECISIONS:

AGREED RECOMMENDATIONS

Reasons for the decision – as detailed in the report

Other options considered – as detailed in the report

Conflicts of interest / dispensations granted – none

RESOLVED:

(a) To agree the continued strategic approach to School Organisation, as detailed in the report of the Executive Member for Children, Young People and Families.

(b) To agree to progress the following proposals with corporate colleagues:

(i) Agree a principle to prioritise development of the expanded childcare offer on school sites.

(ii) Align Additionally Resourced Provision and review of Alternative Provision to the School Organisation programme.

(iii) Continue developing a set of principles of engagement with Headteachers for the agreed expectations of how to engage with school closures/amalgamations in a way that was professional and supportive.

(iv) Align the School Organisation Plan with the Council’s corporate commitment to greener schools.

(v) Align the developing Strategic Asset Management Plan, specifically the education chapter, to agree a process for vacated school sites and alternative uses of vacant premises managers’ houses.

(vi) Embed the implementation of the School Organisation Plan within a corporate communication plan that sets out the compelling vision to drive educational excellence through an inclusive, financially viable school estate. This would support the goals of ‘Putting Children First’, the Education Plan agreed at Executive in October 2022 alongside the Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Strategy and School Organisation Plan.

(c) To approve the recommendations in exempt Appendix A. 

Reasons for the decision – The School Organisation Plan, alongside the Education Plan and the SEND strategy agreed at Executive in October 2020, would drive the vision of educational excellence for all children, in financially viable, inclusive schools. Phase 3 sets out further changes to complement this vision.

Other options considered – all as detailed in the report

Conflicts of interest / dispensations granted – none