Agenda item

8.1

The Executive Director, Children, Young People and Families submitted a report describing the need for new primary and secondary school places between now and the end of the decade and outlined a programme for providing them. This included two major projects, one in the South West and one in the North East.

8.2

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:-

(a)

endorses the outline programme for the provision of primary and secondary places in the North East and South West of the City as set out in the report;

(b)

agrees that consultation should be undertaken on the proposals set out in Section 6 of the report; and

(c)

requests a further report in November 2015 detailing the outcomes of that consultation and setting out the proposals in full detail for a final decision.

8.3

Reasons for Decision

8.3.1

The outline school places programme set out in the report is recommended to Cabinet on the basis that it will deliver a coherent and ambitious vision for secondary and primary school places in the areas of the city where population growth requires additional school capacity to be provided.  It is a programme which recognises the aspirations of families to have access to high quality education for their children within their local area and provides a pattern for investment that will achieve the best possible outcomes whilst achieving best value for the Council’s resources.

8.3.2

The scale of the extra school capacity needed over forthcoming years in the secondary sector requires an innovative and forward-thinking response from the city.  The recommendation is to endorse a strategic vision of commissioning two new outstanding secondary schools backed with investment in the provision of high quality buildings, which could involve partnership from the sector and other key City-partners.

8.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

8.4.1

The outline programme described in this report has been subject to considerable amounts of formative discussion with schools, parents and other stakeholders.  The criteria set out in 5.2 above have been used as a means of structuring an evaluation as well as an understanding of the technical feasibility and estimated costs.  Where new secondary schools have been proposed, the alternative option of expanding existing schools has been fully considered in every aspect and deemed insufficient, unfeasible or educationally unviable to provide the capacity increase needed across the secondary sector in the programme up to 2020.

8.4.2

The alternative options to Dobcroft for the delivery of primary places in the South West have been fully scrutinised through a public options appraisal and evaluation process, based once again on the criteria in 5.2.  This concluded a preference for the increase in places to be delivered in the Ecclesall catchment linked to the provision of junior places for pupils at Clifford Infant.  The detailed options for the provision of primary places in the North East area linked to the proposed new secondary school remain to be fully evaluated.

8.4.3

The option of doing nothing or delaying delivery of the provision proposed is not feasible. It poses significant risks to the Council in not providing sufficient statutory school places and to parents in not being able to secure a school place for their child.

8.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

None

8.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

None

8.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

Jayne Ludlam, Executive Director, Children, Young People and Families

8.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

Children, Young People and Family Support

8.1

The Executive Director, Children, Young People and Families submitted a report describing the need for new primary and secondary school places between now and the end of the decade and outlined a programme for providing them. This included two major projects, one in the South West and one in the North East.

8.2

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:-

(a)

endorses the outline programme for the provision of primary and secondary places in the North East and South West of the City as set out in the report;

(b)

agrees that consultation should be undertaken on the proposals set out in Section 6 of the report; and

(c)

requests a further report in November 2015 detailing the outcomes of that consultation and setting out the proposals in full detail for a final decision.

8.3

Reasons for Decision

8.3.1

The outline school places programme set out in the report is recommended to Cabinet on the basis that it will deliver a coherent and ambitious vision for secondary and primary school places in the areas of the city where population growth requires additional school capacity to be provided.  It is a programme which recognises the aspirations of families to have access to high quality education for their children within their local area and provides a pattern for investment that will achieve the best possible outcomes whilst achieving best value for the Council’s resources.

8.3.2

The scale of the extra school capacity needed over forthcoming years in the secondary sector requires an innovative and forward-thinking response from the city.  The recommendation is to endorse a strategic vision of commissioning two new outstanding secondary schools backed with investment in the provision of high quality buildings, which could involve partnership from the sector and other key City-partners.

8.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

8.4.1

The outline programme described in the report has been subject to considerable amounts of formative discussion with schools, parents and other stakeholders.  The criteria set out in section 5.2 of the report have been used as a means of structuring an evaluation as well as an understanding of the technical feasibility and estimated costs.  Where new secondary schools have been proposed, the alternative option of expanding existing schools has been fully considered in every aspect and deemed insufficient, unfeasible or educationally unviable to provide the capacity increase needed across the secondary sector in the programme up to 2020.

8.4.2

The alternative options to Dobcroft for the delivery of primary places in the South West have been fully scrutinised through a public options appraisal and evaluation process, based once again on the criteria in section 5.2. of the report.  This concluded a preference for the increase in places to be delivered in the Ecclesall catchment linked to the provision of junior places for pupils at Clifford Infant.  The detailed options for the provision of primary places in the North East area linked to the proposed new secondary school remain to be fully evaluated.

8.4.3

The option of doing nothing or delaying delivery of the provision proposed is not feasible. It poses significant risks to the Council in not providing sufficient statutory school places and to parents in not being able to secure a school place within their local area for their child.