Issue - meetings

Report ED13089

The Portfolio Holder introduced a report providing details of the outcomes and recommendations of the Primary School Development Plan Working Group which had met on 2^nd September 2013 to consider the strategic planning of primary school places and school organisation in the Borough.  For the school year 2013/14, applicants for reception class places exceeded previous forecasts and it had been necessary to supplement the agreed changes by 90 places, which included bringing forward a reorganisation of Worsley Bridge Community Junior School to become a 2 form of entry (FE) primary school from 2013/14, to ensure that every on-time applicant received a valid offer.  The total number of places originally available for 2013/14 was 3733.  This was subsequently increased to 3823 places, and 3820 on-time applicants were made an offer in April 2013, of which 76% secured their first choice of school and 89% secured one of their first three choices of school which represented a slight fall on the previous year, reflecting the increasing pressure on places.

Increased demand for primary places was expected to continue in the long term, with the Greater London Authority forecast projecting a rise of total numbers to 4041 which would be sustained to at least 2030.  This was due to a number of factors including migration to the Borough and increased occupancy levels of existing homes.  In response to this, it was recommended that the higher Greater London Authority (GLA) alternate roll projection methodology be adopted as the basis of primary school planning for 2014/15 and beyond.  It was also recommended that a margin of 2% be considered above projection to provide for parental choice and improve the rate of first choice allocations.  To support the expected increase in demand for pupil places, there was a need to consider all schools across the Borough to identify which schools could be expanded on a temporary or permanent basis.  A review of secondary provision would also follow, taking account of the future demand for places as the increasing number of pupils at Bromley schools moved through the school system. 

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to endorse the recommendations of the Primary School Development Plan Working Group, taking into account the views of the Education PDS Committee, which comprise:

1)  That the higher Greater London Authority (GLA) alternate roll projection methodology be adopted as the basis of primary school planning for 2014/15 and into the future;

2)  A margin of 2% be considered above projection to provide for parental choice in order to improve the rate of first choice allocations;

3)  That the Primary School Development Plan Working Group be renamed the School Place Working Group to reflect the need to consider Secondary place planning into the future;

4)  That discussions be undertaken with schools identified for expansion with a view to reporting the outcome to a future meeting of Education PDS Committee; and,

5)  That feasibility studies be undertaken in consultation with identified schools to assess the scope and cost of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22