Issue - meetings

Report ED13089

The Portfolio Holder introduced a report providing details of the outcomes and recommendations of the School Places Working Group which had met on 13^th November 2014 to consider the strategic planning of primary and secondary school places and school organisation in the Borough for future years. 

For the 2014/15 academic year, applicants for reception class places exceeded previous forecasts and it had been necessary to supplement the agreed changes by 225 places to ensure that every on-time applicant received a valid offer.  The total number of places originally available for 2014/15 had been 4023.  This was subsequently increased to 4204 places by the addition of eight bulge classes, with 76% of on-time applicants securing their first preference of school in Bromley, which was unchanged from the previous year. 

Increased demand for primary places was expected to continue in the long term, with the Greater London Authority forecast projecting a rise of the total number of places in the Borough to 4041 by 2018, and remaining at that level to 2031.  This was due to a higher level of birth rate than expected, as well as through migration to the Borough and increased occupancy levels of existing homes.  In response to this, it was recommended that a margin of 5% be agreed above the Greater London Authority projection for primary place planning to provide for local variations in need and to meet parental preferences.  To support the expected increase in demand for pupil places, the overall strategy was to meet forecast growth through a combination of existing surplus capacity, permanent expansion of existing provision, new schools and bulge classes.  Work would also be undertaken around secondary place planning to ensure that there were sufficient secondary places across the Borough as the increasing number of pupils at Bromley primary schools moved towards Key Stage 3. 

In considering the report, a Member noted that legal advice was being sought to clarify the position with regard to conditions being placed on the number of classes or pupils at a school for any future school planning applications, and this advice would be provided to Members when it was available.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to endorse the recommendations of the School Places Working Group, taking into account the views of the Education PDS Committee, that:

1)  The projections for primary need be noted;

2)  A margin of 5% be agreed above the Greater London Authority projection for primary place planning to provide for local variations in need and to meet parental preferences;

3)  Discussions be undertaken with primary schools identified for expansion with a view to reporting the outcome to a future meeting of Education PDS Committee;

4)  Where primary school expansion is agreed, implementation be funded through the Education Capital Programme, subject to availability of funds;

5)  The Secondary School Place Planning report be recommended to the Education PDS Committee as the basis for secondary school place planning to 2031;

6)  The proposals for the expansion of existing secondary  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50