Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Nicholas Bennett JP, Chairman, Education PDS Committee. 

Apologies for absence had also been received from Mr Darren Jenkins, Parent Governor Representative to the Education PDS Committee, and Miss Rachel Opadiran, Young People’s Representative to the Education PDS Committee.

The Chairman declared that Worsley Bridge Community Junior School and Bromley Road Community Infant School were located in his Ward.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, please ensure that any questions to the Portfolio Holder are received by the Democratic Services Team by 5pm on Thursday 15^th August 2013.

No questions had been received.

Report ED13074

Following consideration of the Primary School Development Plan Review by the Education PDS Committee on 6^th November 2012, the Portfolio Holder for Education authorised the Director of Education and Care Services to undertake consultation with schools and other key agencies on a number of changes to primary schools, one of which one was the potential to alter the age range at Worsley Bridge Community Junior School in order to create an all-through primary school, with the potential for the school to expand to 3 forms of entry in future if appropriate.

A consultation for the proposed changes to school organisation had run from 11^th January to 15^th February 2013, and produced 23 responses which were largely supportive of the proposals.  The Governing Body and School Council also supported the proposed changes to school organisation.  In consideration of this, the Portfolio Holder for Education had resolved to proceed with formal statutory proposals to implement this change, with Worsley Bridge Community Junior School becoming an all-through primary school from September 2014. 

Subsequently it became necessary to identify additional Reception class places in the area for the academic year 2013/14 to ensure that all on-time applicants received a valid offer. In consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Education it was agreed to open two Reception classes (providing 60 additional places) at Worsley Bridge Community Junior School in September 2013, bringing forward the date on which Worsley Bridge Community Primary School became an all-through primary school to September 2013.

On 12^th June 2013 a statutory notice was published in the News Shopper, setting out the proposal to change the age range from 7-11 years to 4-11 years from 1^st September 2013. This was displayed as required on the school gates, in local libraries and circulated to all interested parties, as well as published on the Bromley Council website, for a six week period ending 24^th July 2013.  No objections to the proposals had been received, with one comment in support of the change in age range submitted via the website.

In response to a question from a Member, the Chairman confirmed that the proposed expansion of age range at both Worsley Bridge Community Junior and Bromley Road Community Infant Schools would not create any additional pupil places at this time, but noted that the reorganisation of the two schools could support a future expansion in the number of primary places in this area if appropriate and would resolve issues created by having linked Infant and Junior schools located on different sites.

RESOLVED that the proposal to expand the age range at Worsley Bridge Community Junior School from 7-11 years to 4-11 years with effect from 1^st September 2013, as set out in the statutory notice, be approved, and that the school be known as Worsley Bridge Community Primary School.

Report ED13075

Following consideration of the Primary School Development Plan Review by the Education PDS Committee on 6^th November 2012, the Portfolio Holder for Education authorised the Director of Education and Care Services to undertake consultation with schools and other key agencies on a number of changes to primary schools, one of which one was the potential to alter the age range at Bromley Road Infant School in order to create an all-through primary school.

A consultation for the proposed changes to school organisation had run from 11^th January to 15^th February 2013, and produced 46 responses which were largely supportive of the proposals.  The Governing Body and School Council also supported the proposed changes to school organisation.  In consideration of this, the Portfolio Holder for Education had resolved to proceed with formal statutory proposals to implement this change, with Bromley Road Community Infant School becoming an all-through primary school from September 2014. 

On 12^th June 2013 a statutory notice was published in the News Shopper, setting out the proposal to change the age range from 4-7 years to 4-11 years from 1^st September 2014. This was displayed as required on the school gates, in local libraries and circulated to all interested parties, as well as published on the Bromley Council website, for a six week period ending 24^th July 2013.  No objections to the proposals had been received, with one comment in support of the change in age range submitted via the website

RESOLVED that the proposal to expand the age range at Bromley Road Community Infant School from 4-7 years to 4-11 years with effect from 1^st September 2014, as set out in the statutory notice, be approved, and that the school be known as Bromley Road Community Primary School.

Report ED13076

Following consideration of a report on the development of autism spectrum disorder secondary provision at the Glebe Foundation School at the meeting of the Council’s Executive on 25^th July 2012, the Council’s Executive authorised the Director of Education and Care Services to undertake consultation with schools and other key agencies around the proposal to expand The Glebe School to admit 16 additional children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at Year 7 each year from September 2014.

The consultation for the proposed permanent expansion of the school had run from 11^th January to 15^th February 2013, and produced 36 responses which were largely supportive of the proposals.  The Governing Body also supported the proposed changes to school organisation, as did the School Council, which accepted the reasons for expansion and the subsequent increased student numbers but expressed a number of concerns that would be addressed by the school on an ongoing basis.  In consideration of this, the Portfolio Holder for Education had resolved to proceed with formal statutory proposals to implement the permanent expansion of the Glebe Foundation School from September 2014. 

On 12^th June 2013 a statutory notice was published in the News Shopper, inviting comments or objections to the proposal to enlarge the school by 16 places per year from September 2014. This was displayed as required on the school gates, in local libraries and circulated to all interested parties, as well as published on the Bromley Council website, for a six week period ending 24^th July 2013.  No objections to the proposals had been received.

In considering the proposal, the Chairman highlighted the need reduce the number of out of Borough placements for young people with ASD and support them to be educated within their local community.  The proposed expansion of The Glebe Foundation School was significant as it would give young people with ASD the opportunity to study towards recognised qualifications where appropriate.

The Chairman advised Members that he was minded to request the Council’s Executive to approve the creation of an earmarked reserve from the underspend of Dedicated Schools Grant carried forward from 2012/13 to fund the proposed expansion.  This was in place of a proposed drawdown of a £4.8M loan from the Council’s reserves to be repaid from the Dedicated Schools Grant.

RESOLVED that:

1)  The expansion of the Glebe Foundation School with effect from 1^st September 2014 be approved as set out in the statutory notice; and,

2)  The Executive be requested to approve the creation of an earmarked reserve from the underspend of Dedicated Schools Grant carried forward from 2012/13 to fund the expansion of the Glebe Foundation School.