Minutes:
The Portfolio Holder for Education gave an update to Members on work being undertaken across the Education Portfolio.
The need to create additional primary school places in the Borough had been identified as a priority. Applications had been submitted for three free schools in the Borough, and work to consider temporary and permanent expansion of places at existing schools across the Borough would continue. Secondary schools had been approached around the potential to develop ‘all-through’ academies. It had also been identified that there would be a significant increase in demand for secondary places in the Borough from 2015-16. The Portfolio Holder for Education emphasised the importance of ensuring that the effect of any proposed school expansion on the local community was mitigated, including the issue of increased traffic, and noted that a full traffic assessment would be carried out to assess the impact of any proposed expansion of a Bromley school. Other measures such as walking buses and after school clubs would be important in minimising the impact of increased traffic at any expanded school at certain times of the day. A Member noted the potential to introduce a safer parking area in the vicinity of schools where appropriate.
Discussions continued with the RC Archdiocese of Southwark around the potential to establish a new Roman Catholic secondary school in the Borough, and work to identify a suitable site was ongoing. The Portfolio Holder was keen to encourage the Archdiocese to seek to establish a six form of entry Roman Catholic secondary school to ensure that sufficient places were available to all parents and carers who wanted their children to attend a Roman Catholic secondary school in the Borough. A Member noted that there would be a wider choice of school sites if the decision was made to establish a smaller four form of entry secondary provision.
The Education Covenant had been agreed by Full Council on 1st July 2013. This Covenant outlined the role and responsibilities of the Local Authority in supporting education provision across the Borough into the future and would support the Local Authority in targeting its resources in the most effective way.
The Portfolio Holder noted that Councillor Pauline Tunnicliffe, who had acted as Children’s Champion for 2012/13, was now the Chairman of Care Services PDS Committee and thanked her for the excellent work she had undertaken on behalf of children and young people across the Borough.
In response to a question from a Member, the Portfolio Holder for Education confirmed that a School Improvement Advisor to offer mathematics support had now been recruited and would be in post from September 2013. Remaining capacity would be filled through commissioning specialist practitioners in schools. Out of 24 Local Authority maintained schools currently being provided with support by the School Improvement Service, nine had been unable to access maths support, and funding had been offered to these schools to buy in support or be provided with additional support from the School Improvement Service next term.
RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder update be noted.