Agenda item

Report CEF23031

The report presented the Bromley School Places Plan 2023-27 that set out the Local Authority’s plans to meet the forecast need for primary, secondary and specialist school places and sought agreement to the recommendations of the School Place Planning Working Group which met on 26 April 2023.

A Member asked about attending schools beyond borough boundaries and the Head of Strategic Place Planning advised that Bromley was a net importer of children and that for the secondary phase of education, 17% of Bromley children and young people attended a school out of the Borough whilst 21% of Bromley school places were allocated to out-of-borough pupils.  This was in part due to the location of schools and pupil preference, but also reflected the high quality of Bromley schools, many of which were rated as ‘Outstanding’.  The Harris Federation had recently withdrawn its application to open the Harris Kent House Free School due to lack of outside play space and this raised concerns around meeting demand for secondary places in the North West of the Borough.  The Chairman queried whether it was planned to increase the number of special school places available at Riverside School’s Phoenix Centre campus and the Director of Education advised that the Local Authority continued to work with Riverside School around delivering additional places where feasible.  Work was ongoing to establish a new special free school, Redwood Academy, to be delivered by the Department for Education, and that this would enable more Bromley pupils to attend an in-Borough provision.  Site surveys for the planned special free school were due to commence shortly. 

In response to a question from a Co-opted Member, the Head of Strategic Place Planning explained that the School Place Planning Report 2023/27 focused on education provision to Year 11, but that Bromley and other local authorities had raised issues about capacity at post-16 with the Department for Education which had responsibility for funding additional sixth form places.

RESOLVED: That the Portfolio Holder be recommended to:

·  Note pupil roll projections and other trend data set out in Report CEF23031 and its appendices;

·  Note the continued increase in the number of children and young people with an Education Health and Care Plan above demographic trends;

·  Agree that a planning margin of 5% above the Greater London Authority School Roll Projections continue to be implemented to provide for local variations in need and to meet parental preferences;

·  Agree that the Greater London Authority School Roll Projections indicate a potential future reduction in the need for primary places and this position needs to be kept under review;

·  Agree that whilst there are currently sufficient places available or planned to meet current and projected demand for school places, the Local Authority will work with schools to safeguard the existing supply of school places as required;

·  Agree that the Local Authority will prioritise the needs of education within the Infrastructure Delivery Plan;

·  Agree there are specific pressures for placements for pupils with Education Health and Care Plans and that the Local Authority will work with local schools, trusts and the Department for Education to bring proposals forward to increase capacity and improve provision where necessary. The High Needs Funding and Estates Review will be a key route for identifying opportunities to bring forward additional capacity;

·  Agree that discussions be undertaken with schools, multi academy trusts and the Department for Education as outlined in Report CEF23031 to ensure a sufficient supply of mainstream school places in the Borough, including through expansions and opening new schools;

·  Note a recent notification received from the Department for Education’s Regional Director that the Harris Federation has withdrawn its application to open the Harris Kent House free school;

·  Note that whilst there has been delay in the delivery of the special free school, Redwood Academy, the Local Authority is working proactively with both the Department for Education and operator, Rivermead Inclusive Trust to open the school at the earliest opportunity;

·  Agree that the Local Authority should actively seek to increase the capacity of in-Borough specialist provision;

·  Agree where expansion is agreed, this will be implemented through the education capital programme (subject to the availability of funds; and,

·  Agree that Officers continue dialogue with the Department for Education on amending the primary and secondary planning areas.