Issue - meetings

Officer: Denise Bushay

Key decision: yes

The Leader of the Council delegated to the Cabinet the power to make the decisions set out below

RESOLVED: To

School Place Planning

1.   note the progress made on delivering the Education Estates supply strategy for mainstream and special schools for the 2018/19 to 2020/21 academic years. (Appendix 1 of the report - Capital Programme Budget summary).

Special Educational Needs and Disability

2.   agree the revised SEND supply strategy and budget to provide additional places for children with special educational needs and disability - Appendix 2 of the report.

3.   approve the start of statutory process - publication of statutory proposal and formal consultation – in the autumn term relating to the proposed extension of the age range at Red Gates School.

4.   note that the Department for Education(DfE) has approved/announced the provider for Croydon’s new special free school. 

5.   note progress relating to the proposed partnership with Croydon Further Education (FE) college to establish new local post 16 places in an SEN Centre of Excellence.

6.   delegate authority to the Executive Director, Children, Families and Education in consultation with the Director of Finance and Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Learning to spend from the £6.833m of DfE Basic Need funding for 2019/20 to provide additional places at St Nicholas and Red Gates Special School, and relocate Springboard – Pupil Referral Unit. 

Alternative Provision / Pupil Referral Unit (PRU)

7.   agree to the relocation of Springboard Tuition Service – PRU - and delegate authority to the Interim Director, Children, Families and Education in consultation with the Director of Finance and Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Learning to make decisions relating to capital funding required for the relocation. Cabinet are asked to agree to commission the necessary works, subject to agreement from the site owner, including feasibility and design development; and capital funding for this relocation. At the time of writing, the estimated cost is in the region of £500k.

Early Years Provision

8.   note information relating to early years provision in the borough.

                 School Admissions

9.   note the percentage of Croydon’s pupils who have been offered a place at their first and top three preferred primary and secondary schools.

                 School Maintenance and Compliance

10.   note the Schools’ Maintenance Plan (Appendix 3) for the 2018/19 academic year which includes £2m for fire safety works in community schools (plus an additional £1m for 2019/20), all as agreed in the Education Estates Strategy report at Cabinet in January 2018. In light of the issues set out in paragraph 7.7 below, it is recommended  that the Executive Director, Children, Families and Education, should be given delegated authority to vary the plan to reflect actual prices and new urgent issues that may arise, including authorising spend against the allowance for emergency and reactive works. The Executive Director, Children, Families and Education shall report back to members in respect of any exercise of such authority.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Learning provided Cabinet with an update on the progress of the Estates Strategy and ensuring that good school places were being delivered which provided a diverse education sector and gave parents’ choice. It was noted that a number of schools had been inspected and showed that high quality school places were being provided, and the Cabinet Member congratulated teachers, parents and students for their work. However, it was also noted that there were two schools which officers were working with closely to improve standards.

It was noted that there had been an increase in the number of young people who required SEND support, which had been higher than surrounding boroughs. Work to support young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) had continued, with a new dedicated school to be opened by September 2020 and work with Croydon College progressing to provide post-16 provision.

Members were informed that an outcome from the Take Over Challenge had been young people’s interest in continuing to study in the borough, and work had continued to open a university in the borough.

The Cabinet Member stated that the borough’s work on improving phonics for early years had been commended by the Education Minister, and there had been a request to share good practice. Furthermore, Key Stage 4 attainment levels were above the England average and Key Stage 5 remained positive. While these improvements were noted it was recognised that it was important to ensure all young people got the education they deserved.

It was recognised that the council had much less oversight of schools in the borough which provided a challenge to ensure high quality education, however it meant the authority had adapted to becoming an influencer and the role of the link officers had become more important.

Robust forecasting remained an important area for the council and officers’ work on ensuring there was a sufficient supply of school places was commended. Members were shown a video of the new schools that had been developed across the borough and the improvements to some sites.

In response to Member questions, the Cabinet Member committed to providing the Shadow Cabinet Member with the attendance figures for Pupil Referral Units. It was further recognised that it was important to understand what led to young people being excluded from school, and the Chair of the Health & Wellbeing Board informed Members that the Board was keen to look at how standards could be improved as it was recognised that exclusions had a long term effect on the health and wellbeing of the young person.

Accurate school place planning was noted to be a challenge, however the council sought to have a 5% surplus in places to ensure parent choice remained and continued to monitor the available data carefully to ensure in-year places were also available.

In response to Member questions, the Cabinet Member confirmed that discussions had taken place with parents of St Andrews school students. The issue had been that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57