Determination of Statutory Proposals to Expand Shefford Lower School, Fairfield Park Lower School and Greenleas Lower School.

1.      That the procedures established by the Education and Inspections Act 2006 (EIA 2006) and The School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2007 (as amended by The School Organisation and Governance (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2007 and The School Organisation and Governance (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2009 be noted and have been complied with in bringing forward the proposals outlined in the report.

2.      That the representations attached at Appendix A, to the statutory notices as set out in Appendices B – D to the report, issued on 11 June 2012 under Section 19(1) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 for Shefford Lower School, Fairfield Park Lower School and Greenleas Lower School be noted.

3.      That the statutory proposal to expand Shefford Community Lower School from a 2 form of entry (300 place) lower school for pupils aged 4+ to 9 to a 3 form of entry (450 place) lower school catering for pupils aged 4+ to 9 be approved with effect from September 2013, increasing the schools planned admission number from 60 to 90.

4.      That the statutory proposal to expand Fairfield Park Community Lower School from a 1 form of entry (150 place) lower school for pupils aged 4+ to 9 to a 2 form of entry (300 place) lower school for pupils aged 4+ to 9 be approved with effect from September 2013, increasing the schools planned admission number from 30 to 60.

5.      That the statutory proposal to expand Greenleas Community Lower School from a 2 form of entry (300 place) lower school for pupils aged 4+ to 9 to a 4 form of entry (600 place) lower school for pupils aged 4+ to 9 be approved through the creation of a new second campus at Pratts Quarry, off Kestrel Way, Leighton Buzzard, with effect from September 2013, amending the schools planned admission number to provide for 60 pupils on each of the school’s two sites.

6.      That the detailed business cases for each proposal as attached at Appendix E to G to the report be approved.

The Executive considered a report from the Executive Member for Children’s Services that set out the responses to the statutory proposals to expand Shefford Lower School, Fairfield Park Lower School and Greenleas Lower School.  The proposals have been subject previously to statutory consultation and a statutory notice period had now concluded requiring the Council to consider representations received and to determine the outcome of the proposals.

The Executive Member for Children’s Services advised that all options including the building of a new school in Shefford had been considered and the appropriate feasible action for this area was to expand Shefford Lower School. 

It was noted that Bedford Borough Council had rejected a submission for a free school in Bedford and the implications for Central Bedfordshire Council were being considered.

Reason for decision:  To enable the Council to determine the outcome of the statutory proposals following the close of the representation period on 9 July 2012.  If the Council were to fail to decide these proposals within 2 months of the end of the representation period it must forward proposals, and any received representations, to the schools adjudicator for decision.

RESOLVED

1.      that the procedures established by the Education and Inspections Act 2006 (EIA 2006) and The School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2007 (as amended by The School Organisation and Governance (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2007 and The School Organisation and Governance (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2009 be noted and have been complied with in bringing forward the proposals outlined in the report;

2.      that the representations attached at Appendix A, to the statutory notices as set out in Appendices B – D to the report, issued on 11 June 2012 under Section 19(1) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 for Shefford Lower School, Fairfield Park Lower School and Greenleas Lower School be noted;

3.      that the statutory proposal to expand Shefford Community Lower School from a 2 form of entry (300 place) lower school for pupils aged 4+ to 9 to a 3 form of entry (450 place) lower school catering for pupils aged 4+ to 9 be approved with effect from September 2013, increasing the schools planned admission number from 60 to 90;

4.      that the statutory proposal to expand Fairfield Park Community Lower School from a 1 form of entry (150 place) lower school for pupils aged 4+ to 9 to a 2 form of entry (300 place) lower school for pupils aged 4+ to 9 be approved with effect from September 2013, increasing the schools planned admission number from 30 to 60;

5.      that the statutory proposal to expand Greenleas Community Lower School from a 2 form of entry (300 place) lower school for pupils aged 4+ to 9 to a 4 form of entry (600 place) lower school for pupils aged 4+ to 9 be approved through the creation of a new second campus at Pratts Quarry, off Kestrel Way, Leighton Buzzard, with effect from September 2013, amending the schools planned admission number to provide for 60 pupils on each of the school’s two sites; and

6.      that the detailed business cases for each proposal as attached at Appendix E to G to the report be approved.