To provide information regarding the responses to the statutory notices published regarding the phased closure of the Community Schools of Brewers Hill Middle School and Streetfield Middle School and the C of E VA School of Ashton Middle School from September 2015, with full closure from August 2016.  Please note that the Appendices have been circulated as a separate document.

1.      That the responses to the statutory notice for the closure of Brewers Hill

          Community Middle School, including the school’s business case for an alternative proposal be noted.

2.      (a) That the statutory proposal to close Brewers Hill Community Middle School with a modified implementation date of phased closure from September 2016 with final closure in August 2017, for the reasons set out in paragraphs 69 – 95 in the report, be approved.

          (b)  That Executive approval will be sought to modify the implementation date should Beecroft Academy be able to accommodate Year 5 children in September 2015 be noted.

3.      That the responses to statutory notice for the closure of Streetfield Community Middle School, including the school’s business case for an alternative proposal be noted.

4.      That the statutory proposal to close Streetfield Community Middle School implemented with a phased closure from September 2015 with final closure in August 2016, for the reasons set out in paragraphs 99 – 120 in the report, be approved.

5.      That the responses to the statutory notice for the closure of Ashton Church of England Voluntary Aided Middle School, including the school’s business case for an alternative proposal be noted.

6.      That the statutory proposal to close Ashton Church of England Voluntary Aided Middle School implemented with a phased closure from September 2015 with final closure in August 2016, for the reasons set out in paragraphs 124 – 142 in the report, be approved.

This item had been marked urgent and was exempt from call-in as this would prevent the Council from reaching a decisions on the recommendations set out above and delay the publication of the composite prospectus for parents and carers applying for a school place for September 2015, which needs to be published in time for the admission rounds opening on 1 September 2014.  Any delay likely to be caused by the call-in process would seriously prejudice the Council’s and the public’s interests.

The Executive considered a report from the Executive Member for Children’s Services that provided information on the responses to the statutory notices published regarding the phased closure of Brewers Hill, Streetfield and Ashton Middle Schools from September 2015, with full closure from August 2016.  The report also set out the response to each of the schools’ business cases for their alternative proposals which had been submitted as part of their response to the statutory notices.

In response to questions, the Executive Member for Children’s Services thanked the relevant three schools and officers for the work that had been carried out in putting together the business cases to try to find alternative proposals.  The alternative proposals within the business cases had not demonstrated a demographic need nor generated confidence that there would be sufficient parental demand to secure future viability of the schools, which represented significant risk.  The schools needed to be financially viable to ensure the children received a high standard of education.  The Council would not normally allow a school to remain in deficit beyond 2 to 3 years.  If the schools were to remain open the deficit would fall on either the Dedicated Schools Grant (which would impact on all maintained schools budgets) or the Council.  There were no future plans for the sites, but the law stated that the sites must be considered for education purposes in the first instance.  The land at Streetfield and Brewers Hill Middle School would remain the responsibility of the Council, but the land at Ashton Middle School would be the responsibility of the Ashton Foundation.

Due to uncertainty regarding funding for capacity expansion at Beecroft Academy to implement their ambition to become a primary school from September 2015, it was suggested that the proposal to close Brewers Hill Middle School be modified with an implementation date of phased closure from September 2016 with final closure in August 2017.  This would enable a number of children entering Year 5 in September 2015 to have a place at a local school.  Beecroft Academy was intending to apply for capital grant through the Academies Capital Maintenance Fund to receive the funding required to become a primary school from September 2016.

Reason for decision:  To ensure the Council continued to meet its statutory obligations to provide sufficient school places and also to meet the legal requirements placed on the Council by the School Organisation (Establishment and Discontinuance of Schools)(England) Regulations 2013 regarding proposals to close the three maintained schools as set out in the report. 

RESOLVED

1.      that the responses to the statutory notice for the closure of Brewer’s Hill Community Middle School, including the school’s business case for an alternative proposal, be noted;

2.      (a) that the statutory proposal to close Brewer’s Hill Community Middle School be approved with a modified implementation date of phased closure from September 2016 with final closure in August 2017, for the reasons set out in paragraphs 69 – 95 in the report;

          (b)  that the Executive’s approval would be sought to modify the implementation date should Beecroft Academy be able to accommodate Year 5 children in September 2015, be noted.

3.      that the responses to the statutory notice for the closure of Streetfield Community Middle School, including the school’s business case for an alternative proposal, be noted;

4.      that the statutory proposal to close Streetfield Community Middle School be implemented with a phased closure from September 2015 with final closure in August 2016, for the reasons set out in paragraphs 99 – 120 in the report, be approved;

5.      that the responses to the statutory notice for the closure of Ashton Church of England Voluntary Aided Middle School, including the school’s business case for an alternative proposal, be noted; and

6.      that the statutory proposal to close Ashton Church of England Voluntary Aided Middle School be implemented with phased closure from September 2015 with final closure in August 2016, for the reasons set out in paragraphs 124 – 142 in the report, be approved.