Agenda and minutes

Resolved – That Councillor David Renard be chair for this meeting of the Panel.

The Chair reminded Members of the need to declare any known interests in any matters to be considered at the meeting.

Councillor Dale Heenan made a non-prejudicial declaration of interest in his capacity as Ward Member for Covingham & Dorcan, the ward location of Nythe Primary School.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 15^th March 2018.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting held on 15^th March 2018 be confirmed as a correct record.

There were no public questions.

The Council’s Head of Education submitted a joint report seeking the Panel’s agreement to lower the age range of Bridlewood Primary School by two years from 4-11 to 2-11.

The report set out the results of the consultation process held in September/October 2018 on the proposal to lower the age range and captures the range of responses received by the St Andrew’s community.

It was noted that the report was necessary to enable the Local Authority to notify the Department of Education of change in age range at Bridlewood Primary School.

The report also set out preferred options and timescales with the intention of Bridlewood Primary school opening and running its own maintained nursery provision to include 2, 3 and 4 year olds from September 2019

In reaching its decision, the Cabinet Panel confirmed that it

·         has carefully considered the joint report and the representations made at the meeting by Council Officers.

·         is satisfied that

o   it has the necessary information in order to make the decision referred to above,

o   the Statutory Notice complied with the statutory requirements,

o   the statutory consultation was carried out properly prior to the publication of the Notice, and

o   the Notice did not relate to any other published proposal.

·         has carefully considered the factors to be considered by the decision makers, as set out in the statutory guidance from the Department for Education dated October 2018 (Guidance for decision-makers: Statutory guidance for decision-makers  - making significant changes ( prescribed alterations) to maintained schools).

The Cabinet Panel’s decision is to approve the proposals as set out in the statutory notice to:

Lower the age range of Bridlewood Primary School by two years to include 2, 3 and 4 year olds to create maintained nursery provision opening in September 2019.

The reasons for the decision are as follows:

Education standards and diversity of provision

The Cabinet Panel believed that the Local Authority was responding to the Government’s wish to see a dynamic system in which the best schools are able to expand and spread their ethos and success. Bridlewood was graded ‘Requires Improvement’ by Ofsted in January 2018. However, Early Years Provision and Effectiveness of Leadership and Management was graded as ‘Good’.

The Cabinet Panel believed that the introduction of a school nursery will continue to improve the quality of education provided at the school by achieving better outcomes for children who will have access to a qualified teacher from the age of 2. Whilst there is no guarantee that attending the school nursery will mean a place in the school’s reception class, those children who are offered a school place within Bridlewood will benefit from a smoother transition having been pupils of the school from an earlier age.

The Cabinet panel believed that Childcare Sufficiency Assessment commissioned by the LA in February 2018 identified a shortfall of 314 places for 3 and 4 year olds and 52 places for 2 year olds within the ward. Swindon Borough Council has a duty to address  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

The Council’s Head of Education submitted a report seeking the Panel’s agreement to lower the age range of Nythe Primary School.

The report set out the results of the consultation process held in September/October 2018 on the proposal to lower the age range and captures the range of responses received by the Nythe community.

It was noted that the report was necessary to enable the Local Authority to notify the Department of Education of change in age range at Nythe Primary School.

The report also set out preferred options and timescales with the intention of Nythe Primary School opening and running its own maintained nursery provision to include 2, 3 and 4 year olds from September 2019.

In reaching its decision, the Cabinet Panel confirmed that it:

·         has carefully considered the joint report and the representations made at the meeting by Council Officers and by Mrs Sally Clarke, Headteacher, Nythe Primary School.

·         is satisfied that

o   it has the necessary information in order to make the decision referred to above,

o   the Statutory Notice complied with the statutory requirements,

o   the statutory consultation was carried out properly prior to the publication of the Notice, and

o   the Notice did not relate to any other published proposal.

·         has carefully considered the factors to be considered by the decision makers, as set out in the statutory guidance from the Department for Education in October 2018, Guidance for decision-makers: Statutory guidance for decision-makers  - making significant changes ( prescribed alterations) to maintained schools.

The Cabinet Panel’s decision is to approve the proposals as set out in the statutory notice to:

Lower the age range of Nythe Primary School by two years to include 2, 3 and 4 year olds to create maintained nursery provision opening in September 2019.

The reasons for the decision are as follows:

Education standards and diversity of provision

The Cabinet Panel believed that the Local Authority is responding to the Government’s wish to see a dynamic system in which the best schools are able to expand and spread their ethos and success. Nythe Primary School was graded as ‘Good’ by Ofsted in September 2016.

The Cabinet Panel noted that Nythe Preschool is situated on the school site with a lease until summer term 2019. If the proposal is approved the school would establish its own maintained nursery in the space from September 2019, with plans to improve the facilities to create a space for wrap around provision.

The Cabinet Panel also noted that proposal to lower the age range at Nythe Primary School has been developed to respond to the Childcare Act 2016, which places a duty on LAs to secure 30 hours of free childcare for working families with 3 and 4 year olds from September 2017.

The Cabinet Panel also noted that it is recognised by Ofsted that educational outcomes are improved by having a qualified early year’s teacher in the provision.

 The Cabinet panel believed that the proposal would offer families in the Nythe community  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.