Agenda item

            Mr Gareth Cheal, Strategic Planning Manager, introduced a report regarding the number of education places required to meet Swindon’s long term education needs until 2026, covering early years, primary, secondary and special education.  

            Mr Cheal explained that the report brought together information from a range of sources and sets out the issues the Borough might encounter and would need to address in order to meeting its statutory responsibilities.  He explained that the report provided an overview of present and predicted future pupil numbers on roll, together with information about birth rates, school capacity and new housing.  Mr Cheal referred to the increase in demand for special education needs places and advised that Crowdys Hill Special School would be admitting further pupils. 

            Mr Cheal responded to members’ questions on the following issues: 

·        The type of communication being undertaken with planning teams regarding the new development areas.

·        The extensive property development within the Northern Sector of Swindon and how this would affect school placement in that area.

·        The reasons for opening Free Schools in Swindon and the effect on school admissions within their catchment area. 

·        The effect of opening a Free School in Wichelstowe in 2018 as this would be earlier than the need for school places in that area.

·        The opening of a Free School in Wichelstowe and how this might affect the allocation of school places for pupils living in the area and its impact on funding for schools in the Wichelstowe catchment area.  

·        The submission to Cabinet of timescales for the construction of Free Schools. 

·        The timescales for work being undertaken at schools in the Central and Urban areas.

·        The intention by the White Horse Federation to open a new school and its effect on the Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) service.

·        The actions being taken to address the predicted growth in demand for Catholic Education.

·        School Standards at Key Stage 4 and if this affected Swindon schools’ admissions on the basis that parents were sending their pupils out of Borough for education.

·        The effect on school place planning of pupils attending out of borough schools.

·        The need to ensure a marketing campaign was undertaken to promote the new schools.

·        The scale of population growth and how this had been reflected in school place planning.

·        School place planning and the review of the need for secondary schools places for pupils moving up from primary schools.

·        New housing development and its effect on the school place needs forms of entry (FE).

·        Possible transport issues if pupils were unable to attend a local school.

·        The consultation process undertaken on the need to lower the age range at Crowdys Hill Special School and the current position with regard to the outcome of that consultation.

·        Schools’ funding and the effect of the Dedicated Schools Grant.

·        The location of new schools. . 

·        The recruitment of schools governors for new schools.

·        Additional provision for Early Years children with special needs, particularly children on free funding. 

Resolved - (1) That the report be noted.

          (2) That the Head of Education be requested to include in future Education Place Planning Update reports, data regarding the number of pupils transferring out of borough during the primary and secondary allocation process at a future meeting of this Committee.