Agenda item

Delivery of Additional School Places

Minutes:

The Select Committee gave consideration to a report of the Head of School Support Services which provided it with an update on the current position regarding school places and school admissions for September 2019 including:-

· Current Position and Context

· Education Provision Strategy and Current Expansion Projects

· Admissions – Parental Preference Performance

 

Members were informed that the number of children seeking school places had risen in the last year. Whilst there were places available, these were not always where parents wanted them. In the primary sector, there were 476 available places. The majority were in KS1 due to a primary expansion programme over recent years. There were minimal places in year 3- year 6 throughout the borough.

 

In the secondary sector there were there were currently 154 empty places. There were 40 spaces with schools being willing to voluntarily go over PAN.

20 extra places had been secured at Blue Coat School, where there were currently bulge classes in year 8 and year 9.  Members noted Oldham had been affected by the sudden closure of Collective Spirit, which had seen schools in Oldham take the pupils at short notice. Those Collective Spirit pupils were still current secondary pupils.

 

Members were informed that Oldham had significant housing need and the proposed new housing developments in the 2019 draft Greater Manchester Strategic Framework: GM Plan for Homes, Jobs and the Environment would create additional pressures for school places. They noted a revised strategy of place planning would be put in place to deal with these developments.

 

The Select Committee was informed that, in October 2019, a revised strategy for the delivery of school places would be submitted to Cabinet for approval. The strategy would outline plans for the development of school provision for the period 2020 to 2014. It would include predictions and modelling for the number of places needed for SEND pupils and other pupils who need

alternative provision. There was considerable activity to enhance the provision of places at good and outstanding schools as outlined in the appendix.

 

In relation to admissions, 93% of parents had received their first preference of primary school against a figure of 91% nationally. 75% of parents were offered their first preference of secondary school against a national figure of

81%. The developments currently underway and those that would be contained in the new Education Provision Strategy would be designed to bring that to at least national level by September 2022.

 

Members asked for and received clarification of the following:-

·       The number of pupils not being offered a place at their first preference secondary school – this was approximately 20%. Many parents had only expressed one preference and had then been re-directed to the nearest available place rather than being considered for other preferences.

·       Was this caused by the admissions criteria of faith schools – there were many factors that influenced preference and availability of places. An example was given of a school that was assessed as “Good” but had not attracted many first preferences because it was new and did not have the history of other local schools.

·       Could the Council assist with marketing – it was explained these were Academies and the Council worked with them by invitation, not by right. The Council worked with the schools as closely as possible and the relationship was more complex than when there was direct control.

·       The continuation of expansion  in the primary sector – this would continue as further places were needed, for example in the Chadderton area.

 

RESOLVED that the contents of the report and the plans to improve parental choice, specifically in relation to choice in the secondary sector, be noted.

Supporting documents: