Agenda item

The Assistant Director for Education, Skills, Culture and Heritage provided an overview of the Organisation of Learning Provision Strategy 2020 that sets the future learning landscape for Doncaster.  It was explained that the report addressed ensuring the right number of school places, in the correct locations were available across Doncaster and place projections moving forward.

The following areas were addressed in detail by the Panel:

Local Authority influence on Academy Trusts – A Member referred to the changing pattern in Doncaster meaning that there were a number of schools where the governing body was increasingly autonomous with regard to pupil places and admissions policies and questioned what influence the Local Authority had in this regard.  In response, it was explained that in Doncaster there was considerable collaboration and good relationships between the Borough’s schools and the Local Authority, with the response to Covid-19 highlighting such positive connections. 

Members were reminded that Academies by definition were independent in their own right, however, the Local Authority retained certain statutory responsibilities, particularly with regards to safeguarding.  The Local Authority was effectively the Commissioner to ensure appropriate and sufficient school places were available across the board.

Funding for school repairs – in response to a question raised,it was explained that an annual review was undertaken on each school to prioritise refurbishment work funded from the capital condition funding allocation, available for community schools.  With regard to voluntary aided schools, it was confirmed they had their own budgets for this purpose and Academies were required to make an annual bid for refurbishment works.

Capital Funds for expansion – It was explained that a programme of expansion works was undertaken through a number of funding opportunities available.  This included applications through the annual allocation, Section 106 fund and more recently funding streams that were made available, for example, to build the new Bader SEND school that had been fully funded by the Department for Education and sponsored by the NEXUS Academy Trust.

Bader SEND school – The Strategy identified that there was a demand for places in SEND schools.  It was confirmed that the Local Authority had the responsibility to provide sufficient places that met the needs all off children with individual needs. Reference was made to the New Bader school, opening on 1^st September, 2020 and provided places for children with social emotional mental health support.  The school was based in the Edenthorpe area and provided 100 places for children with high functioning autism. 

Growth demand of school places – specifically relating to special needs provision, it was questioned whether there was adequate capacity as the gap between this and the actual number was narrowing each year.  It was the opinion that alternative provision when a child transferred from a normal to special school, provision had not always been adequate.  It was explained that the document provided addressed learning provision and not school organisation, it took into account both SEND provision and children who required additional support. 

It was explained that as part of the inclusion work the breach relating to reintegration was being addressed and had gained greater pace as a result of the Covid pandemic.  An example of this was the reframing and reprofiling of “Big Picture Doncaster”. 

In response to a question relating to the need for further schools like the new Bader school, it was explained that a SEND sufficiency plan was being developed and an item that the Panel could address at a future meeting.

The Panel was informed that the children on role at Heatherwood school was 71 and not 123 as set out in the report.

Asbestos removal – it was confirmed that asbestos only created a problem if disturbed and its removal from school buildings was managed on a case by case basis.  For example, if planned works identified that asbestos was an issue, then the school concerned would be supported and measures taken for its automatic removal.  With regard to specific questions relating to ceiling tiles, it was explained that this would be followed up after the meeting.

Section 106 monies - school build programme – Members noted that the Planning White Paper consultation proposed that a Community Infrastructure Levy would replace the Section 106 process and provided on an area by area basis.  The number of additional school places required on any new build would be calculated with building developers required to contribute to this.

School transport and the demand for and growth of faith schools – In response to questions in relation to the number of pupils able to access their chosen faith school, the difficulties that could arise with travel arrangements, including the need for parents to use cars if their child lived outside the school locality, thus increasing traffic, the following was addressed.

The Local Authority has a statutory duty to provide transport if:

a child is 3 or more miles away from their nearest secondary school,

a child of 8 years and under and is 2 miles or more walking distance away from a school. 

The Transport Policy was based on mileage parameters however, Members were reminded that parents had the right to appeal under the Policy if they were unhappy with the transport support allocated.  This could be undertaken if parents were able to demonstrate that a particular school provided the environment and learning that was specific to the needs of their child, with a faith school being one example.  With regards to admissions and transport assistance the Policy was being addressed moving forward, including engagement with South Yorkshire Transport, but recognised that any proposed changes would not happen immediately.

The acknowledgement of SACRE’s involvement (Standing Advisory council for Religious Education) was very important when giving consideration to this issue.

School admissions – the Local Authority co-ordinated the admissions for a number of schools, however, it was noted that schools were Admission authorities in their own right.  It was accepted that Doncaster had a multi-faceted structure with a number of Academies and Voluntary Aided Schools and it was important that everyone worked together to ensure sufficient places were available in the right areas.  It was acknowledged that there were some areas that had a high demand for or surplus school places across the Borough but patterns of preference changed over time, and work was ongoing through the School Provision Strategy to address this. 

It was recognised that historically oversubscribed schools were expanded and undersubscribed schools could fall victim to that position if they were in the same vicinity.  Standards across Doncaster were generally improving and in turn so were schools’ reputations, therefore if a school wished to expand, then it would be addressed in the context of all schools within the vicinity to ensure schools were not oversubscribed at the detriment to others.

A number of schools with surplus places were highlighted but it was noted that in the East of the Borough there was currently sufficient school places.  However, the DN7 development would see an increase in the number of properties and in turn would increase demand in the Stainforth, Thorne and Hatfield areas.  It was noted that discussions had been undertaken with the developer to secure S106 monies for additional school provision.

RESOLVED:  that the report, be noted.