Decision - Consultation of the future of Falmer High School and proposals for the development of an Academy on the school site

1) To note the progress since the Policy & Resources Committee Meeting of 6 March 2008.

2) To consider the outcome of the informal stage of consultation undertaken between 19 May and 4 July 2008 shown at Appendix 3 of the report.

3) That based on the outcomes of that consultation, to approve the next stage of the procedure and authorise the Director of Children’s Services to publish the statutory notice on 1 September 2008 for the closure of Falmer High School in August 2010.

Given the opportunity afforded both to pupils and the local community and the substantial capital investment that will be made by the DCSF together with the sponsor’s endowment and in the light of the outcomes of the informal consultation and the Government’s directives on BSF, Members are asked to approve the publication of the statutory notice by the Director of Children’s Services on 1^st September 2008.

Officers and the Lead Member of the CYPT have considered the alternatives to improve not only the outcome for pupils (which have improved considerably over the last few years but which fall short of the 30% benchmark for GCSEs when including English and Maths) and the possibility of rebuilding the current school.

The Council does not enter the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Programme until 2015. Although the DCSF recently announced a reconsideration of the programme, they have also made clear that local authorities would be expected to widen parental choice and take action to develop Academies, Trust or Federated Schools. Given this, the improvements at Falmer High School so far and the unpredictability of any future BSF programme, officers consider that the Academy offers the best option for the pupils and the local community and the site.