Issue - items at meetings - Primary School Places in Brighton & Hove

Report of the Acting Director of Children’s Services.

18.1         Gil Sweetenham (School Futures Project Director) and Steve Healey (Head of School Admissions and Transport) presented the report and answered questions.

18.2         A Member reiterated the importance of having local schools, as families did not want to travel across the city to their allocated schools.

18.3         The Committee were advised that there were plans to upgrade school buildings but these depended on the level of funding available following the review of capital funding.

18.4         Members were informed that in the Officers view the GP data figures were the most accurate available. Child benefit data was not as accurate as the benefit wasn’t always paid to the address where the children were living.

18.5         Members were informed how some GP data didn’t match the numbers attending primary/infant state schools as families moved around and some children went into private education.

18.6         The Committee was advised that there was pressure on school places for schools within the BN 31 to BN 34 areas (along the Hove seafront). Historically some of these children used to go to schools in Portslade; however these schools are full to capacity too.

18.7         In response to what communication has been made with parents, the Committee were informed that Officers would attend school meetings, the school admissions booklet would outline the authorities future plans, information would be available on the council website and the information would be released to the press. This would enable all parents to make informed decisions when going through the school admissions process. 

18.8         In answer to a question on when does the authority receive the capital funding, Members were advised that the funding was allocated on a 3 year basis, the latest allocation being made 3 years ago.  The authority has used the 3 year capital programme funding and “safety valve” money for school expansion projects and the additional temporary accommodation.

18.9         The Committee were informed that a temporary school would be opened for September 2011; this would be managed by local primary schools for a period of up to two years, until formal government approval was given. This will allow sufficient time to plan for a permanent three form entry all through primary school, including management of the school whether this was parents, the local authority, faith groups or other bodies.

The authority has two plans and will continue to work with these options to ensure that one of them will come to fruition.

It was confirmed that unless suitable accommodation was found, mobile classrooms would have to be used

18.10    In answer to a question on the forecast figures that showed another school would be needed in 2016 and what plans were in place to meet these forecasts, Members were told that projections were based on trends, there were schools in the east of the city that had vacant places and whether these places needed to be filled first, to ensure funding was spent wisely. Planning so far ahead was difficult as the children were not born yet and there was limited space within the city to build on. The authority were already looking into alternative, high quality accommodation, investigating modern methods of learning and keeping all options open.

18.11    In response to a question on whether suggestions from the public were welcome as the idea of negotiating with the Connaught Centre came from a member of the public, it was confirmed that the authority welcomed all local involvement.

18.12    Members heard that the authority was working with all potential providers to look at future opportunities and the implications of these to schools.

18.13    RESOLVED –

(1)    The Committee noted the actions proposed to secure additional primary school places in the City and particularly in Hove.

(2)    The Committee noted the statistical information on which the proposals had been based on and the potential variations which must be allowed for in forecasting.