Issue - meetings

Warwickshire Education Sufficiency Strategy

Meeting: 23/07/2024 - County Council (Item 4)

4 Warwickshire Education Sufficiency Strategy pdf icon PDF 100 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

That Council approves the Warwickshire Education Sufficiency Strategy 2024-2029.

Minutes:

Councillor Kam Kaur (Portfolio Holder for Education) moved the recommendation as set out in the report.  In doing so, she recognised the threads into the Education Strategy, considered at the previous item on the agenda, and the Council’s statutory duties.

 

Councillor Sue Markham seconded the recommendation.

 

Debate

 

During the course of the debate, councillors made the following points:

 

  • The current funding required for school places was questioned as an underestimation, with queries around the formula and what was included being raised.
  • It was noted that there was an expectation for Developers to meet growing needs, and the reality of this based on past experiences was questioned.
  • The Strategy set out the optimal preferred size of secondary schools as 900 places, which was different from the 2000 places offered at Kenilworth Sixth Form and it was queried whether there was similar disparity elsewhere and how the gap between ambition and delivery could be explained. 
  • It was queried whether the acceptable walking distances from home to school included in the strategy (2 miles for primary school and 3 miles for secondary school aged children) were a national standard, how realistic this was and how active travel could be promoted when these were presented as suitable walking distances.
  • Clarification was sought on the Department for Education figures showing ‘101% of children accessing 3 and 4 year old entitlement’.
  • The report stated that as part of the feasibility work on capital projects, where feasible net zero and low carbon options and associated costs were explored and considered, but this appeared to be ruled out by the subsequent report on the agenda.
  • Provision for reception places was questioned as being concentrated in the north of the county, which was leading to children having further distances to travel to school and in some cases leading to the Council being responsible for transport. 
  • The number of school children with an Education Health and Care Plan was noted and whilst an increase in provision was sought there was still an anticipated shortfall. What plans were in place to resource the gap in provision, eg sponsored academies.

 

In seconding the recommendation, Councillor Sue Markham commended the Strategy which she believed would deliver on Council priorities.  She noted the link between all three education-related papers on the agenda for the meeting and expressed her support for them all.

 

In response to questions raised during the debate, Councillor Kaur responded that:

 

  • The Department for Education provided the formula for the calculation of school places.  The methodology used by the Council had also been endorsed by an independent consultant.  Population figures could be drawn from the census but in-year changes made for an unknown quantity.
  • The 2 and 3 mile distances quoted by the report related to statutory duties. 
  • There were positive examples of work with Developers that could be drawn from going forward.
  • Strategic discussions took place with district and borough councils and local developers to understand when developments would progress and, therefore, when the associated need for school places would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4

Meeting: 13/06/2024 - Cabinet (Item 6)

6 Warwickshire Education Sufficiency Strategy 2024 - 2029 pdf icon PDF 165 KB

A paper presenting a refreshed Education Sufficiency Strategy for endorsement prior to consideration by Full Council.

 

Cabinet Portfolio Holder – Councillor Kam Kaur

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Kam Kaur, Portfolio Holder for Education summarised the published report, noting that the Education Sufficiency Strategy was a core strategy which set out how the council would plan, develop and commission education provision for early years, school places, post 16 and SEND.  She noted that there were a number of challenges and considerations which the strategy sought to highlight and address, including population changes and housing growth, the increase in pupils with recognised SEND, cost pressures, sustainability, and meeting the demand for early years provision as a result of recent legislative changes.  To facilitate the delivery of this strategy four priorities had been identified as set out in the report:?strategic planning, effective commissioning, partnership and collaboration and managing and supporting change.? 

 

Members welcomed the informative report.

 

Resolved

 

That Cabinet endorses the Warwickshire Education Sufficiency Strategy 2024-2029 and recommends it to Council for approval.