Issue - meetings

Annual Education Sufficiency Update (0-25) 2024

Meeting: 28/01/2025 - Cabinet (Item 8)

8 Annual Education Sufficiency Update (0-25) 2024 pdf icon PDF 98 KB

A report providing the current context for the delivery of the Warwickshire Education Sufficiency Strategy 2024 - 2029 and the Warwickshire SEND and Inclusion Strategy and outlining pupil number forecasts from September 2024.

 

Cabinet Portfolio Holder – Councillor Kam Kaur

Additional documents:

Minutes:

This report was presented by Councillor Kam Kaur, Portfolio Holder for Education, who stated that the Council had a statutory duty to ensure that sufficient early years, childcare, primary, secondary and post-16 education places were available for their area, including places appropriate for pupils with Special Educational Needs/Disabilities (SEND).   Since 2010, 13 new schools had opened as well as several permanent school expansions contributing to an overall increase of over 20,000 new permanent school places.  During the next five year period it was expected that a further five new schools would be delivered, alongside several expansion projects for both mainstream and specialist settings.

 

In response to questions from Councillors Jerry Roodhouse and Yousef Dahmash, Councillor Kaur provided an update on the Eden Valley School, noting that a feasibility study had taken place and discussions were taking place with contractors. Extensions were also considered where a need for specialist resource provision was identified.  However, Rugby was uniquely attractive to families due to the presence of grammar schools and its logistical placement along the A5 and housing development.  Members discussed the geographic placement of Rugby and where families were moving in from and it was suggested that analysis take place along these lines to understand which schools were in greater demand.

 

Resolved:

 

That Cabinet endorses the Annual Education Sufficiency Update (Ages 0-25) 2024 and confirms its support for the development of design, feasibility and detailed costings for the proposed projects identified in the report.