Archived decisions

Contact: Ian Lawson, Strategic Planning Officer (01962 846350)

1. Summary

1.1 Following consultation with governing bodies, it is proposed that proposals should be published to reduce the Standard Numbers at twelve primary schools to reflect changes in the accommodation available or to meet class size limits.

2. Standard Numbers

2.1 The Standard Number of a school is the number of pupils in the normal admission age group below which the school cannot turn down requests for admission. This is calculated in accordance with rules laid down in the Education Acts, and is based on numbers on roll and the physical capacity of the school at certain dates in the past and any subsequent statutory proposals.

2.2 As a result of the removal of surplus places, several schools now have less accommodation than would be required to admit up to their Standard Number. Where this capacity is less than when the present Standard Number first applied, application can be made to the School Organisation Committee for a reduction in this number. This requires the publication of public notices. In some cases, reductions in Standard Numbers are appropriate in order to avoid exceeding the maximum class size of 30 for Key Stage 1 classes.

2.3 The County Council has a duty to keep Standard Numbers under review. This is particularly important where there may be future bids for capital spending approval within 2 miles (primary) or 3 miles (secondary) since the Department for Education and Skills currently uses the Standard Numbers when assessing the total available capacity in an area.

2.4 The proposals below would apply for admissions from September 2003 onwards. The DfES has indicated that provision in the current Education Bill will have the effect of abolishing Standard Numbers, from September 2004 admissions onwards, to be replaced by new regulations relating to the fixing of admission limits.

2.5 There are no direct resource implications as these proposals relate to schools where surplus places have already been removed.

3. Proposals for reductions

3.1 The following schools have been identified where reductions would be appropriate. In each case, the governing body has been consulted and no objections have been raised.

4. Langrish Primary School

4.1 Langrish school currently admits pupils at both YR and Y3. 27 pupils are admitted at YR and a second admission number at Y3 reserves places for a further five children from Froxfield Infant School.

4.2 It has proved increasingly difficult to defend classes of 27 at appeal, with the result that classes of over 32 are already expected when the current YR and Y1 reach Y3 and are joined by further pupils. The current arrangements mean that the school loses money because of the need to keep three `spare' places in each infant class.

4.3 The governors have requested the LEA to publish an admission number of 30 for YR and to make no formal provision for further admissions at Y3. In this way it is hoped to avoid large classes in Key Stage 2 and make more funds available for Key Stage 1 classes.

4.4 Consultations have been carried out with those local schools most likely to be affected by such a change and none has raised objections to the proposal. However, the governors of Froxfield Infant School have expressed concern about transfer arrangements for children leaving the school and discussions are taking place with the governors of Langrish School with the intention of setting up transition arrangements for pupils currently in YR and Y1 who might be considered to have a legitimate expectation of transfer to Langrish. If places are not available at Y3 at Langrish, pupils will be allocated places in the nearest available school, with transport provided if required.

Recommendation

That approval be given to the publication of public notices, in accordance with Section 93(3) and Schedule 23 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, of the County Council's intention to apply to the School Organisation Committee for reductions in the Standard Numbers of the schools listed below, for 2003/04 and subsequent school years.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1 Published works

2 Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act

Correspondence with the governing bodies of the schools concerned.