Archived decisions
ITEM 2
AT A MEETING of the EDUCATION POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE of the HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL held at The Castle, Winchester on 20 January 2004
PRESENT:
M.J. Kendal (Chairman); Mrs A.E. Bailey; I.F.E. Beagley; D.J. Belfield; F.J. Bright;
P.R. Brown; Mrs E.M. Byrom; M.F. Cartwright; K.G. Chapman; Ms R. Clarke;
C. Connor; T. Coupland; B.D. Dash; J.J. Dawson; Mrs P.M. Devereux; R.J. Ellis; Mrs. J.K. Frankum; Mrs. K. Heron; Mrs. M. Humber; Mrs R. Jenkins; S.W. Juniper; Jo Kelly; M.J. Kendal; R. Kimber; Mrs C.A. Leversha; Mrs. A.M. McNair Scott; D. Mayer; Mrs. P.G. Peskett; G.W. Porter; Mrs E.M.F. Randall; J.W. Stocks; Revd. D.M. Turner; J.G.L. Wall; Mrs P.A. West; D.I. White; D.F. Wright.
Also present: Cllr. D.G. Allen, Executive Member for Education
160 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Members were mindful that, where they believed they had a personal or personal prejudicial interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting, they should, normally at the time of the debate, declare their interest and, having regard to the circumstances described in paragraphs 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the County Council's Code of Conduct, consider whether to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed. On Item 5 (Minute 164) Councillor Kendal declared a personal interest as Member and Leader of New Forest District Council. On Item 6 (Minute 165) Councillor Mrs P.A. West declared a personal interest on the grounds of her acquaintance with the headteacher of Wolverdene School, Andover. Also on this item, Councillor Mrs E. Byrom declared an interest as a board member of the Hampshire Playing Fields Association. Again on this item, Mr D. Mayer declared an interest as he was the elected parent governor representative on behalf of the special school community. The Chief Executive confirmed that these interests did not amount to personal prejudicial interests and that the Members concerned could remain in the meeting whilst these items were discussed.
161 MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 2 December 2003 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. Arising on Minute 152, Building Schools for the Future, it was reported that the Cabinet had endorsed the approach advocated and had written to DfES accordingly.
162 CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS
The Chairman reported on arrangements for a seminar "Every Child Matters", to be held on Monday 2 February at 2.00 p.m., and to which all Members of the Council and of the Education Policy Review Committee were invited. He reminded Members of arrangements made for them to visit New Forest East schools: Thursday 28 January all day - Holbury Infant/Junior and Manor Infant Schools; Tuesday 10 February morning only - Wildground Infant/Junior Schools; and Thursday 12 February all day - Blackfield Infant/Junior and Fawley Infant Schools. The 2 March meeting of Education Policy Review Committee, starting at 11.00 a.m., would therefore deal with the remaining aspects of the New Forest East primary schools.
163 DEPUTATIONS
The Committee received deputations from Calmore Infant School and Calmore Junior School, which were introduced by the local Member of Parliament,
Dr. Julian Lewis MP. The deputations related to the review of primary and special school provision in the East New Forest area (Item 5 - Minute 164 refers). Both deputations supported the recommended retention of a separate infant and junior school at Calmore, with the surplus accommodation used to provide space for early years; special educational needs (language impairment) and the School Library Service, all of which were felt to be improvements to education and community provision. The deputations endorsed the need for an early decision to end the uncertainty and to enable the schools to concentrate on improving standards of education even further.
164 REVIEW OF PRIMARY AND SPECIAL SCHOOL PROVISION IN THE EAST NEW FOREST AREA
The Committee considered the report of the County Education Officer (Item 5 in the Minute Book) on the outcome of consultations on the first part of the review of primary education in the area, relating in particular to Calmore Infant and Calmore Junior Schools. The Chairman mentioned the fact that Hampshire County Council had retained its status as an excellent authority, and a major component of that was the three star rating given to the Education Service. He stressed that this meant Hampshire must continue to make best use of limited resources and therefore to keep surplus places under constant review. This would mean that in some cases change would have to be made even to good schools with high standards of education, since surplus places meant a cost which had to be borne by other schools. He pointed out that the imperative towards effective use of resources and surplus place removal was consistent with the caring and responsive way in which Hampshire conducted reviews and fully consulted with schools and their communities in order to find the best way forward.
During debate reference was made to the likelihood that there might be more primary children in future as residential development in nearby areas proceeded, and that keeping accommodation at Calmore available would give flexibility to match supply and demand. In the meantime the surplus accommodation could be effectively used to meet acknowledged needs in the area for early years places, special needs provision for language impairment and a base for the School Library Service. Members felt that the introduction of these uses would enhance educational provision not just in the immediate locality of Calmore but to the benefit of pupils generally in the New Forest East area, and would therefore be to the advantage of the local community. Members accepted that there would be an element of cost, some £0.4 million of adaptation works, and it was expected that these would be completed during 2005. Members generally, including Councillor Bright as the local Member, supported the recommendations as they would enable two good local schools to build on their strengths and to improve standards of education even further.
RESOLVED:
That the Executive Member for Education be advised to proceed as follows:
(i) Taking account of the consideration that has been given to meeting the needs of the area, forecast numbers, the opportunities for SEN and community provision, and the views expressed during the consultation, the following are proposed:
(a) That Calmore Infant School and Calmore Junior School remain as separate schools;
(b) That surplus capacity at:
Calmore Infant School is used for additional early years provision and for the establishment of resourced provision for language impairment;
Calmore Junior School is used for accommodation for the School Library Service and for the establishment of resourced provision for language impairment.
(ii) Taking account of the initial phase of surplus place removals referred to in note (c) to Table 2, the outcome of these proposals would in summary be:
- robust local primary provision through an infant and junior school,
each with up to two forms of entry
- expanded early years provision and development to respond to local
demand
- improved local provision for children with language impairment
- a new base for the School Library Service
- annual revenue investment to support the above
- capital investment of £0.41 million
- the removal of 390 surplus places as summarised in Table 6 of the
report
165 CHERBOURG PRIMARY SCHOOL, EASTLEIGH: PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH RESOURCED PROVISION FOR EBD PUPILS
The Committee considered a report of the County Education Officer (Item 6 in the Minute Book) on the proposed establishment of a unit for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties at this school. Members felt that the governors, staff, parents and school community should be thanked and commended for their positive approach in supporting the proposals to develop EBD provision at their school and thereby meet wider educational needs. They also drew attention to the fact that Cherbourg Primary School had a very constricted site and asked whether there was any prospect of additional help being given in terms of access to recreation and playing fields. One other question raised was to request that the possible installation of sprinklers should be considered; any such proposals would be viewed on their merits as the capital scheme was developed.
RESOLVED:
(i) That the Executive Member for Education be advised that, subject to the necessary funding being allocated in the County Council's capital programme for 2004/05 to create an additional classroom, notices be published of the County Council's intention to establish from September 2004 resourced provision for up to seven pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties at Cherbourg Primary School, Eastleigh, with the understanding that pupils will not be admitted until the accommodation is completed (during 2004/05).
(ii) That the Executive Member for Education be advised that funding for the additional accommodation of the size requested by the governing body be considered a high priority in the County Council's capital programme 2004/05.
(iii) That the governors, staff, parents and community of Cherbourg Primary School be thanked and commended for the positive way in which they have supported the development of proposals for the EBD Unit at their school.
166 REVENUE BUDGET 2004/05
The Committee considered the report of the County Treasurer and County Education Officer (Item 7 in the Minute Book) on the revenue budget for the Education Service for the year 2004/05. An addendum with two further appendices (inadvertently omitted) were distributed to Members at the meeting, setting out corrections on matters of detail in the figures; a note on targeted transitional support grant for schools in financial difficulty; and a note setting out the application to DfES for increase in the central spending limit within the schools budget.
The County Treasurer and County Education Officer gave a detailed explanation of the way in which the budget had been constructed. During discussion Members drew attention to the very effective role played by the Schools Forum in reviewing the budget. Members also referred to the desirability of recognising more fully the financial pressures on the Hampshire Music Service, in view of the standards and awards they had achieved and the fact that they had been obliged to move premises twice over the past few years. Attention was also drawn to the longer-term impact of school workforce remodelling, and the financial implications of appointing additional support staff and making provision for non-contact time for teachers. These demands would need to be counter-balanced against the challenges posed by falling school rolls. In general terms Members recognised the pressures and endorsed the priorities set out in the report. Some Members suggested that the Executive Member for Education might like to consider requesting that some or all of the £1.04m overspend incurred in the current year should not be charged against the Education revenue budget for 2004/05. However it was pointed out that it was normal County Council policy for such overspends to be carried forward into the following financial year.
Subject to the above comments and the amendments set out on the correction sheet, the revenue budget 2004/05 was commended to the Executive Member for Education for onward transmission to the Cabinet and the County Council.
167 CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2004/05 - 2007/08
The Committee considered the report of the County Education Officer and County Treasurer on the capital programme for the Education Service (Item 8 in the Minute Book). Reference was made to the particular problems which the County Council would face in future years in attempting to maintain and adapt a building stock which was ageing, at a time when the new approach to capital spending "Building Schools for the Future" could have an adverse effect on Hampshire when compared with the current system.
RESOLVED:
(i) That the Executive Member for Education be advised to approve the capital programme for 2004/05 to 2007/08 as set out in appendix 1, for submission to the Cabinet.
(ii) That the Executive Member, Policy and Resources be asked to approve:
(a) Deferrals from the 2003/04 capital programme to 2004/05 totalling £3.668 million.
(b) Deletion from the 2003/04 capital programme of proposed early years projects at the Vyne Secondary School, Basingstoke and Winnall Primary School, Winchester.
(c) An increase in the allocation for the 2003/04 early years project at Park Primary School, Aldershot from £0.3 million to £0.7 million.
(d) Deletion from the 2003/04 capital programme of Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative allocation of £0.391m.
168 RIGHTS, RESPECT AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN HAMPSHIRE SCHOOLS: TRANSFORMING SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES
The Committee considered the report of the County Education Officer (Item 9 in the Minute Book) on this new initiative which focused on the rights of people, adults and children, and the responsibilities that they have to each other. Members enthusiastically supported this initiative and saw great advantages if it could be applied throughout the primary school sector in view of the benefits to children, teachers, society and the community more widely. They asked for a report back on progress during the year. They hoped that in due course a similar innovative scheme might be extended to cover secondary schools, and would link in with the citizenship education which was part of the national curriculum and other projects such as Breakthrough.
RESOLVED:
That the Executive Member for Education be advised that the Rights, Respect and Responsibilities Programme be further developed with Hampshire Schools and commended to the Cabinet and the County Council.
169 QUESTIONS TO THE EXECUTIVE MEMBER FOR EDUCATION
No questions had been received on this occasion.
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