Contact:

Chris Holt, Education Officer (Primary); 01962 845673; [email protected]

Bob Eardley, Strategic Planning Manager; 01962 846275; [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1. This report provides details of the outcomes of consultations held at Holbury Infant, Holbury Junior and Manor Infant Schools.

1.2. The notes of the meetings held with parents, staff and governors of the schools can be found in Appendix 1. Appendix 2 comprises the LEA commentary on school performance for each of the schools. A record of all correspondence and documentation received is set out in Appendix 3. Submissions from the governing bodies of the three schools are set out in Appendix 4. A map is provided in Appendix 5.

1.3. All correspondence is on deposit in the Members' Room during the week prior to the Education Policy Review Committee meeting on 2 March 2004, and will be available for perusal in the Council Chamber from 09.30 a.m. on the day of the meeting.

2 Consultation options

2.1. Data on school places at the Holbury Infant, Holbury Junior and Manor Infant schools are set out in Table 1.

Table 1

2.2. The number of pupils on roll at the three schools and the forecast number of surplus places led to consultation taking place on the options set out below:

a) Holbury Infant, Holbury Junior and Manor Infant Schools to be amalgamated on the Holbury Junior School site to form a two and a half form entry primary school with the Holbury Infant School and Manor Infant School sites being used for other purposes, or sold for residential development;

b) Holbury Infant School and Holbury Junior School to be amalgamated on the Holbury Junior School site to form a two form entry primary school, with the Holbury Infant School site being used for other purposes, or sold for residential development, and no action being taken at Manor Infant School;

c) Holbury Infant School and Manor Infant School to be amalgamated on the Holbury Infant School site to form a two and a half form entry infant school, with the Manor Infant School site being used for other purposes, or sold for residential development, and no action being taken at Holbury Junior School.

3 Manor Infant School: review of responses to consultation

3.1. Parents were concerned that the buildings at a primary or larger infant school on the Holbury site would not be of the same high standard as those presently enjoyed at Manor Infant School. It was pointed out that there would be no guarantee of parents sending their children to an amalgamated school on the Holbury site. Use of the surplus places for additional pre-school places was proposed. Parents stated that the Manor Infant School site provided a better environment for children, making a positive contribution to the pupils' education. A large school would be a daunting prospect for a four year old and its size and scale would make it more difficult for staff to pick up on individual pupil needs. Parents asked if the amalgamated school would result in larger class sizes. Parents suggested that the pre-school should move into the Manor Infant School buildings and the school operate as a 1 form entry infant school.

3.2. There was concern amongst the governors that the closure of Manor Infant School would remove the opportunity for parents to express a preference for a small school. Staff stated that the school had good accommodation for children with physical disabilities and there were currently pupils with hearing and language impairments on the school roll. It was pointed out that the buildings are in good condition, requiring minimum maintenance and offering a good working environment.

3.3. Staff and governors were of the view that providing a primary school in the Holbury Junior building would still leave a large number of surplus places and queried the rationale for the amalgamation? It was suggested that surplus capacity in schools should be utilised for other educational provision.

3.4. Governors wished to be assured that the LEA had taken into account all proposed new housing developments in the area. The point was also raised by parents specifically referring to the Dibden Bay development. Staff and governors queried the validity of the projected numbers referring to the fact that there were a number of out of catchment area children attending various schools in the area. It was pointed out that a number of other LEAs had undertaken similar amalgamations resulting in numbers rising at the re-organised schools. The forecast numbers at Manor Infant School show it will remain full for the foreseeable future, so Manor should be left alone, with concentration instead on the proposed Holbury schools' amalgamation. Parents sought clarification as to how forecast pupil numbers had been arrived at. Clarification was also sought about the high participation rates shown for Manor Infant School and how this impacted upon forecast pupil numbers.

3.5. Parents referred to the other proposed amalgamations in the area. It was pointed out that if Fawley Infant School were to close, the next nearest infant school would be Manor. The desirability of the LEA proposing the closure of both infant schools was questioned. Parents queried the affordability of the building work necessary to achieve amalgamations. Governors asked if the funding would come from the sale of the Manor site. Clarification was sought on how the associated works to achieve amalgamation would be funded if the costs exceeded the capital receipt. Assurance was sought that, in these circumstances, amalgamation was still a feasible option. It was pointed out that the closure of Manor Infant School would result in parents driving their children to the Holbury site, thereby adding to traffic congestion.

3.6. Parents stated that they elected to place their children at Manor Infant School because of its reputation in the area. They pointed out that if the Holbury schools had a similar reputation, parents might choose to send their children there. Parents queried whether there was any data on how pupils starting in different sized schools perform in later school years. Parents asked whether the reason that Manor Infant was full, and Holbury Infant not, was the result of educational standards at each school, or the fact that Manor is smaller.

3.7. Staff were concerned that the amalgamation options involving Manor Infant School would result in mixed aged classes, in particular the mixing of the foundation stage and Key Stage 1 of the curriculum. Staff and governors pointed out that the consultation process resulted in an element of doubt about the future of Manor Infant School, which would have a detrimental effect on staff retention and a subsequent impact on educational standards. It was pointed out that some staff had specifically opted to work at Manor Infant as it was a small school. Staff were concerned that with all the potential changes in the Waterside schools there would be many staff applying for fewer jobs. Questions were asked about how staff who may be unsuccessful in securing jobs as a result of changes to the present pattern of provision would be supported by the County Council. Parents were concerned about the support the school would receive from the LEA if it were decided to close the infant school and teachers left before the closure date.

3.8. The overwhelming consensus from the parents' meeting was that Manor Infant School should remain and that the surplus places in the Holbury schools should be used for other purposes. The consensus from the governors' meeting was to maintain the status quo for the Holbury and Manor schools but, if there were to be change, this should be focussed on the Holbury schools.

3.9. A submission by the governing body (Appendix 4 refers) pointed out that Manor Infant School is fully subscribed and does not have surplus places, that children make good academic progress and flourish socially, emotionally and physically within the school's positive ethos. The submission stated that the school has an excellent reputation for meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs, that the accommodation was excellent and that the school was popular in the eyes of parents. Governors stated that the school is highly valued by the local community and plays a key role in serving it. It was pointed out that discussions had taken place with a local playgroup provider who would be eager to take up the opportunity of utilising space within the school.

4 Holbury Infant and Junior Schools: review of responses to consultation

4.1. The staff and governors stated that a decision was made over 20 years ago to provide separate infant and junior schools on the site; a change to a primary school would appear to be a retrograde step and take away parental preference for separate infant and junior schools. Parents stated that the proposed amalgamation of these three schools would result in at least one school in good condition being redundant. Would it not be better to seek alternative uses for that building, for example for children with special educational needs? The staff and governors asked for further thought to be given to an early years centre on the Holbury site, a view endorsed at the parents' meeting.

4.2. The governors referred to their capital investment in the schools. They did not wish to commit funding if the review was to lead to a school closure. Concern was expressed that the forecast pupil numbers did not include the proposed development at Dibden Bay. Parents pointed out a potential shortfall of places given the industrial unit at Hardley which was to be developed for residential purposes. Parents queried whether the building of Manor Infant School had been funded through developers' contributions and, if so, were the school to be closed, would the land revert back to the developer? Concern was expressed by staff, governors and parents that not all the capital receipt would be spent on the Holbury school site, leaving the school without the appropriate provision to deliver some elements of the curriculum. Parents also expressed concern that should the capital receipt be in excess of the funding required to undertake the necessary building work on the Holbury site, that funding would be lost to the area.

4.3. Staff and governors referred to the uncertainty which the review had placed on the future of schools in the area and the impact that this would have on staff retention. Some staff expressed concern about their continuing professional development and whether they should still be attending courses. One parent asked if it would be possible to retain all the teachers from all the schools. Staff and governors pointed out that schools were operating with small classes and that a change to the present pattern of provision may lead to larger classes and a drop in standards. Parents asked whether a rise in the numbers of children in classes would have a detrimental effect on educational standards. Parents were concerned that an amalgamated school would lead to mixed age classes and that some children would be `held back'.

4.4. Governors asked whether any research been undertaken which could demonstrate which of the proposed options would be of most benefit to children's education, pointing out that if it could be demonstrated that an amalgamated school would be better than the status quo, then consultees would be better informed to take a decision. Some parents wished to know if the County Council would be taking note of the views of parents of children at Manor Infant School who did not live within the school's catchment area.

4.5. Parents supported the option to amalgamate the Holbury and Manor Infant schools on the Holbury Infant School site, and wished to see the Manor building and site retained for other purposes. No formal conclusion was reached by the governors at the consultation meeting. Subsequently, submissions were received from both the infant and the junior school governing bodies (Appendix 4 refers) setting out the perceived advantages and disadvantages of the various options.

5 Members' visits

5.1. Members visited the three schools on 28 January 2004.

5.2. The percentage of children entitled to free school meals at each of the three schools and the percentage of children identified through the special educational needs (SEN) audit were queried. Members were informed as follows:

Table 2

School	SEN Audit (%)	Free school meals (%)
Holbury Infant	32	14
Holbury Junior	16	11
Manor Infant	24	18

5.3. Members were interested to note that parental preference for schools in the area resulted in Holbury Infant School admitting pupils equating to 87% of the number of children within the school's catchment area. Manor Infant School was admitting pupils equating to 104% of the number of children within the school's catchment area which, on further analysis, revealed that approximately one third of the children in each of Manor Infant School's year groups lived outside the school's catchment area. Members were informed that approximately one third of Manor Infant's children transferred to schools other than Holbury Junior. This is reflected in Holbury Junior School's participation rate of (87%) i.e. the percentage of children transferring from Holbury and Manor Infant schools.

5.4. The headteachers of both Holbury Infant and Manor Infant schools informed members of their desire to house early years provision within their schools. (See below).

6 Early years provision

6.1. The County Council has a duty to secure the provision of sufficient early education places for all three and four year old children. Currently, within the Holbury and North Blackfield ward, there is a private day nursery offering 14 early years education places and a community run pre-school offering 34 places. The County Council's Early Education and Childcare Unit has identified the need for additional early years provision in this area for up to 80 children by 2005. There is therefore a need to provide an additional 68 early education places to satisfy this demand. Although this is fewer places than children, evidence exists to show that parents usually choose two or three sessions a week initially for their three year old children, building up to the full entitlement of five sessions prior to children beginning school. Sixty eight places will therefore accommodate 80 children.

7 Area specific issues raised during the consultations

Traffic/walking routes

7.1. Concern was expressed by Manor parents that the closure of Manor Infant School would mean parents having to drive their children to Holbury Infant School resulting in more traffic on the roads. The walking distance between Manor Infant and Holbury Infant schools is less than half of one mile, with walking routes all on paved paths or footways.

8 The way forward

8.1. The County Council needs to take a strategic view in arriving at decisions which are in the best long-term interests of children aged 3 - 11 in the Holbury area.

8.2. The combined total number on roll at Holbury Infant, Holbury Junior and Manor Infant Schools in January 2003 was 573. In January 2004 there were 548 children attending the three schools. The combined forecast number on roll for the three schools in 2009 is 455. Manor Infant School is full to capacity and forecast surplus places at the school are minimal. The percentages of surplus places in January 2009 of 28.9% at Holbury Infant School and 33.1% at Holbury Junior School are not sustainable, nor would they be recognised as such by either the Department for Education and Skills or by the Audit Commission.

8.3. Whilst not particularly well attended, at the joint meeting of Holbury Infant and Holbury Junior Schools' parents, there was support for the option to amalgamate Holbury Infant and Manor Infant Schools on the Holbury site. There was no consensus from the joint meeting of governors and staff of the two Holbury schools. Submissions from the governing bodies of Holbury Infant and Holbury Junior Schools set out what they believe to be the advantages and disadvantages to the respective schools and their communities of each of the options set out in section 2.2 of this paper. Holbury Infant School also set out what they consider to be the advantages and disadvantages of the status quo (Appendix 4 refers). Whilst there is no clearly stated view from either of the Holbury schools' governing bodies, given the balance of perceived advantages and disadvantages set out in their submissions, it could be surmised that, were there to be a change to the existing pattern of provision in the area, each school would see the amalgamation of Holbury Infant and Manor Infant Schools as the best way forward.

8.4. The headteacher and governing body of Holbury Infant School highlighted the need for early years provision in the Holbury area and stated their strong desire to take any opportunity which the review might generate to enable inclusive early years provision to be housed on the Holbury site. Holbury Junior School's governing body recognised that an amalgamation of the infant schools would not impact on the forecast number of surplus places at their school, and in their submission referred to the possibility of utilising any surplus capacity for special educational needs resourced provision.

8.5. Manor Infant School is fully subscribed. Given the present and forecast numbers on roll at Manor Infant School, it is understandable that governors, parents and staff can see no rationale for the school to be amalgamated with one or both of the Holbury schools. However, up to one third of children at the school are from outside the school's catchment area and up to one third of children do not transfer to Manor Infant School's linked junior school at Holbury. Until recently Manor Infant School had accommodation for 120 children, having originally been built as a first school catering for Year R, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 children at a time when the pattern of educational provision in the area was a three tier system of first, middle and upper schools. Re-designation of general teaching areas to provide specialist teaching space has resulted in the school's capacity being reduced by 30 places to 90. The school are keen to rethink their use of space to accommodate early years provision in their building.

8.6. The impact of each of the three options on surplus primary school places is set out in Table 3. Option (i) would result in the removal of 90 surplus places, option (ii) would remove 120 surplus places and option (iii) would remove 30 surplus places.

Table 3

	Option	Net capacity	Combined forecast numbers on roll Jan 2009	Forecast surplus 08/09
				Places	%
(i)	HI, HJ, MI amalgamate to form a 540 place primary.	540	455	85	15.6
(ii)	HI, HJ amalgamate to form a 420 place primary. MI retained.	510	455	55	10.7
(iii)	HI, MI amalgamate to form a 240 place infant. HJ retained.	600	455	145	24.2

HI - Holbury Infant School

HJ - Holbury Junior School

MI - Manor Infant School

8.7. The amalgamation of Holbury Infant and Holbury Junior Schools to form a 420 place primary school, with a planned admission number of 45 and a second intake of up to 22 in Year 3, in extended and adapted buildings on the junior school site, would result in a robust primary school offering the option of all-through primary school provision for children in the Holbury area. As well as having the greatest impact on surplus places, this option also affords the opportunity to address the shortfall of early years provision in the area through purpose-built, integrated accommodation in an all-through primary school. This, together with Manor Infant School's stated intention of housing a local pre-school within the school buildings (subject to the outcome of the review) should have a significant impact on the quality of educational provision for Holbury's 3 - 11 year olds.

8.8. The primary school could be established in one of two ways, either:

the closure of both Holbury Infant and Holbury Junior Schools and the opening of a new primary school,

or

the closure of one and the change of character and enlargement of the other on the junior school site.

9 Capital strategy

9.1. Initial feasibility studies have been carried out on the extension and adaptation of Holbury Junior School's buildings to form a 420 place primary school and on the extension of Holbury Infant School's buildings to form a 240 place infant school. These studies take account of the accommodation which would be required under the primary building brief and the need for refurbishment of the buildings overall, as well as major repair and maintenance items.

Adaptation and extension of Holbury Junior School to a 420 place primary school

9.2. The Holbury Junior building would require two additional classrooms and a resources area to bring it up to the brief standard. Provision is also proposed for early years. Limited refurbishment is required. The table below summarises the estimated costs.

Table 4 - Estimated capital costs of a 420 place primary school in the Holbury Junior building

Project elements	£ million
Additional general teaching	0.557
Specialist teaching	n/a
Early years	0.598
Internal refurbishment	0.58

9.3. The total estimated cost of the project, including the new early years provision, is £1.213m.

9.4. The Holbury Infant School site could be sold for residential development, subject to planning consent being obtained from the New Forest District Council. The Secretary of State's consent to sale of part of the site would also be required. The anticipated capital receipt would cover most of the costs of the project. The remainder of these costs could be met from provision in the Education capital programme. As the building work would start in 2005/06, the funding strategy would be reviewed once the likely capital receipt can be more accurately assessed. This would allow the amount of funding required from the capital programme to be finalised.

Extension of Holbury Infant School to a 240 place infant school

9.5. The Holbury Infant building would require two additional classrooms, and early years provision if Manor Infant School were to close and its pupils transferred to Holbury Infant. Estimated costs, based on the same approach as that used above for the Holbury Junior School building, are summarised below:

Table 5 - Estimated capital costs of extending Holbury Infant School to 240 places

Project elements	£ million
Additional general teaching	0.544
Additional specialist teaching	0.100
Early years	0.191
Internal refurbishment	0.237

9.6. The total estimated cost of the project is £1.072 million.

9.7. The estimated value of the Manor Infant School site is dependent upon the amount that could be released for residential development; this would depend upon decisions by New Forest District Council. If the current building footprint were to be developed (which would be consistent with the Local Plan), the receipt would probably be sufficient only to meet the cost of the additional classrooms at Holbury Infant School. It is unlikely that the whole of the Manor site could be sold and therefore the amount of work which could be funded from the land sale would be linked directly to the extent of the planning consent granted. On balance, it is unlikely that the full refurbishment option could be funded from this source.

10 Revenue implications

10.1. The amalgamation of schools would result in revenue savings from the reduction in fixed allocations per school, chiefly the post of headteacher, as well as lower premises costs. This funding would remain within the Schools Block, supporting the County Council's scheme of local management for all schools.

11 Process and timescales

11.1. Section 9.14 of the Overview report explains the two different ways that a primary school can be established from existing separate infant and junior schools. In the absence of any special circumstances, the County Council's normal process of amalgamating infant and junior schools to form a primary school would be to close both schools and establish a new primary school.

11.2. If the Executive Member for Education decides to publish notices to establish a primary school with early years provision on the Holbury site, either through the closure of both schools or the significant change of character and enlargement of one of the schools, then notices would run for a period of six weeks. Any objections would be considered by the School Organisation Committee on 25 June 2004. The earliest date on which a primary school could be established is Easter 2005, buildings would be completed by September 2006.

12 Advice on the way forward

12.1. The County Education Officer advises the committee that the strategic responsibilities of the County Council for planning the provision of school places would be met by retaining Manor Infant School and by the publication of statutory notices to:

· establish a 420 place primary school, with a planned admission number of 45 and a second intake of up to 22 in Year 3, with early years provision through the amalgamation of Holbury Infant and Holbury Junior schools, with effect from September 2006.

12.2. Taking account of the initial phase of surplus place removals, referred to in Table 4 of the Overview document, the outcome of the proposals in this report would in summary be:

· the establishment of a robust two form entry primary school

· the creation of purpose built early years provision to meet the identified shortfall in the area

· annual revenue investment to sustain provision

· capital investment of £1.213 million

overall:

· the removal of 300 surplus places as summarised in Table 6:

Table 6

13 Recommendations

13.1. To endorse the advice in paragraph 12.1 and to advise the Executive Member for Education to establish a primary school on the Holbury Junior School site, either through the closure of both Holbury schools or the closure of one and the change of character and enlargement of the other.

Section D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents

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 extend in the preparation of this report.

NB The list excludes:

1 Published works

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