Archived decisions
ITEM 2
AT A MEETING of the EDUCATION POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE of the HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL held at The Castle, Winchester on 2 March 2004.
PRESENT:
M.J. Kendal (Chairman); Mrs A.E. Bailey; F.J. Bright; Mrs E.M. Byrom; M.F. Cartwright; K.G. Chapman; Ms P. Clarke; T. Coupland; B.D. Dash; J.J. Dawson; Mrs P.M. Devereux; L.T. Dunsdon; R.J. Ellis; Mrs. J.K. Frankum; Mrs. K. Heron; Mrs. M. Humber; Canon D. Isaac (in place of Rev. R. Lindley); S.W. Juniper; Jo Kelly; R. Kimber; Mrs C.A. Leversha; Mrs. A.M. McNair Scott; Mrs. P.G. Peskett; Mrs E.M.F. Randall; J.W. Stocks; Revd. D.M. Turner; J.G.L. Wall; D.I. White; D.F. Wright.
Also present Councillor D.G. Allen, Executive Member for Education.
170 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 all the items on the agenda, Councillor Kendal declared a personal interest as Member and Leader of New Forest District Council. On item 7 (Minute 176) Councillor Dash declared a personal interest as a Member of New Forest District Council and a member of the Interim Executive Board for Langdown Junior School. On item 9 (Minute 178) Councillor Dunsdon declared personal interests as a member of New Forest District Council, and as a potential LEA representative Governor of Fawley Infant School; he also declared a personal prejudicial interest as his daughter had been allocated a place to start at Fawley Infant School. The Chief Executive advised that he should leave the meeting for that item. On item 11 (Minute 180) it was reported that Mr. D. Mewes, one of the teacher representatives, had declared a personal prejudicial interest as he was Headteacher of Holbury Junior School, one of the schools whose future was due to be discussed. He had accordingly been given legal advice that he should not attend the meeting on this occasion. The Chief Executive confirmed that the remaining interests declared did not amount to personal prejudicial interests and that the Members concerned could remain in the meeting whilst these items were discussed.
171 MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 20 January 2004 were confirmed as a correct record, subject to the addition of Canon D. Isaac to the list of those present.
Arising thereon:
Minute 166 - Revenue Budget 2004/05
The Committee welcomed the decision of the Cabinet to write off the potential £1m overspending on special educational needs.
172 CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS
The Chairman welcomed Councillor Dunsdon to his first meeting since his election for the Fawley division
173 DEPUTATION
The Committee received a deputation from Dr. Julian Lewis, MP, the local Member of Parliament, who welcomed the majority of the recommendations, especially those relating to the proposed retention of Fawley Infant School and Manor Infant School. With regard to proposed mergers, he urged that the result of any change should be improved and upgraded buildings and facilities to the benefit of all children in the area, both now and in the future. He made particular reference to the educational quality and ethos of Langdown Infant School and to the behaviour management techniques which had been pioneered at Holbury Infant School.
174 REVIEW OF PRIMARY AND SPECIAL SCHOOL PROVISION IN THE EAST NEW FOREST AREA - OVERVIEW
The Committee considered a report of the County Education Officer (Item 5 in the Minute Book) on general issues arising from the consultations about the review of primary and special school provision in the East New Forest area. During discussion Members stressed the need for any change to lead to an improvement through upgraded buildings and facilities. Members referred to the opportunities emerging from the review to make enhanced provision for early years and special educational needs. Members endorsed the views expressed by the Chairman, that 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. 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 their schools and communities.
Members generally noted the content of the report and accepted that it represented a balance between removal of surplus places, retaining sufficient flexibility for the future, and making provision for unmet needs, particularly early years and SEN. The schools involved in the reorganisations proposed to this meeting would benefit from a total of some £4m in building adaptation, extension and refurbishment which would represent a substantial improvement in facilities to support high quality education.
175 DEPUTATIONS
The Committee received deputations from parents and Governors at Langdown Infant School, Langdown Junior School, Wildground Infant School and Wildground Junior School, all relating to item 7 (Minute 176) below. The Langdown Infant School deputations stressed the special quality of education which they could provide in a small infant school and which, in their view, could not be replicated in a larger, merged primary school. The Langdown Junior School deputation supported the concept of an all-through primary school to be created through closure of both existing schools and the establishment of a new one on the junior school site. The Wildground Infant and Junior School deputations were both opposed to any prospect of increasing the size of the junior school to accommodate children from Langdown and stressed in particular the adverse environmental consequences, particularly relating to traffic, which would result, as well as the many practical and logistical difficulties which would have to be overcome in order to provide adequate facilities for sharply increased numbers of children at the junior school.
176 REVIEW OF PRIMARY AND SPECIAL SCHOOL PROVISION IN THE EAST NEW FOREST AREA : AREA 1 - DIBDEN : LANGDOWN INFANT SCHOOL, LANGDOWN JUNIOR SCHOOL AND WILDGROUND JUNIOR SCHOOL
The Committee considered a report of the County Education Officer (Item 7 in the Minute Book) setting out details of the outcomes of consultations held on the future of these schools. During debate, some Members felt that the interests of both Langdown Schools would best be served by a period of stability and consolidation and they therefore pressed the case for keeping the status quo. Other Members felt that leaving things as they are was not a viable or responsible option, given the educational and management problems faced by the junior school and the numbers of surplus places. Members therefore reached the conclusion that they should opt for an all through, 210-place primary school with early years provision at Langdown, and their preference was that this could most effectively be achieved by closing both schools and making a fresh with the new primary school initially being accommodated on both sites, but eventually to be located on the junior school site.
RESOLVED:
That the Executive Member for Education be advised:
(i) That the option to expand Wildground Junior School should not be pursued.
(ii) That a 210 place primary school, with early years provision, be established on the Langdown Junior School site, through closure of both the existing Langdown Infant and Langdown Junior Schools and the creation of the new primary school with a new governing body, initially to be established on both sites, but eventually located on the current junior school site.
177 DEPUTATIONS
The Committee received deputations from parents and Governors of Blackfield Infant School, Blackfield Junior School and Fawley Infant School relating to item 9 (Minute 178) below. The Blackfield Infant School deputation referred to the need to improve the quality of their buildings and accepted the proposed amalgamation with the junior school as the best means of achieving this aim. They were initiating action to seek foundation status. The Blackfield Junior School deputation also supported the proposed amalgamation of the two Blackfield Schools to become a foundation primary school, which in their view would provide optimum resources for building improvements to the benefit of all children attending. The Fawley Infant School deputation made particular reference to the social and community focus of their school as the centre for the Fawley and Calshot areas, made reference to the high quality of education which they offered and welcomed the recommendation that the school should be retained to build on its strengths.
178 REVIEW OF PRIMARY AND SPECIAL SCHOOL PROVISION IN THE EAST NEW FOREST AREA : AREA 2 - SOUTH WATERSIDE A: BLACKFIELD INFANT SCHOOL, BLACKFIELD JUNIOR SCHOOL AND FAWLEY INFANT SCHOOL
The Committee considered a report of the County Education Officer (Item 9 in the Minute Book) setting out details of the outcomes of consultations held on the future of these schools. Members generally were impressed by the standards and quality of education achieved at the schools which they would wish to see continued. They endorsed the proposed amalgamation of Blackfield Infant and Junior Schools to become a primary school based on the present junior school site, and the continuation of Fawley Infant School. They referred particularly to the prospect of transitional funding and the need to remove temporary buildings currently located at Blackfield Infant School. However, they expressed concern at current proposals being put forward by the Junior School to promote additional accommodation which would provide 660 places rather than the 540 places which were necessary. They therefore supported the approach put forward by the County Education Officer and it was
RESOLVED:
That the Executive Member for Education be advised as follows:
(i) That Fawley Infant School be retained.
(ii) That a 540 place community primary school be established on the Blackfield Junior School site, on the basis of the County Education Officer's proposal, through the closure of both existing Blackfield Schools and the opening of a new primary school, with effect from September 2006.
179 DEPUTATIONS
The Committee received deputations from parents and Governors of Holbury Infant School, Holbury Junior School and Manor Infant School relating to item 11 (Minute 180) below.
The deputations from Holbury Infant and Junior Schools were of the view that the option as the way forward had been made known at a very late stage when the County Education Officer's final report had been issued. Both referred to the fact that the result would be a 1.5 form entry school rather than a 2 form entry school as expected; and they were concerned that an option could involve closing one school and changing the character of another, instead of closing both schools and opening a new one.
The Manor Infant School deputation spoke in support of the County Education Officer's recommendation to retain the school and referred to the quality of education which meant that it was popular with parents within its catchment area, from the Holbury area generally and beyond, with the effect that it was fully subscribed.
180 REVIEW OF PRIMARY AND SPECIAL SCHOOL PROVISION IN THE EAST NEW FOREST Area; Area 3 - SOUTH WATERSIDE B : HOLBURY INFANT SCHOOL, HOLBURY JUNIOR SCHOOL AND MANOR INFANT SCHOOL
The Committee considered a report of the County Education Officer (Item 10 in the Minute Book) providing details of the outcomes of consultations held on the future of these schools. Members noted that the options had been set out at the Executive Member for Education's March 2003 meeting and had been the basis of the consultation. Members were pleased to note the standards and quality of education achieved at all the schools. They also endorsed the proposed amalgamation of Holbury Infant and Junior Schools, due to surplus places, to become a 420-place primary school with early years provision on the present junior school site and the retention of Manor Infant School. They felt that the reorganisation would provide significant opportunities to offer an all-through primary school provision for children in the Holbury area.
RESOLVED:
That the Executive Member for Education be advised as follows:
(i) That Manor Infant School be retained.
(ii) That a 420 place Primary School with early years provision be established on the Holbury Junior School site, on the basis of the County Education Officer's proposal, through the closure of both the existing Holbury Infant and Junior Schools and the establishment of a new 420-place primary school with early years provision, with effect from September 2006 so that the facilities and educational opportunities for all children are an improvement on those currently enjoyed by the children at both the Holbury Schools.
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