Contact: Chris Holt, 01962 845673; [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 The following decisions are sought:

1.2 That the statutory notice published by Hampshire County Council on 19 March 2004 to discontinue Blackfield Infant School and Blackfield Junior School with effect from 31 August 2006, and to establish a new, 540 place, community primary school on the Blackfield Junior School site with effect from 1 September 2006, and the statutory notice published jointly by the County Council and the governing body of Blackfield Junior School on 28 May 2004, be withdrawn.

1.3 That a statutory notice be published, in conjunction with the governing body of Blackfield Junior School, in accordance with sections 28 and 29 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, of the County Council's and Blackfield Junior School governing body's respective proposals to:

a) Discontinue Blackfield Infant School with effect from 31 August 2006 and

b) Make a prescribed alteration to Blackfield Junior School to become a 540 place, foundation, primary school on the Blackfield Junior School site, with effect from 1 September 2006.

2 Reasons

2.1 This new notice supersedes the notice published on 6 April 2004 by the governing body of Blackfield Junior School to become a 540 place foundation primary school with effect from 1 September 2004, and the notice published by Hampshire County Council on 19 March 2004 to establish a 540 place community primary school on the Blackfield Junior School site with effect from 1 September 2006. The LEA's notice was published after the required consultation had been carried out. As part of that consultation, the LEA had identified the option of creating a primary school by the closure of one of the Blackfield schools and the extension of the age range of the remaining school. Following the publication of the above-mentioned notices, and the Infant School's notice on 16 March 2004 regarding its proposed change of category from community to foundation, the County Council and the governing bodies of the Junior and Infant Schools reached an agreed way forward, as set out in paragraph 1.3 above. This reflects the consultation option of closing one of the schools and extending the age range of the other, and achieves the objective of creating a primary school in this area.

2.2 The agreed way forward requires the County Council to withdraw its earlier notice and to publish a joint notice with the Junior School. The governing bodies of the Junior and Infant Schools have agreed to withdraw their earlier notices. Following a decision made by the Executive Member for Education on 28 May 2004, a notice was published jointly by the County Council and the governing body of the Junior School on 28 May. Unfortunately, for procedural reasons, that Executive Member decision was invalid and it is necessary for the notice to be withdrawn and a fresh notice published in accordance with paragraph 1.3 above.

2.3 To meet the strategic responsibilities of the County Council for planning the provision of school places.

2.4 To provide a robust local school and improve children's learning environments through capital investment.

2.5 These decisions support Aim 1 of the Corporate Strategy (maximising life opportunities), by improving the range of educational services available for the local community and making the best use of physical resources.

2.6 Race and equality impact assessment has been considered in the development of this report and no adverse impact has been identified.

3 Other Options considered and rejected:

3.1 The amalgamation of Blackfield Infant, Blackfield Junior and Fawley Infant Schools to form a 630 place primary school on the junior school site.

3.2 The amalgamation of Blackfield Infant and Fawley Infant Schools to form a 270 place infant school on the Blackfield Infant School site.

4 Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision maker or a member or officer consulted

4.1 None

5 Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee -

5.1 Not applicable

6 Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent -

6.1 The notice represents the recently agreed way forward between the County Council and the governing bodies of Blackfield Junior and Infant Schools. Its publication will enable the withdrawal of previously published notices (paragraphs 2.1 and 2.2 refer) without which the School Organisation Committee would be needlessly engaged in their consideration at its meeting on 25 June 2004. The Chairman of the Education Policy Review Committee, Councillor M. Kendal, agrees that the decision is urgent and cannot reasonably be deferred.

Approved by: Date:

Councillor D Allen