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

1 Summary

1.1 This report sets out a summary of the adjudication regarding the County Council's proposals to close Pinewood Infant School and to establish replacement Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) provision at Southwood Infant School, and considers the implications of the Schools Adjudicator's decision to reject the proposals.

2 Background

2.1 In March 2003 an arson attack at Pinewood Infant School resulted in the building being largely destroyed. Temporary buildings were placed on site to enable the school to operate and a review of school provision in the area was undertaken, to determine whether or not Pinewood Infant School should be rebuilt.

2.2 The review revealed that there were increasing surplus school places in the area, the majority of which were in the infant sector and that, in essence, to rebuild Pinewood Infant School would be building surplus places.

2.3 Given that there is accessible, alternative good quality educational provision for potentially displaced Pinewood Infant School children, on 2 July 2004 the County Council published notices proposing the closure of Pinewood Infant School. There were objections to the proposal, as a result of which the matter was duly referred to Hampshire's School Organisation Committee (SOC)

2.4 The SOC met on 15 September 2004 to consider the County Council's proposal to close Pinewood Infant School and was not able to arrive at a unanimous decision. The proposal was, therefore, referred to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator^*.

2.5 The Schools Adjudicator visited the schools concerned and held a public meeting on 21 October 2004 to hear representations regarding the County Council's proposal.

3 Adjudication

3.1 The Department for Education and Skills has issued statutory guidance for schools adjudicators involved in making decisions on school closure proposals. The guidance states that the following factors must be taken into account:

· Effect on standards and contribution to school improvement

· Views of interested parties

· Finance (in particular, whether proposals represent cost-effective use of public funds)

· Other issues (in particular, the length and nature of journeys to alternative provision/the overall effect on the local community)

· Need for school places (in particular, the overall supply and likely demand for school places/the sufficient capacity to accommodate displaced pupils in the area)

3.2 In considering the effect on standards, the Adjudicator concluded that there was no cause for concern about the general standard of education on offer at any of the three schools involved. The Adjudicator commented favourably on the area provision made for infant aged children with speech, language and communication needs, and based at Pinewood Infant School. He expressed the view that, in time, this may be replicated elsewhere but in the shorter term he considered this unlikely.

3.3 The Adjudicator heard the views of interested parties first hand at the public meeting which he held on 21 October 2004, and appeared to be in receipt of all the documentation relating to the proposal to close Pinewood Infant School. He commented on the passionate feelings of support for the school from governors, parents and staff and on the widespread respect for the school and its supporters in the immediate local community.

3.4 There was no reference in the Schools Adjudicator's determination as to whether the proposal to close Pinewood Infant School, or rejection thereof, represented a cost-effective use of public funds.

3.5 With regard to the length and nature of journeys to alternative provision, the Adjudicator commented that he was unhappy regarding the suitability of some of the walking routes which parents and children might take.

3.6 In considering the overall effect the closure of Pinewood Infant School on the community (notwithstanding the County Council's commitment to retain buildings on the Pinewood Infant School site for community use, and to working in partnership with Rushmoor Borough Council to enhance community provision) the Adjudicator expressed the view that the closure of the school would mean the loss of a focal point for the community cohesion of the Pinewood Park estate population.

3.7 The Schools Adjudicator concluded that it was proper to review whether Pinewood Infant School should be rebuild, and considered that the County Council projections of the forecast pupils numbers and surplus school places justified a review, focussing on the reduction of primary school places in the area. The Adjudicator expressed sympathy with received comments that the scope of the review was too limited, and concluded that he was not confident that the proposal to close Pinewood Infant School formed part of the best strategic plan for future primary provision in the Farnborough and Cove area as a whole.

4 County Council policy requirements

None

5 Legal implications

None

6 Financial implications

None

7 Personnel implications

None

8 Impact assessment

None

Recommendations

1 That the implications of the Schools Adjudicator's comments regarding the scope of the review be examined in more detail and reported back to the Executive Member for Education.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background documents

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

None