Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report

1. Executive Summary

1.1. The purpose of this paper is to seek approval to the closure of Staunton Community Sports College, Havant, to facilitate the establishment of an Academy in its premises.

2. Contextual information

2.1. At the Cabinet meeting on 27 April 2009, approval was given to the publication of notices to discontinue Staunton Community Sports College, Havant, from 31 August 2010, conditional upon approval being given by the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families to the establishment of an Academy on the Staunton Community Sports College site.

2.2. The establishment of the Academy will be an integral part of the authority's strategy for the first wave of the Building Schools for the Future programme.

3. Progress on establishing the academy

3.1. The authority's Expression of Interest document has been submitted to and approved by a Department for Children Schools and Families Operations Board and awaits the approval of the Secretary of State. Such approval will signal the start of the feasibility and implementation stages, the timely completion of which will lead to establishing the academy with effect from 1 September 2010.

3.2. Before the academy can be established, it is necessary for the existing school to be discontinued. To achieve this, in accordance with the Cabinet resolution, public notices were published in July 2009. The closing date for objections, or other representations, was 10 August 2009.

3.3. Full details of the proposal are given in a "complete proposal" document published at the same time as the public notices. A copy is attached as Appendix C.

4. Decision on statutory proposals

4.1. The regulations governing the closure of schools provide for the decision to be made by the local authority (or by the schools adjudicator if the local authority has not decided the proposals within two months from the closing date for objections).

4.2. No objections were received in response to the public notices. As agreed by Cabinet on 21 May 2007, where no objections are received decisions on the closure of schools are made by the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services.

4.3. In making the decision, account should be taken of statutory guidance published by the Secretary of State. In the context of the current proposal, this guidance states that where provision for pupils at a school proposed for closure is dependent on the establishment of an Academy "there should be a general presumption in favour of approval".

4.4. The decision maker should also be satisfied that the proposals fully comply with statutory requirements. All these have been met.

4.5. Although the closure of the existing school is dependent on the establishment of the Academy, in cases where no objections have been received it is not possible to give conditional approval to the proposal. In these circumstances, the DCSF advises that a straightforward decision should be made on the basis that any delay in establishing the Academy can be accommodated by subsequently modifying the implementation date. If the Academy is not established, it will be possible for statutory proposals to be published to revoke the closure.

5. Recommendation(s)

5.1. That approval be given to the following proposal, published by the local authority in accordance with Section 15(1) of the School Standards and Framework Act 2006:

To discontinue Staunton Community Sports College, on 31 August 2010.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

Links to the Corporate Strategy

Other Significant Links

IMPACT ASSESSMENTS:

1. Equalities Impact Assessment:

The proposal to maintain a school on the current Staunton site will ensure that the local community will continue to benefit from all facilities currently available and from the enhanced provision resulting from BSF investment. Crucially, pupils will be able to walk to their local school, thus allaying fears expressed during the consultations that absence would increase if pupils had to attend an alternative school.

2. Impact on Crime and Disorder:

The proposals do not impact directly on crime and disorder issues

3. Climate Change:

a) How does what is being proposed impact on our carbon footprint / energy consumption?

b) How does what is being proposed consider the need to adapt to climate change, and be resilient to its longer term impacts?

These issues will be taken into account in the development of the site and buildings for the Academy

MATTERS TO BE SPECIFIED IN SECTION 15 PROPOSALS TO DISCONTINUE A SCHOOL

Contact details

1. The name of the local education authority or governing body publishing the proposals, and a contact address, and the name of the school it is proposed that should be discontinued.

Implementation

2. The date when it is planned that the proposals will be implemented, or where the proposals are to be implemented in stages, information about each stage and the date on which each stage is planned to be implemented.

Consultation

3. A statement to the effect that all applicable statutory requirements to consult in relation to the proposals were complied with.

4. Evidence of the consultation before the proposals were published including-

(a) a list of persons and/or parties who were consulted;

(b) minutes of all public consultation meetings;

(c) the views of the persons consulted; and

(d) copies of all consultation documents and a statement of how these were made available.

Objectives

5. The objectives of the proposal.

Standards and Diversity

6. A statement and supporting evidence indicating how the proposals will impact on the standards, diversity and quality of education in the area.

Provision for 16 -19 year olds

7. Where the school proposed to be discontinued provides sixth form education, how the proposals will impact on-

(a) the educational or training achievements;

(b) participation in education or training; and

(c) the range of educational or training opportunities,

for 16-19 year olds in the area.

Need for places

8. A statement and supporting evidence about the need for places in the area including whether there is sufficient capacity to accommodate displaced pupils.

9. Where the school has a religious character, a statement about the impact of the proposed closure on the balance of denominational provision in the area and the impact on parental choice.

Current School Information

10. Information as to the numbers, age range, sex and special educational needs of pupils (distinguishing between boarding and day pupils) for whom provision is made at the school.

Displaced Pupils

11. Details of the schools or further education colleges which pupils at the school for whom provision is to be discontinued will be offered places, including-

(a) any interim arrangements;

(b) where the school included provision that is recognised by the local education authority as reserved for children with special educational needs, the alternative provision to be made for pupils in the school's reserved provision; and

(c) in the case of special schools, alternative provision made by local education authorities other than the authority which maintains the school.

12. Details of any other measures proposed to be taken to increase the number of school or further education college places available in consequence of the proposed discontinuance.

Impact on the Community

13. A statement and supporting evidence about the impact on the community and any measures proposed to mitigate any adverse impact.

14. Details of extended services the school offered and what it is proposed for these services once the school has discontinued.

Travel

15. Details of length and journeys to alternative provision.

16. The proposed arrangements for travel of displaced pupils to other schools including how they will help to work against increased car use.

Related Proposals.

17. A statement as to whether in the opinion of the local education authority or governing body, the proposals are related to any other proposals which may have been, are, or are about to be published.

Rural Primary Schools

18. Where proposals relate to a rural primary school designated as such by an order made for the purposes of section 15 of the EIA 2006, a statement that the local education authority or the governing body (as the case may be) considered-

(a) the likely effect of discontinuance of the school on the local community;

(b) the availability, and likely cost to the local education authority, of transport to other schools;

(c) any increase in the use of motor vehicles which is likely to result from the discontinuance of the school, and the likely effects of any such increase; and

(d) any alternatives to the discontinuance of the school,

as required by section 15(4) of the EIA 2006.

Maintained nursery schools

19. Where proposals relate to the discontinuance of a maintained nursery school, a statement setting out-

(a) the consideration that has been given to developing the school into a children's centre and the grounds for not doing so;

(b) the local education authority's assessment of the quality and quantity of the alternative provision compared to the school proposed to be discontinued and the proposed arrangements to ensure the expertise and specialism continues to be available; and

(c) the accessibility and convenience of replacement provision for local parents.

Special educational provision

20. Where existing provision for pupils with special educational needs is being discontinued, a statement as to how the local education authority or the governing body believes the proposal is likely to lead to improvements in the standard, quality and/or range of the educational provision for these children.