Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report

1. Executive Summary

1.1. The purpose of this report is to consider the proposed Primary Capital Programme (PCP) strategy linked to the emerging Building Schools for the Future (BSF) strategies to transform learning and wider outcomes for Hampshire's young people. The achievement of these overall aims will be supported through investment in Havant and Gosport primary schools. In addition, the PCP will provide permanent accommodation for the Primary Observation and Assessment Centre currently located in Leigh Park, Havant.

2. Contextual Information

2.1. The PCP is intended to improve a substantial proportion of the mainstream primary, infant, junior, and primary age special school stock over a fourteen-year period. This funding initiative is aimed at raising standards in primary schools, specifically those in areas of the greatest deprivation. At the same time, Local Authorities (LA) are expected to reduce the number of surplus places in the primary sector and refurbish and remodel schools in order to provide facilities suitable for the 21^st century. Local Authorities are expected to join up the PCP with other capital funding streams to enable the implementation of a long term capital strategy.

2.2. A Strategy for Change document, which sets out the proposed approach to managing future investment through the PCP, was approved in May 2008 by the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services and submitted to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). The plan for investment prioritised those areas with the highest deprivation and lowest relative school performance. This approach identified Havant and Gosport as the areas of the county which should receive the initial tranches of investment. Hampshire's strategy was approved by the DCSF without modification in November 2008.

2.3. The County Council was a Pathfinder authority for PCP in 2008/09. Capital grant of £6.5m was included in the 2008/09 Children's Services capital programme and full details of the planned programme of work for the Pathfinder in Hampshire initiative were included in the capital programme report approved by the Executive Member on 22 January 2008.

2.4. Funding is available in 2009/10 (£9.447m) and 2010/11 (£11.825m) to support this programme. Specific projects approved by the Executive Member on 21 January 2009 are summarised in Table 1.

Table 1

2.5. The projects listed in Table 1 commit the whole of the 2009/10 allocation. Firm costings have now been received for the Primary Observation and Assessment Centre and indicate a total cost of £0.65m (including fees), with an anticipated start date of May 2010. It is recommended that the provision of £0.5m in the 2009/10 programme is carried forward to the 2010/11 programme and be supplemented by £0.15m from the 2010/11 provision for primary capital projects. On completion of the projects at Woodcroft Primary in Havant (formerly Meadowlands Infant and Junior Schools) and Roman Way Primary in Andover, land at both these sites has been identified as surplus to requirements. It is intended to sell this land and use the capital receipts to pay back the PCP programme for investment at other primary schools in line with DCSF expectations. Recommendations against the 2010/11 funding are made in Section 4 with the proposal to roll out the programme into Gosport in line with the planned second phase of BSF.

2.6. The five outcomes specified in the Children Act are set out below, with a summary of how the proposals in this report contribute to their achievement.

· Being healthy (enjoying good physical and mental health and living a healthy lifestyle): through proposals which include the encouragement of walking and cycling to and from school.

· Staying safe (being protected from harm and neglect): by creating safe environments in schools.

· Enjoying and achieving (getting the most out of life and developing the skills for adulthood): by providing a high standard of education and care for children in suitable buildings.

· Making a positive contribution (being involved with the community and society and not engaging in anti-social or offending behaviour): by encouraging the flexible and creative use of accommodation.

· Economic well-being (not being prevented by economic disadvantage from achieving their full potential in life): by ensuring that proposals will not disadvantage children, will protect equality of opportunity and support children from no or low income families to secure skills and qualifications.

Hampshire Children and Young People's Plan 2009-2012, following detailed needs analysis, sets out priorities to be achieved over the period 2009 - 2012:

1. Reducing the incidence and impact of poverty on the achievement and life chances of children and young people.

2. Securing children and young people's physical, spiritual, social, emotional and mental health, promoting healthy lifestyles and reducing inequalities.

3. Providing opportunities to learn that raise children and young people's aspirations, encourage excellence and enable them to enjoy and achieve beyond their expectations.

4. Ensuring that children and young people are safe and feel safe, enabling them to build resilience and personal confidence.

5. Providing vocational, leisure and recreational activities that provide opportunities for children and young people to experience success and make a positive contribution.

6. Removing barriers to access, participation and achievement and not tolerating discrimination and abuse.

3. Key Issues

3.1. To satisfy the aspirations outlined in the Strategy for Change, investment proposals must meet the following criteria, which are set out in the national Children's Plan, Hampshire's CYPP and the White Paper: Your child, Your school, Our future:

a) the principle of collective responsibility for all children and the duty of schools to co-operate locally;

b) the need to secure equality of opportunity, with a focus on
under-achieving groups;

c) the need for local collaboration among schools and other providers of children's services;

d) opportunities for wider community regeneration, in conjunction with local partners;

e) evolution of local governance arrangements in the context of Hampshire Children's Trust and emerging local children's partnerships;

f) curriculum developments and personalisation.

3.2. Proposals also need to be consistent with the emerging strategies in Havant and Gosport for BSF, which share the same strategic aims as PCP by raising standards in schools, specifically those in areas of the greatest deprivation by transforming learning. This suggests that PCP priorities should have a strategic impact in securing better outcomes for local children and communities, whilst achieving a balance between improvements within individual schools and measures with a broader impact across the wider local area.

4. Havant

Consultation

4.1. As part of the process of producing the PCP Strategy for Change document, a wide-ranging consultation was undertaken with a variety of stakeholders. This included headteachers, governors, children's centres, the Church of England and Roman Catholic dioceses, the Primary Care Trust, district councils and local childcare providers.

4.2. Focussing on the Havant area a further consultation process has been undertaken with all headteachers to seek their views on specific investment options to which very few headteachers responded. The proposal at Warren Park Primary School to support individualised and small group intervention work is recommended for approval. Bids were received from Purbrook Junior School to extend the hall, and for an arts centre and fitness suite on the Hart Plain Infant/Hart Plain Junior and Cowplain Secondary School site. However, bearing in mind the criteria for investment and significant cost of these projects, it has not been possible to include them within the recommendations.

Proposed investment projects

Barncroft Infant School and Barncroft Junior school, Leigh Park, Havant - proposed amalgamation

4.3. On 12 March 2009, the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services approved consultations on the possible amalgamation of Barncroft Infant and Junior Schools. Barncroft Infant School and Barncroft Junior School rank 7^th and 9^th respectively in the indices of multiple deprivation (IMD) across Hampshire. The governing bodies had previously submitted a joint request to the local authority to consult on the proposal to establish a 4-11 primary school, on the basis that, in their view, an all-through school would offer a better opportunity to build on and improve the quality of children's education and their standards of attainment. On 8 October 2009, the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services approved the publication of notices to discontinue Barncroft Infant School and Barncroft Junior School with effect from 31 March 2011 and establish a two form entry community primary school with effect from 1 April 2011.

4.4. It is intended that the new primary school will also include early years facilities, an e-learning centre and reading recovery room. The Reading Recovery Room will be the main facility for training Reading Recovery teachers in Hampshire which is planned to begin in September 2010 as part of the `Every Child a Reader' programme. This is aimed at supporting those children in Years One and Two who have fallen behind in their reading. The Reading Recovery Room is an essential resource for this programme, which has the potential to have an impact on the lives of many children across Hampshire. The use of PCP funding to support the planned amalgamation sits firmly within the County Council's approved strategy for PCP investment. The school will also work closely with Park Community School to ensure that children are well prepared for transition to secondary school and that they benefit from the increased opportunity which comes from all-through curriculum planning.

4.5. The initial feasibility work and consultation undertaken to date has concluded that the junior school site and buildings are the preferred location for the amalgamated school for which £5.5m (including fees) has been identified as part of the PCP allocation in the Children's Services capital programme 2009/10 - 2011/12 as reported to the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services on 21 January 2009. It is also proposed that the capital receipt from the sale of a surplus part of the Barncroft School site be used to pay back the PCP budget and allow for the continuing rollout of investment through this programme to enhance and improve primary school facilities.

4.6. The feasibility work to date has identified that there are a number of landlord/maintenance liabilities in the junior school buildings but these are not exceptional in comparison with other schools of this age and type. They will need to be considered as the detailed scheme progresses with a view to committing Policy and Resources capital maintenance funding. The scope and commitment will be subject to development of the design and priorities across the Children's Services estate.

4.7. Estimates of the capital receipt are subject to completion of feasibility studies, the granting of appropriate planning consent by Havant Borough Council and the approval of the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families for the disposal of any playing fields. In addition, contributions from the devolved capital allocations from both Barncroft Schools will be expected.

ICT Strategy - e-learning facility

4.8. ICT systems and services integrated across the partnerships of schools are essential to support collaborative, multi-agency working which in turn supports the aims set out in the Children and Young People's Plan (CYPP). ICT will help to ensure learners are engaged in relevant and contextual problem-based and project-based learning, designed to encourage the acquisition of 21st century skills using different approaches relevant to each particular learning activity. More efficient methods of working will be developed utilising integrated ICT systems for all services that involve children and young people in Hampshire.

4.9. Havant is the first area in Hampshire where the Building Schools for the Future programme will be implemented. This has involved, and will continue to involve, considerable engagement with headteachers linking the funding strategies to deliver fundamental change in the area. As part of this investment, an ICT Managed Service will be planned for each of the Havant secondary schools initially to contribute to the transformation of learning in the area. Any system will need to link closely with early years, primary and post 16 provision.

4.10. A parallel investment in ICT provision is also proposed to be extended to primary schools as a call against the PCP funding. An important aspect of PCP funding is to link to other funding sources. The e-learning facility will provide support for learning and the use of technology. Teachers will be able to visit the centre to evaluate and understand the capability of technologies for use in the curriculum with support from Hampshire's Inspection and Advisory Service (HIAS). This provision is part of an overall support service to schools in the Havant area. In addition, on-line resources for teaching, learning and support will be provided through the development of a `Learning Portal'. The Learning Portal will be a web based service providing learners, educators, parents and carers with access to information, resources for teaching and learning, and the ability to share good practice throughout the community.

4.11. Part of the strategy also includes the proposal to develop an innovative ICT resources centre West of the A3(M) as a satellite to the e-learning centre proposed at Barncroft Primary school.

4.12. It is intended to consult with the Havant schools in order to develop a functional specification for the centre and establish the facility on a school site. Detailed feasibility work will be undertaken to establish the likely costs for construction and equipment of the satellite facility anticipated to be in the region of £0.35m including fees.

Primary Assessment and Observation Unit, Leigh Park, Havant

4.13. The purpose of the Primary Assessment and Observation Unit is to undertake intensive work with primary aged pupils at risk from permanent exclusion so that they can successfully remain in mainstream education. When such pupils are identified the Unit works with the child, their family and the child's mainstream school to permanently change the behaviour that is jeopardising the child's place within mainstream. The Unit accepts pupils for a maximum of two terms and has a high level of success in transforming challenging behaviour.

4.14. The area assessment centre for primary age pupils is currently operating in unsatisfactory accommodation in a scout hut on the Trosnant Junior School site in Havant. The facility caters for pupils across south-east Hampshire with the majority coming from the Gosport area. Discussions are currently taking place with the headteacher and governors at Bedenham Primary school, Gosport, with a view to relocating this provision into a new permanent building. The opportunity could be taken to fund this project from the PCP allocation at a cost of £0.65m, including fees.

Warren Park Primary School

4.15. The headteacher at Warren Park Primary is determined to ensure even more pupils attain national expectations at the end of Key Stage 2. He has rightly identified small group and one to one interventions as key strategies to raise the achievement of those children who are currently behind with their learning. The buildings at Warren Park are configured around whole class teaching spaces and there is nowhere suitable for this intensive personalised learning. Currently, such pupils are working in inadequate spaces such as corridors. It is recommended that capital funding of £0.12m be made available to create suitable spaces.

5. Gosport

5.1. It is proposed to consult with Gosport primary schools early in 2010 about priorities for PCP investment. This will be in the context of development of the second phase of the Building Schools for the Future programme, which includes the three Gosport secondary schools.

6. Financial implications

6.1. Funding is available in 2009/10 (£9.447m) and 2010/11 (£11.825m), together with future capital receipts, to support the recommendations outlined in this report.

6.2. The revenue costs for the ICT facilities will be met through the EdICT business unit budget, in consultation with schools.

7. Recommendations

It is recommended that:

7.1. Subject to the determination of the published proposals in respect of the amalgamation of Barncroft Infant School and Barncroft Junior School, approval be given to further detailed feasibility work in relation to the establishment of the new primary school at a cost of £5.5m including fees.

7.2. Approval be given to the establishment of an e-learning centre and reading recovery room as part of the capital project at the new Barncroft Primary School.

7.3. Officers consult with governors and headteachers on the proposed ICT strategy and that detailed feasibility work be undertaken.

7.4. Approval be given to the relocation of the Primary Observation and Assessment Centre, Leigh Park, Havant, to Bedenham Primary School, Gosport, at a cost of £0.65m including fees.

7.5. A detailed feasibility study be undertaken for a scheme at Warren Park Primary, Havant to support individualised and small group intervention work at a cost of around £0.12m including fees.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

Links to the Corporate Strategy

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Other Significant Links

IMPACT ASSESSMENTS:

1. Equalities Impact Assessment:

1.1. Equality and diversity objectives are not considered to be adversely affected by the proposals of this report.

2. Impact on Crime and Disorder:

2.1. Crime and disorder objectives are not considered to be adversely affected by the proposals of this report.

3. Climate Change:

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

When the Children's Services Capital Programme invests in new build, replacement or refurbishment works, Property Services colleagues include an assessment of reductions in energy consumption (carbon use) in the design. In all new buildings and in the majority of refurbishment type investments, the latest technologies and materials are specified in order to maximise the impact on reducing carbon consumption. Many projects are also able to employ passive design approaches including natural ventilation and improved insulation to actively reduce consumption in summer and winter conditions.

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

The proposals seek to provide compact and energy-efficient building envelopes. Any new build or extensions will meet current building regulations standards for thermal performance. Where possible, appropriate sustainable materials will be employed to reduce the environmental impact of the proposals.