Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Executive Decision Record

1. The decision:

a) That public notices be published in accordance with section 15 (1) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 to discontinue Chineham Park Primary School with effect from 31 August 2010.

b) That in full consultation with the local member, the Director of Children's Services explores options for the future Children's Services' use of that part of the school building which will be made vacant in the event of the school's closure.

c) That officers ensure that, in the event of the school's closure, there are sufficient opportunities for any child affected by the closure who wishes to access local after-school and breakfast club arrangements to be able to do so.

2. Reason(s) for the decision:

2.1. Chineham Park Primary School has been judged "inadequate" by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) on three separate occasions within the last eleven years, the latest being in January 2009 when the school was again found to be failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education. Improvement has been made in the past with intensive support from the Local Authority (LA) but has not proved to be sustainable when LA support has been reduced. The most recent monitoring inspection by Her Majesty's Inspectorate for Schools (HMI) took place on 2 and 3 December 2009 and found that inadequate progress was being made overall against the areas identified for improvement by Ofsted.

2.2. With 86 children on roll the school is less than half full. There are places available to accommodate Chineham Park children in neighbouring schools, all of which are judged by Ofsted to be satisfactory, good or outstanding in terms of their effectiveness and as such well placed to maximise the well-being of children in their charge.

3. Other options considered and rejected:

3.1. The status quo with the school remaining open.

This would not address the surplus places at the school, which call into question its economic viability. Serious questions would remain regarding the school's ability to achieve and sustain the necessary improvement in performance, required to ensure children receive an acceptable standard of education, without intensive local authority support.

3.2. Federation with another school.

This would not address the issue of surplus places and the economic viability of the school.

4. Conflicts of interest:

4.1. Conflicts of interest declared by the decision-maker:

None.

4.2. Conflicts of interest declared by other Executive Members consulted:

None.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee: none.

6. Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent: not applicable.

7. Statement from the Decision Maker: