North Lanarkshire Council Report Education and Families Committee ☒approval ☐noting Ref GMcL/SMc Date 25/02/20 Proposal to alter existing non-denominational catchment area within the Ravenscraig area Proposal for a new build non-denominational primary school within the Ravenscraig area. From Gerard McLaughlin, Head of Education and Families (North) Email [email protected] Telephone 01236 812269 Executive Summary Significant levels of house building are underway within the Ravenscraig site. Approximately 3,000 houses are expected to be built on the 1,200 acre site. The surrounding primary schools in the local catchment area would not be able accommodate the predicted number of children expected in the area due to new Ravenscraig house building. There is a need to re-define the existing non-denominational catchment areas of Muir Street, Glencairn, Knowetop, Berryhill and Keir Hardie Primary Schools in the Motherwell area and to create a new catchment area within the new Ravenscraig site. The new catchment areas would be defined by rezoning some streets from the existing schools’ catchment areas and adding these to the new proposed Ravenscraig catchment area. A break-down of these streets is attached in the consultation paper at Appendix 4. The house building programme in this area provides an excellent opportunity for North Lanarkshire to bring forward a new school, on a campus that already accommodates exceptional sports facilities (Ravenscraig Sports Facility) and FE learning facilities (New College Lanarkshire). The new school will enhance the offering in this area, through the provision of 21st Century learning and teaching facilities. This, along with the new play park within the wider campus, will provide facilities that not only serve the local residents, but the wider population of North Lanarkshire through integrated active travel connections. This proposal will help deliver the ambition outlined in the Plan for North Lanarkshire, through the Programme of Works: Town and Community Hub Programme (POW046); and School Modernisation Programme (POW047), and our delivery of new investment for our communities. Funding for this proposal has been agreed as part of the Schools and Centres 21 Phase Three programme. Recommendations The Education Committee is recommended to: (i) Approve the consultation around a proposal to build a new non-denominational primary school with an associated nursery class within the Ravenscraig site. (ii) Approve the proposal for a statutory consultation to be undertaken proposing that a new non-denominational catchment area is created within the Ravenscraig site. The new catchment area is implemented upon completion of the new non- denominational primary school. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority Support all children and young people to realise their full potential Ambition statement (10) Engage with children, young people, parents, carers, and families to help all children and young people reach their full potential 1. Background 1.1 Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010, hereafter referred to as ‘the act’. The provisions of the above Act places a statutory duty on education authorities to carry out formal consultations on proposal to establish, terminate or otherwise alter the catchment area of a school. 1.2 The provisions of the Act also place a statutory duty on education authorities to carry out formal consultations on any proposal to establish a new school. 1.3 The Act requires education authorities to prepare an educational Benefits Statement; prepare (and publish) a proposal paper in respect of any proposal which falls within the terms of the Act; give notice of the proposal to the relevant consultees (and invite representations) in accordance with the Act; hold (and give notice of the proposal to the relevant consultees (and invite representations) in accordance with the Act; hold (and give notice of) a public meeting; and involve Education Scotland. 1.4 Following the period of consultation, the education authority must review the proposal in accordance with the Act and prepare (and publish) a consultation report in accordance with relevant sections of the Act. 1.5 There are five phases linked to a statutory education consultation. Only phases two to five apply as the consultation does not involve a closure of a rural school: Phase two is the consultation period and production of report Phase three is consideration and comment from Education Scotland; Phase four is NLC reflection on Education Scotland comments and publication of final report. Phase five is the council making a decision regarding recommendation. 2. Report 2.1 The Council is progressing the schools new build programme and the investment linked to this proposal has been agreed as part of phase three of this programme. 2.2 The house building programme in this area provides an excellent opportunity for North Lanarkshire to bring forward a new school, on a campus that already accommodates exceptional sports facilities (Ravenscraig Sports Facility) and FE learning facilities (New College Lanarkshire). The new school will enhance the offering in this area, through the provision of 21st Century learning and teaching facilities. This, along with the new play park within the wider campus, will provide facilities that not only serve the local residents, but the wider population of North Lanarkshire through integrated active travel connections. 2.3 This proposal will help deliver the ambition outlined in the Plan for North Lanarkshire, through the Programme of Works: Town and Community Hub Programme (POW046); and School Modernisation Programme (POW047), and our delivery of new investment for our communities. 2.4 The need for a new non-denominational school in the Ravenscraig area is directly linked to the current and anticipated house building in the Ravenscraig area. All developers building in this area are contributing, through developer contribution, to the costs associated with this new build primary school. 2.5 A statutory consultation is required to determine if this proposal can proceed. The proposal, in the form of a statutory education consultation document, is attached at Appendix 1 and permission is sought from the Education Committee to carry out this consultation. 3. Equality and Diversity 3.1 Fairer Scotland Duty 3.1.1 The intention underpinning The Fairer Scotland Duty is to reduce the inequalities of outcomes caused by socio-economic disadvantages. 3.1.2 The guidance asserts that socio-economic disadvantages can be experienced by (a) Communities of place – people who are bound together because of where they reside, work or visit, and (b) communities of interest – groups of people who share an identity, experience, or one or more of the protected characteristics listed in the Equality Act 2010. 3.1.3 The Fairer Scotland Duty is intended to reduce the inequalities of outcomes caused by socio-economic disadvantages. Inequalities of outcomes means any measureable differences between those who have experienced social-economic disadvantage and the rest of the population. 3.1.4 The statutory focus on the Fairer Scotland Duty is on strategic decision making and as such the outcomes outlined in this report are to be considered as part of the assessment process for the Plan for North Lanarkshire. 3.1.5 Proposal to create a new non-denominational catchment area and to build a new non-denominational primary school in the area will ensure the council has adequate levels of learning and teaching spaces for pupils within this area. 3.2 Equality Impact Assessment The main beneficiaries of the new school will be the young people of primary school age who will attend the new facility. 4. Implications 4.1 Financial Impact Long term financial modelling within the Council’s capital programme, initially S&C21 and transitioning into the CIF programme, has assumed a new school will be located within the Ravenscraig site. This modelling both in terms of potential costs and funding will continue to be updated through the project planning and implementation process. Similarly in terms of ongoing revenue costs and funding the Council will build projections and assumptions into the long term budget process, and this position will be subject to ongoing review and amendment. 4.2 HR/Policy/Legislative Impact The proposal should not have significant implications for teaching or ancillary staff. Any matter which arises will be dealt with within the terms of local and national agreements. 4.3 Environmental Impact A positive environmental impact should result from this project once completed since the building will be constructed in line with modern energy efficient practices and will therefore have a smaller carbon footprint than the existing school. 4.4 Risk Impact The council will be in a better position to deliver effective and successful learning and teaching in a 21st century education establishment. Risk associated with the design and build of the new school if approved to proceed following consultation, would be managed through the project risk management plan. 5. Measures of success 5.1 Consultation process which discharges the Council’s statutory requirement under the terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010. 5.2 Consultation process which ensures effective engagement with statutory consultees, other stakeholders and all interested parties. 5.3 Consultation report which accurately captures the views of all interested parties who engage in the consultative process. 6 Supporting Documents 6.1 Appendix A