APPENDIX 2 DERBY CITY COUNCIL EDUCATION COMMISSION TOPIC REVIEW REPORT SCHOOL PLACE PLANNING IN DERBY SECONDARY SECTOR ISSUES June 2004 CONTENTS Pages Executive Summary Introduction Background to the Topic Review Terms of reference 3 – 12 Topic Review methodology Key Outcomes Collated list of recommendations MAIN REPORT Section 1 Planning the places 13 – 17 Section 2 Secondary School Provision 17 – 20 Section 3 School Planning Pressures 20 – 24 Section 4 Post 16 Issues 24 – 29 Section 5 School Improvement and Standards 29 – 31 Section 6 Special Educational Needs and Disaffection: 31 – 32 Provision and Funding Section 7 National Issues 32 – 34 The evidence from this Topic Review is held by the Overview and Scrutiny Co- ordination Team, Room 137, The Council House, Derby: please telephone the Overview and Scrutiny Team on 01332 255599, or email [email protected] if you require more information. 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION This is the unanimous report of the Education Commission following their Topic Review of school place planning relevant to Derby City. The findings from this Topic Review have been presented in two parts. This second part concentrates on issues for Derby City’s secondary schools. The first part, focusing on school place planning in the primary sector, was presented in December 2003. Derby City Education Service includes: • 13 secondary schools, comprising 6 community secondary schools 6 foundation secondary schools 1 Catholic (Aided) secondary school • 80 primary schools made up of: 65 community primary schools 3 foundation primary schools 1 Church of England controlled infant school 6 Church of England aided primary schools 5 Catholic Aided primary schools • 5 special schools • 8 nursery schools • 1 Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) Currently, there are over 35,400 primary and secondary pupils attending schools in the city, not including nursery pupils. BACKGROUND TO THE TOPIC REVIEW In developing the terms of reference Commission members received a presentation from Simon Longley, Assistant Director, Resources and Planning, Derby City Education Service, and a copy of the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted)/Audit Commission inspection report of City of Derby Local Education Authority. The inspection report, published in January 2003, included the following quote about the supply of secondary school places in Derby City: ‘The projected trend in secondary numbers is for modest growth between 2002 and 2005 with numbers falling from 2006.” The LEA has recently closed one secondary school1. 1 Note for the Education Commission's Topic Review report - this was Village School 3 This was a politically sensitive decision, given local opposition, but the right one. The LEA is well positioned to manage secondary school places efficiently in the foreseeable future.” The Commission decided that their terms of reference needed to reflect issues raised by Ofsted and the Audit Commission about the supply of school places. The Commission’s intention to carry out a Topic Review was included in the Council’s post Ofsted/Audit Commission inspection action plan that was agreed by full Council. TERMS OF REFERENCE – EDUCATION COMMISSION’S TOPIC REVIEW ON SCHOOL PLACE PLANNING With respect to the Secondary Sector the Commission had regard to the Ofsted/Audit Commission’s view that: “The LEA is well positioned to manage secondary school places efficiently in the foreseeable future”. Taking this view into account, with respect to the secondary sector, the Topic Review would look at such issues as: - Schools outside the boundary having an effect on school place planning issues within the city - Other key issues around the current tightness in the secondary sector A variety of other areas of interest arose from the witness interviews and questionnaires returns and these are also covered in the report. The Topic Review report will feed into school place planning in the city. The Education Service awaits the outcome of the Commission’s Topic Review, and will consider that and Council Cabinet recommendations in agreeing a school place planning strategy. TOPIC REVIEW METHODOLOGY The Topic Review’s methodology included a mixture of visits, witness interviews, and a school place planning questionnaire developed by the Commission and sent to all Headteachers and Chairs of Governors in Derby City Schools. The Commission’s aim was to produce a report with recommendations around a - Preferred model for school provision in Derby City - A methodology needed to develop this model - A set of criteria, or a checklist, for assessing school provision in Derby City 4 Derby City Council’s Lifelong Learning and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Commission began this Topic Review in March 2003, by developing terms of reference and then visiting the Audit Commission, the Department for Education and Skills, and Nottingham City Council to discuss and gather views and information on school place planning. Following a reshaping of Derby’s Commissions in May 2003, the Education Commission completed the Topic Review by developing a question pack for witnesses, carrying out a range of interviews, producing the school place planning questionnaire, and formulating recommendations from all of the Topic Review evidence. Education Commission members carried out interviews with witnesses between July and September 2003. The Commission also developed a folder of background documentation on school place planning, and several witnesses provided additional useful documentation to the Commission. The Commission’s school place planning questionnaire was sent to Headteachers and Chairs of Governors in all Derby City schools, with replies received in September 2003. The Commission’s Chair attended Headteacher and Governor’s Liaison Group meetings to talk about the questionnaire. 214 questionnaires were sent out and there were 63 replies, a response rate of approximately 30%. The Topic Review main report refers to the questionnaire, drawing on specific responses and reflects points and ideas that were put forward by witnesses in interviews. Section 4 of the Primary Sector Topic Review headed Responses To The Education Commission’s School Place Planning Questionnaire provides a detailed analysis of the responses. The complete written responses received for each question were placed on the Derby City Council website in January 2004. Some examples of the type of issues raised in Head Teachers and Chair of Governors responses to each of the Commission’s questions are contained in 4.2 to 4.75 of the Primary Sector report. These are not intended to be a representative summary but purely examples, given that a very wide range of views was shared. While the responses have been made anonymous on the website, the type of school, and whether a Head Teacher or a Chair of Governors has made the response, will be shown. Appendix 1 of the Primary Sector Topic Review report displays Graphs analysing results from the questionnaire. Appendix 2 sets out the names of the witnesses and the schedule of interviews of the 5 Appendix 3 of that report provides details of the Commission’s list of questions to witnesses. A Bibliography and Acknowledgements thanking people who contributed to the development of the Topic Review conclude the Primary Sector report. As much of the source material is for this report is contained in the Primary Sector report, it is important that the two documents are read in conjunction with each other. SOME KEY OUTCOMES FROM THE TOPIC REVIEW Key outcomes from the Topic Review are that much has been learnt from national and local evidence about: - What is “ best or good practice” in school place planning procedures - Around developing a strategic approach to school place planning. - The need for local sensitivity - what works in one situation may not necessarily work in another A wealth of examples and ideas has been gathered on how to deal with the complexity of school place planning and these need to be fully considered in a Derby City context. Specifically, with regard to the secondary sector, the Topic Review supports the inspection view that “The LEA is well positioned to manage secondary school places efficiently in the foreseeable future”. The current closeness between pupil numbers and places allows very little flexibility though the exercise of parental preference that leads to degrees of popularity of schools creates planning issues. Also, the impact of various school improvement strategies, 14 –19 curriculum developments and declining numbers in the future mean that longer term new approaches may be required. Evidence points to a need to consider issues of school place planning in Derby in community based geographical clusters - a way forward needs to be developed with clusters which still need to be defined in consultation with schools and ward councillors. A prioritised gradual, rather than a “big bang” approach to school place planning that tries to deal with the whole city together is preferred. The Commission considers that the questionnaire responses show that schools are keenly aware of the issues that need to be tackled and recognise that value for money and wise use of resources is of paramount importance. However respondents are not in favour of developing a matrix type score sheet or “tick box” approach to decide school place planning issues; the Commission consider that, rather than a matrix, a guide to school place planning should be developed. 6 This would take into account priority issues, for example around educational attainment, or social inclusion as flagged up by the evidence given to this Topic Review. Questionnaire responses from Headteachers and Chairs of Governors should form a good basis for developing a school place planning strategy in the City, which again will require full consultation in taking it forward. The Commission recommends that Council Cabinet consider where there appears to be unanimity on issues, where there is broad agreement, and where there are diverse views and links this to views on good practice gathered through other Topic Review evidence. The Commission identifies several key issues in this report.