Learning & Leisure Services Committee From
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
NORTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL REPORT To: Learning & Leisure Services Subject: Review of Non-Denominational Committee Primary and Secondary School Roll Projections within the From: Head of Resources Motherwell Area Committee Boundaries Date: August 2012 Ref: JMcWLE Introduction At the June meeting of this committee, three strategic priorities were agreed for developing the school estate. The purpose of this paper is to consider Strategic Priority 1: There should be an improvement in occupancykapacity ratios (known as building utilisation) across the non-denominational primary and secondary estate in the Motherwell Area. Recommendations The Learning and Leisure Services Committee is invited to: (i) Note the strategic review of non-denominational primary and secondary education provision within the Motherwell Area * Note that the projected rising roll of Brannock High school will be kept under review * Note that the projected rising rolls of Ladywell Primary and Muirhouse Primary schools will be kept under review * Note that the projected rising rolls at Holytown Primary, Keir Hardie Primary and New Stevenston Primary schools will be kept under review (ii) Note that a separate paper on Calder, Glencairn and Muir Street Primary Schools is on todays Committee agenda (iii) Continue to monitor the overall trend of increasing rolls as a direct result of proposed housing developments at the former Ravenscraig site. This may involve developer contributions being sought to facilitate an increase in the capacity of the school estate in this area. (iv) Note that the Service intends to carry out a review of the capacity methodology in the future Members wishing further information should contact James McKinstry, Head of Resources, on 01236 812269 NORTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL: LEARNING & LEISURE SERVICES Review of Non-Denominational Primary and Secondary School Roll Projections within the Motherwell Area Committee Boundaries Report by the Head of Resources 1 Introduction 1.I At the June meeting of this committee three strategic priorities were agreed for developing the future school estate, as follows: * Strategic Priority 1: There should be an improvement in occupancykapacity ratios (known as bui I d ing utiI i sat io n) ; * Strategic Priority 2: We should be increasing the number of schools rated as A or B for both condition and suitability; and * Strategic Priority 3: Any strategy should work towards reducing the Council’s carbon footprint. In relation to Strategic Priority 1 it is important that long term school roll projections are reviewed along with the potential impact of house building 1.2 The Motherwell Area Committee boundaries consist of the town of Motherwell and villages. When applying Strategic Priority 1 to the non-denominational estate in the Motherwell Area, 2 primary schools are highlighted as less than 60%; Calder Primary School and Cleland Primary School. There are currently no secondary schools highlighted as less than 60%. Appendix 1 of this report provides details of roll projections for all schools in the area. 1.3 However, when reviewing the roll projections for these schools it is considered necessary to carry out a strategic review of the whole non-denominational school estate within each area linked into long term roll projections. 1.4 In considering future roll projections for the schools, a number of factors require to be taken into account. * estimated future birth rates; * anticipated pupil numbers from new house building; * the impact of past placing requests in and out of a catchment; * recent PI enrolment trends; * pupil migration; and * denominationalhon-denominational split 1.5 For the purpose of future forward planning the projections do not contain an estimate of future placing requests to the schools on the grounds that provision is already made for them in their designated school. All projections are based on the roll at September 201 1 and do not include any placing requests that may be received after that date. This is consistent with the planning model used for developing new schools. 1.6 For the purposes of this paper it is important to consider any sites of known future house building in the Motherwell area and how it impacts on each of the schools in the primary and secondary sector. This is shown in Appendices 3 and 4. It is important to note that the assessed impact of these new builds is already included in the roll projections included in this report. 1.7 When considering the impact of known and potential house building it is important to fully understand the relative status of the details included in the Housing Land Supply List. The Housing Land Audit is agreed annually with the house building industry umbrella organisation, Homes for Scotland. This is an annual prediction (therefore, subject to change year-on-year) of the number of houses that are expected to be built within a rolling 7-year period, based on site visits, past completion rates and industry feedback. Some houses with full planning permission are within that figure. Full planning permissions are valid for between 3 and 5 years, depending on whether specific conditions are attached. In effect, granting full planning permission can give a degree of certainty. However, this can still be affected by economic factors within the housing market, as can the Housing Land Audit process. 1.8 To mitigate the level of risk in this process roll projections are updated on an annual basis and regular liaison takes place between Learning and Leisure Services staff and Environmental Services staff. 2 Review of the Non-Denominational Primary School Estate within the Motherwell area boundary. 2.1 There are 7 non-denominational primary schools serving the town of Motherwell and 5 serving outlying villages. Appendix 1 to this report shows the occupancykapacity data for all the schools up to 2021, whilst table 1 below shows the combined occupancykapacity percentages for all non-denominational schools up to 2021. Table 1: Combined occupancykapacity percentage of all Motherwell non-denominational primary schools Table 1: Combined occupancy/capacity percentage of all outlying Motherwell villages non- denominational primary schools ~~ Year 201 1 201 3 201 5 201 7 201 9 2021 Com bined projected 98 1 1019 1068 1159 1235 1303 school roll Combined school 1149 1149 1149 1149 1149 1149 capacities Combined utilisation 85% 89% 93% 101% 107% 113% I percentage 3 Strategic Review of the Non-Denominational Secondary School Estate within the Motherwell area 3.1 There are 3 non-denominational secondary schools serving the Motherwell Area. Appendix 2 to this report shows the occupancy/capacity data for all schools up to 2021, whilst table 2 below shows the combined occupancy/capacity percentages for all non-denominational schools up to 2021. Table 2 : Combined occupancy/capacity percentage of all Motherwell non-denominational secondary schools 4 Assessment of the non-denominational primary and secondary school estate within the Motherwell Area Committee boundaries against Strategic Priority 1 The following assessment details schools which are at, or are expected to be below 60% in the period up to 2021 or are at, or are expected to be above, 90% in the period up to 2021. 4.1 Motherwell - Primary Provision * Calder Primary is currently operating at 46% capacity. This is projected to fall to 42% in 2019 and remain at this level to 2021 * Glencairn Primary is currently operating at 62% capacity. This is projected to fall to 51% in 2019 and 52% in 2021 * Knowetop Primary is currently operating at 96% capacity. This is projected to fall to 53% in 2019 and 55% in 2021 * Ladywell Primary is currently operating at 94% capacity. This is projected to rise to 112% in 2019 and remain at this level to 2021 * Muirhouse Primary is currently operating at 89% capacity. This is projected to rise to 132% in 2019 and remain at this level until 2021. 4.2 Motherwell - Secondary Provision * Braidhurst High is currently operating at 79% capacity. This is projected to increase to 92% in 2019 falling to 87% in 2021. * Brannock High is currently operating at 76% capacity. This is projected to increase to 98% in 2019 and 102% in 2021 * Dalziel High is currently operating at 99% capacity. This is projected to fall to 84% in 2019 and 82% in 2021 4.3 Motherwell Villaaes * Cleland Primary is currently operating at 51% capacity. This is projected to increase to 69% in 2019 and 70% in 2021 * Holytown Primary is currently operating at 76% capacity. This is projected to increase to 92% in 2019 and 100% in 2021 * Keir Hardie Primary is currently operating at 80% capacity. This is projected to increase to 181% in 2019 and 194% in 2021 * New Stevenston Primary is currently operating at 126% capacity. This is projected to increase to 138% in 2019 and 144% in 2021. 4.4 The previous standard used within the service to calculate planning capacity within the primary sector was 1.7m2 per pupil. In 2004 this was amended to 2.1m2 per pupil. For open plan schools the current practice is to use 2.4m2/ pupil. There is no legal minimum or maximum square meterage per pupil applied across Scotland and it is known that other authorities are using figures of less than 2.1m2 per pupil in their capacity calculations. For schools whose occupancy are currently, or in the future, highlighted as being above 100% appendix 5 provides details of how this is being managed. The service intends to carry out a review of the capacity methodology in the future. 5 Recommendations The Learning and Leisure Services Committee is invited