Item No B2 By: Director - Operations

To: School Organisation Advisory Board – 19 April 2006

Subject: PROPOSALS FOR THE REDUCTION OF SURPLUS CAPACITY IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN DISTRICT

Classification: Unrestricted

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Summary: This report outlines the proposals for reducing surplus primary places in the to bring them in line with DfES and Audit Commission requirements regarding surplus capacity. They have been developed with reference to the Primary Strategy 2006.

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Background 1. (1) Birth rates in and Wales have been falling steadily since the early 1990s and County Council, along with other local authorities, has become increasingly aware of the effect this has had on primary school rolls. The increasing number of surplus school places is already having major implications for funding and consequently the viability of some schools.

(2) As well as having implications for the funding of individual schools, the Audit Commission has calculated that each surplus primary school place costs approximately £300 per annum to maintain (ie overheads that are not saved even when the space is ‘mothballed’). With in excess of 12,000 surplus primary school places currently, this is £3m of education money annually currently not being spent on teaching and learning.

(3) In 2004 the County Council decided that it would take steps to deal not only with the problems, but also with the opportunities that this reduction presented.

(4) Following over a year’s work by headteachers and officers, a Strategy document containing 50 recommendations was presented to Cabinet on 6 February 2006, which was adopted.

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(5) As part of the Strategy, Recommendation 27 states that “wherever surplus primary capacity is projected to rise above 7% in any cluster area, proposals should be brought forward to reduce it to 5%”. This is in line with Audit Commission and DfES guidance. The retention of a 5% surplus in any area (rather than zero) is considered to be ‘good practice’ to assist parental preferences being met, and to build in a contingency to deal with any unforeseen short-term increase in pupil numbers (for example a regiment moving). The DfES require all authorities to report annually on all schools with an excess of 25% surplus capacity, giving justifications why such schools are not being closed or having their net capacity reduced.

(6) Consequently, eleven of the twelve Districts in Kent currently have surplus primary capacity in excess of 7% and this is projected to increase at least over the next five years, officers were asked to bring forward proposals to reduce capacity in each District.

(7) Proposals were requested on a District (rather than a Cluster) basis. In bringing forward proposals, officers were asked to consult with all headteachers and chairmen of governors on their appropriateness, to take into full consideration other recommendations in the Primary Strategy, and to have regard to DfES guidelines, for example in relation to rural schools and to those schools with in excess of 25% surplus capacity.

Capacity in Sevenoaks District 2. (1) In the Sevenoaks district area there are 40 primary schools with a combined net capacity of 7979. There are currently 7246 pupils attending these schools giving a surplus capacity of 9.22 %. Surplus places are particularly concentrated in the and District Cluster whose 12 primary schools currently have a combined surplus of 12.49%. If no action is taken, by 2010 it is estimated that the surplus will have risen to 13.23% (with a surplus in the Swanley and District Cluster of 27.25%).

(2) It should be noted that there are four schools located in the Sevenoaks District area which are part of the Dartford East cluster. These are Hartley Primary School, Primary School, CEP School and Our Lady of Hartley Catholic Primary School. For the purposes of the Primary Strategy the above figures do not take account of these schools and they are included in the data for Dartford district.

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Swanley and District Cluster

SCHOOL PAN NET 2006 SURPLUS % CAPACITY ROLL /DEFICIT SUR/DEF Primary School 30 210 207 3 1.43 Junior School 75 289 296 -7 -2.42 Hextable Infant School 60 180 179 1 0.55 High Firs Primary School 30 210 204 6 2.86 Birchwood Primary School 27 138 117 21 15.22 White Oak Primary School 30 210 138 72 34.29 St Paul’s CEP (VC) School 15 105 94 11 10.48 CE (VC) 45 315 275 40 12.70 Primary School St Mary’s CEP (VA) School 30 210 183 27 12.86 Downsview Primary School 30 297 172 125 42.09 St Bartholomew’s Catholic 50 347 326 21 6.05 (VA) Primary School CEP (F) 45 315 282 33 10.48 School TOTAL 2826 2473 353 12.49

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Sevenoaks South Cluster

SCHOOL PAN NET 2006 SURPLUS % CAPACITY ROLL /DEFICIT SURPLUS /DEFICIT The Anthony Roper Primary 45 315 312 3 0.95 School Primary 30 207 164 43 20.77 School Halstead Community 24 111 80 31 27.93 Primary School Primary School 16 112 106 6 5.36 Primary School 30 210 193 17 8.10 Leigh Primary School 20 140 122 18 12.86 Primary School 43 277 232 45 16.25 Amherst Junior School 90 360 361 -1 -0.28 Weald Community Primary 25 158 146 12 7.59 School Shoreham Village School 15 86 88 -2 -2.33 Riverhead Infant School 90 270 270 0 0 Sevenoaks Primary School 60 420 400 20 4.76 Edenbridge Primary School 60 420 344 76 18.10 CEP (VA) 17 119 139 -20 -16.81 School Seal CEP (VC) School 30 109 97 12 11.01 St John’s CEP (VC) School, 15 105 64 41 39.05 Sevenoaks Sundridge & CEP 15 75 72 3 4 (VC) School Crockham Hill CEP (VC) 20 140 139 1 0.71 School Churchill CEP (VC) School 40 280 253 27 9.64 Seal St Lawrence CEP (VC) 12 72 53 19 26.39 School St Katharine’s 17 119 122 -3 -2.52 CEP (VA) School Chevening, St Boltoph’s 30 210 210 0 0 CEP (VA) School Hever CEP (VA)School 15 105 84 21 20 CEP (VA) 15 105 104 1 0.95 School Penhurst CEP (VA) School 15 105 101 4 3.81 Lady Boswell’s CEP (VA) 30 209 206 3 1.44 School CEP (VA) School 15 104 82 22 21.15 St Thomas’ Catholic (VA) 30 210 229 -19 -9.05 Primary School TOTAL 5153 4773 380 7.37

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District Total

Total Net 2006 Roll 2010 Forecast 2010 Forecast Capacity surplus (if no action taken)

7979 7246 6923 13.23%

Proposals 3. In order to reduce surplus capacity within the District, three major proposals requiring statutory proposals are required. They are: (a) Amalgamate Birchwood and White Oak Primary Schools, Swanley (b) Amalgamate Hextable infant and Junior Schools (c) Close Seal School, St Lawrence CE Primary School.

Swanley and District Cluster

Birchwood/White Oak Community Primary Schools, Swanley – Amalgamation

Attached as Appendix 1 is a map showing the location of the two schools and Appendix 2 shows the current pupil distribution.

Background

3.1 (1) Birchwood Community Primary School has a net capacity of 138 and currently has a PLASC 2006 roll of 117 (15.22% surplus capacity). This represents an increase of 12 pupils above the PLASC 2005 base forecast roll of 49 pupils for 2010.

(2) The vast majority of children live within a one mile radius of the school, and all live within two miles. The school serves a community with a high degree of disadvantage and the number of children eligible for Free School Meals, at 32%, is more than double the Kent average and well above the national average. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs, at 31.6%, also significantly exceeds Kent and national averages.

School Effectiveness

(3) Standards at the school are improving. Overall attainment remains below Kent and national averages but value added scores exceed them, demonstrating pupil progress.

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(4) The numbers of pupils at the school from black and minority ethnic groups is low at 7.8%. This is largely made up of pupils who are from the travelling community. Assessment: Low

(5) White Oak Community Primary School has a net capacity of 210 and currently has a PLASC 2006 roll of 138 (34.29% surplus capacity). This represents a loss of 3 pupils below the PLASC 2005 base forecast roll of 104 pupils for 2010.

(6) White Oak shares a notional catchment area with Birchwood and the vast majority of pupils live within a mile of the school. Also, like Birchwood, the school serves a community with a high degree of disadvantage and the percentage of pupils eligible for Free School Meals, at 34%, is more than double the Kent, and far in excess of the national average. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is in excess of 50%, thereby significantly exceeding Kent and national averages.

School Effectiveness

(7) While most floor targets in foundation subjects are met, or exceeded even, attainment remains below averages. Value added scores, however, are good, especially in English and Science.

Equality Impact

(8) Similarly to Birchwood, numbers of pupils from black and minority ethnic groups is low at 7.1%. Assessment: Low

The Rationale for Amalgamation

(9) Both schools have significant surplus capacity and rolls that have declined and are declining. They are located within 0.84 miles, by the nearest walking distance. They share the same notional catchment area so that there is regular movement of children and families between the two. Their challenges are very similar, including now, the difficulties inherent in delivering full curriculum entitlement from diminishing resources. Amalgamation provides an opportunity to unite the strengths of the two schools into one and so secure a more viable and flexible organisational structure from which to raise standards.

Resource Implications

(10) The White Oak accommodation has been improved in recent years, following amalgamation of the former White Oak Infant and Junior schools in January 1999. The former infant building is now the base for White Oak Primary and in terms of location, dimension and design, presents itself as the better site for a new amalgamated primary school. Capital costs of amalgamation would be modest, although it would be necessary to reclaim what is currently a Parents’ Room as a classroom and to consider extension of the library.

ed&libreports/2006/190406a B2:6 (11) The White Oak area has a high priority for Children Centre development and the former White Oak Junior School building is currently operating as a Social Services Family Centre. Consultation is underway about the feasibility of bringing initiatives together to provide a coherent and comprehensive service for children and families.

(12) Birchwood Primary School occupies a spacious, 2.87 hectare, KCC owned site which could yield a substantial capital receipt. Alternatively, consideration could be given to developing community provision on the site to complement Town Council aspirations for developing playing field and pavilion facilities adjacent to the school site.

(13) In terms of revenue funding, the amalgamated school would be eligible for support from the reorganisation fund and would produce efficiency savings.

Primary Strategy Recommendations

(14) This proposal is consistent with recommendations 17,18,19,27,28,30,31 and 32 of the Primary Strategy 2006.

Hextable Infant and Junior Community Schools – Amalgamation

Attached as Appendix 3 is a map showing the location of the two schools and Appendix 4 shows the current pupil distribution.

Background

3.2 (1) The schools share an attractive and spacious 2.33 hectare site, 0.15 miles apart, across a shared playing field, in Hextable village, north of Swanley. Both perform well and are highly regarded by the community they serve. Despite this their rolls are falling.

(2) Hextable Infant School has a net capacity of 180 and currently has a PLASC 2006 roll of 179. This represents an increase of 4 pupils above the PLASC 2005 base forecast roll of 167 pupils for 2010. Most pupils live in Hextable village and within a mile of the school, but its success draws pupils from across Swanley town.

(3) Hextable Junior School has a net capacity of 289 and currently has a PLASC 2006 roll of 296. This represents an increase of 9 pupils above the PLASC 2005 base forecast roll of 234 pupils for 2010. As with the infant school, it recruits mainly from Hextable village but also draws pupils from across Swanley town.

School Effectiveness

(4) Both schools are high achieving, with standards and value added scores that exceed Kent and national averages.

Equality Impact

(5) The number of pupils from black and minority ethnic groups is low at 5.1% in the Infant School, and 5% at the Junior School. Assessment: Low

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(6) Kent’s Primary Strategy expresses a clear preference for the establishment of all through primary schools, over separate infant and junior schools, in appropriate circumstances. The headteacher of the infant school is to retire in August 2006 and the combined forecast roll of the two schools is for 401 pupils by 2010 now presents itself as an appropriate time to consider the possible benefits of amalgamation into one primary school, in line with the Primary Strategy recommendations with regard to all through primary schools with an optimum two form entry.

(7) The amalgamation would result in the reduction of 50 places across the two schools.

Resource Implications

(8) Capital costs would be minimal as the new primary school would need to operate out of both current buildings for the foreseeable future. In time, consolidation into one of the buildings might be feasible with funding from a capital receipt raised by sale of the redundant site.

(9) In terms of revenue funding, the amalgamated school would be eligible for support from the reorganisation fund and would produce efficiency savings.

Primary Strategy Recommendations

(10) This proposal is consistent with recommendations 14,15 and 27 of the Primary Strategy 2006.

Sevenoaks South Cluster

Seal, St Lawrence CE (VC) Primary School,– Closure

Attached as Appendix 5 is a map showing the location of the school and Appendix 6 shows the current pupil distribution.

3.3 (1) Seal, St Lawrence CE (VC) Primary School, has a net capacity of 72 and currently has a PLASC 2006 roll of 53 (26.39% surplus capacity). This represents an increase of 5 pupils above the PLASC 2005 base forecast roll of 52 pupils for 2010.

(2) The school is isolated, alongside St Lawrence church, down a narrow, wooded country lane. It does not serve a defined community within a 2 or even 3 mile radius, but enjoys warm support from the parent/carer body that chooses to drive their children to it.

(3) There are 3 classes accommodated in a mixture of the Victorian main block, one mobile classroom and a converted air-raid shelter, which is used as a hall, gym and dining room. Common land, across the lane, is used for outdoor sport and also for environmental education and for history lessons. The school has built an iron-age hut on the land and its use of it for teaching and learning has drawn much interest.

(4) The school has considerable suitability problems. All classrooms are undersized, the Headteacher shares an office with administrative staff, there are insufficient ed&libreports/2006/190406a B2:8 toilets for pupils and staff, the staff room and SEN area are shared, there is no car park and the library is a walk through area.

(5) In summary, the accommodation is not DDA compliant and falls significantly below DfES minimal requirements, occupying only 47.7% of the recommended area.

School Effectiveness

(6) The school achieves well, with attainment above Kent and national averages and with good value added scores. Achievement in the Foundation subjects is consistently good and is above expectation in the creative and artistic areas of the curriculum.

Equality Impact

(7) Of the 53 pupils currently on roll, 9.3% (4 pupils), come from black and ethnic minority groups. Assessment: Low

The Rationale for Closure

(8) While being well regarded by the parents/carers who choose it over local schools, Seal, St Lawrence, fails Kent Primary Strategy recommendations 22, 23, 24 and 41 in the following ways:

a) It has only 3 classes necessitating 3 different year groups being taught in Class One.

b) It has fewer than 100 pupils and cannot sustain, or accommodate, the 4 sustainable classes preferred by the Primary Strategy.

c) The Headteacher has less than the 0.5 release time from class teaching that the Primary Strategy recommends as a minimum.

d) The school does not serve a defined community.

e) St Lawrence is currently carrying 26.39% surplus capacity, which is forecast to rise to 27.8% on PLASC 2005 base data by 2010. Its closure would save 72 places in net capacity and bring the Cluster within the required 5% surplus deemed acceptable to meet parental preference.

(9) There is sufficient surplus capacity within other local schools, notably Seal CE (VC) Primary School for the parent/carer body of St Lawrence to continue to exercise a degree of preference.

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Resource Implications

Capital

(10) The site is not owned by KCC, therefore closure of St Lawrence would not provide a capital receipt for KCC.

Revenue

(11) There would be non pupil related savings available for redistribution through the LM formula to other schools. The unit costs are currently high at £3,164 per child against a county average of £2,436.

Human

(12) St Lawrence has a strong and committed teaching and support staff team. Kent Personnel has an excellent track record in minimising compulsory redundancy of staff caught in reorganisation proposals and every support is given to assist staff to find suitable alternative posts.

Primary Strategy Recommendations

(13) This proposal is consistent with recommendations 17,22,23,24,27,28 and 29 of the Primary Strategy 2006.

Other Proposals to Reduce Surplus Capacity to 5% Across Sevenoaks District 4. (1) In addition to the re-organisation proposals identified above, measures are in place to reduce surplus net capacity in the following schools:

Swanley and District Cluster

(2) Downsview Community Primary School : reduction of 157 places, following consolidation onto one site from former separate infant and junior buildings, together with extended school/Children Centre development.

(3) Horton Kirby CE (Foundation) Primary School : reduction of 35 places through re-designation of surplus capacity for community/non general teaching purposes in line with forecast roll and revised net capacity assessment.

(4) St Mary’s CE (VA) Primary School : Reduction of 70 places in line with forecast roll and re-designation of surplus capacity for community use.

(5) West Kingsdown CE (VC) Primary School : reduction of 35 places through revised net capacity assessment and in line with forecast roll.

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NB : With reference to 3.2 above, about Hartley/New Ash Green schools being part of Dartford East Cluster and counted as such for Primary Strategy purposes, there is a proposal for a reduction in PAN at New Ash Green Primary School from 60 to 45. This would result in the reduction of 105 places from the school. The proposal is in line with their forecast fall in pupil roll but there is some possibility that this could have an impact on the pupil roll at schools in the Swanley and District Cluster.

Sevenoaks South Cluster

(6) Otford Community Primary School : reduction of 32 places, through revised net capacity assessment and in line with forecast roll.

(7) Weald Community Primary School : reduction of 18 places through revise net capacity assessment.

Primary Strategy References

(8) These proposed PAN reductions are consistent with primary strategy recommendations 18 and 30. The reduction in places at these schools will make it easier to organise pupils into whole year groups and where extra capacity is being created in a number of cases priority is being given to the provision of extended schools, community and/or early years facilities.

Primary Strategy Recommendations

(9) These proposals are consistent with recommendations 27,28,29,30 and 31 of The Primary Strategy 2006.

Housing 5. There are no housing developments to impact on these proposals.

Views of Cluster Boards 6. Both Cluster Boards have been fully involved in the development of these proposals and have recorded support for them.

Result if Proposals Implemented 7. If all the above proposals are implemented, surplus capacity in Sevenoaks District will reduce by 607 places to 4.67% by September 2007, on the basis of the forecast PLASC 2008 (school year 2007-08) roll of 7028. Whilst this figure is under the recommended 5% surplus figure, the pupil roll forecast are expected to decline further by 2010 to 6923 pupils. If any proposal was not implemented, then alternative proposals would need to be forthcoming to achieve the required reductions.

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Recommendation 8. Members are asked to agree that, where appropriate, the proposals set out in Section 3 move to public consultation.

Chris Lay Area Education Officer Sevenoaks (and Tunbridge Wells) Tel: (01732) 525107

Background documents:

Kent Primary Strategy 2006

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