Purpose of CMA and To report on the outcome of the consultation undertaken by Decision Areas the County Council from 6 July 2011 to 17 August 2011 concerning the proposal to discontinue St Andrew's Church of England Aided Primary School, Wormingford. It is recommended that a statutory notice is published to discontinue St Andrew's Church of England Aided Primary School, Wormingford with effect from 31 December 2011. Both the Local Authority and the Chelmsford Diocesan Board share the view that the school can no longer provide a good and effective educational provision for such a small number of pupils on a cost effective basis. Background, context, and area of the St. Andrew’s Church of England VA Primary School is in County affected. Wormingford village, to the north west of Colchester. It has a net capacity of 56 places and a Published Admission Number (PAN) of 8. Following the retirement of the former headteacher in 2008 the Governing Body formed a collaboration with Boxted St. Peter’s Church of England VC Primary School. This involved the headteacher of Boxted St. Peter’s becoming the Executive Headteacher of both Boxted St. Peter’s and St. Andrew’s schools. The collaboration ceased to continue from April 2011and as a result an interim headteacher was appointed at St. Andrew’s for the summer term. Pupil Numbers At the time of the consultation there were 13 children on roll at Wormingford St. Andrew’s split across the year groups as follows: Yr R Yr1 Yr2 Yr3 Yr4 Yr5 Yr6 0 2 5 1 1 2 2 The latest figures showing the number of pre-school children registered with a GP who reside in the priority admission area of St. Andrew’s Wormingford are as follows: Year born 06/07 07/08 08/09 09/10 Reception Year 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 No of children 6 10 2 1 Source – GP data September 2010 This shows that the number of children in the area fluctuates year on year and whilst there is a potential peak in 2012, in the following two years there are likely to be only 1 or 2 children of reception age living in the priority admissions area of St. Andrew’s. The School would therefore need to attract children from outside the village to significantly increase pupil numbers on roll. Cabinet Member Action tmpl 2 Admission Patterns Admission patterns over recent years show that the significant majority of parents of primary aged children living in the priority admission area of St. Andrew’s have applied for and secured places at alternative schools. In January 2011, there were a total of 31 children of primary school age residing in the priority admission area for St. Andrew’s attending an Essex maintained school. Of these 31 children, 9 (29%) were at St. Andrew’s and 22 (71%) at alternative Colchester district schools. Of the 14 children attending St. Andrew’s in January, 5 live outside the priority admissions area. An Ofsted inspection in December 2009 rated St. Andrew’s to be a ‘good’ school. Pupil progress and attainment was judged as good. Much was made of the enhanced provision, breadth of curriculum and social development enabled by the collaboration with Boxted School. Leadership was judged to be strength of the school. However, the collaboration with Boxted School has dissolved since this Ofsted inspection. An interim headteacher at St Andrew’s is currently in post until the end of the summer term. It is recognised that small schools can provide a close ‘family’ nurturing environment for particular children. However, when a school becomes exceptionally small in size it can face significant educational and social development challenges. St Andrew’s is the smallest school in Essex by a significant margin. Area of the County affected Wormingford to the north west of Colchester Options/Proposals Given the declining pupil numbers at the school, the very limited prospect of future growth and other circumstances at the school The County Council and the Diocese has had to consider seriously the future of St. Andrew’s School and has held discussions with the Governing Body to find a way forward. The County Council and the Diocese concluded that the school is now too small with little realistic prospect of growth to be sustainable and decided to consult on a proposal that the school should close with effect from 31 August 2011 or sooner if appropriate. Following further discussion with the Governing Body and parents, the Governing Body notified the County Council that its preferred policy was to cease providing education at St Andrew’s from September 2011. Cabinet Member Action tmpl 3 In the light of this decision the County Council held discussions with the governors of Fordham All Saints School and whilst they regretted the need for St. Andrew’s to close they were supportive and committed to the ongoing education of the St. Andrew’s pupils. Whilst the school was full to its published admission number in most year groups, the governors agreed exceptionally to admit all the additional pupils from St. Andrew’s in September 2011 if parents wished this. This option was made available to the parents of all pupils who would be on roll at St. Andrew’s in September 2011, the time when the governors had decided to cease providing education. However, parents could of their own choosing seek admission to another school. The Local Authority has agreed to provide additional funding to allow Fordham All Saints to ensure that the quality of provision for all pupils is maintained. Those children residing in the priority admission area of St. Andrew’s transferring to Fordham All Saints as part of this arranged process will, as an exception to normal policy, be given free transport. For future admissions, the admission arrangements for Fordham All Saints will be modified to include the priority admission area for Wormingford, St Andrew’s. Conclusions The top priority for education in Essex is to improve the life chances of all young people through accessing the best possible learning opportunities that raise aspirations and equip them with the right skills and qualifications. However, as pupil numbers decline it can become increasingly difficult to secure and maintain strong leadership and retain good teachers in schools as both seek to progress their careers. This may have a negative pressure on sustaining high educational standards. In such circumstances, partnership working and federation has helped schools maintain standards and remain viable. For example it solves the difficult challenge of finding a good new headteacher. However, despite these options, on occasions it is necessary to consider very seriously the educational and financial viability of a school where pupil numbers reach very low levels and are not predicted to rise in the foreseeable future. St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School in Wormingford has seen a decline in number on roll in recent years. Essex County Council and the Diocese of Chelmsford have concluded that the school is now too small to be sustainable with little realistic prospect of growth. The per pupil cost of providing education at St Andrew’s for the Cabinet Member Action tmpl 4 financial year 2011-2012, based on the 14 pupils on roll at January 2011, is £13,774 which is almost four times the County average of £3,754. The budget per pupil for the next smallest school in Essex is twice the County average. Cabinet Member Action tmpl 5 Relevance to ECC’s Essex County Council has a statutory duty to commission corporate plan and sufficient school places within its area. The key role of the other Strategic Plans planning function is to maintain a balance between the supply and demand of school places, with regard to future projections of pupil numbers, demographic trends, parental preference and policy priorities. Internal and External A public consultation was conducted between 6 July 2011 Consultation and 17 August 2011. Approximately 500 consultation booklets were distributed to stakeholders as part of this process, which included the parents or guardians of all pupils on roll at Wormingford St Andrew’s, and also those with children attending Fordham All Saints Church of England (Voluntary Controlled) Primary School. Other parties consulted included the Anglican Diocese of Chelmsford, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brentwood, the local Essex County Council Members, Colchester MPs Bob Russell and Bernard Jenkin (within whose constituency Wormingford St Andrew’s is located), Colchester Borough Council, Wormingford Parish Council and Suffolk County Council. Details of the consultation were available on Essex County Council’s website, and also directly from the School Organisation and Planning Team at County Hall. Further consultation documents were sent to all Colchester libraries with a request that they be displayed publicly so that anyone who wished to could take one. Two meetings were held with Wormingford St Andrew’s staff, the first on 12 July 2011 (at the school) and the second on 22 July 2011 (at the Colchester Centre, which was attended by a Trade Union representative). A meeting for parents was held on the evening of 12 July 2011, the details of which having been given on a letter home from the school, issued at the start of the consultation. Officers met with the governing bodies of Wormingford St Andrew’s and Fordham All Saints as part of their respective full governing body meetings, held shortly before the formal commencement of consultation. A ‘drop in’ session was arranged for the local community and all other interested parties, which took place between 3.30pm and 8.30pm on 19 July 2011 at Wormingford St.