Issue - meetings

To receive and consider the School Placements Sufficiency report.

The School Placements Sufficiency report was presented by Piers Brunning, Strategy and Commissioning Places Specialist.

Piers Brunning stated that the report presented four phases of school sufficiency planning: statutory primary, statutory secondary, post 16 and SEND provision.

During the presentation Piers Brunning highlighted the following points:

Primary Phase

·           There had been sufficient places in 2020.  All the schools were full in the Shinfield area, including the new school;

·           There had been a raise in demand in Arborfield, Wokingham Town West and Woodley areas and a significant number of unfilled reception places in Earley, the South East and Wokingham Town East;

·           In the long term there was tension between the underlying decreasing population trend in the population and the impact of new housing developments;

·           There were overall pressures for places in Key Stage 2 (years 4 to 6);

·           The impact of Covid-19 on demand for school places was not yet known.

Secondary Phase

·           There was pressure for places for secondary school places, this year it has been necessary to offer 25 additional places in Emmbrook School for year 7.  By the start of the academic year in September 2020, the number of children requiring secondary school places had fallen compared to the number on offer day.  It was believed that this was as a result of parents choosing to send their children to independent schools;

·           There were three schools in the Borough with surplus capacity, the Forest School having the largest number of surplus places;

·           There was a historical challenge in projecting numbers in Wokingham because of cross Borough movement.  However, the analysis indicated that there was no need to create an additional secondary school.

Post 16

·           The immediate challenge was that there were two schools in the Borough for 11 to 16 year olds, so there could be a need for additional capacity for post 16 education, especially in view of the new housebuilding;

·           A discussion with schools about the possible options for post 16 education would be undertaken.

SEND Provision

·           There was an issue with raising numbers of children with EHCPs needing specialist education.  A particular issue was in relation to young people being placed in expensive out of Borough independent non-maintained special schools;

·           It was necessary to create more SEND places within the Borough.

Piers Brunning stated that the local authority used population projections provided by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), as described in the report.

During the discussion of the item the following comments were made:

·           Councillor Helliar-Symonds asked if consideration was being taken in relation to the location of possible sixth form expansions;

·           Piers Brunning stated that Wokingham town centre schools were being considered.  St Crispin’s School had permission to expand, should the capacity be needed.  He stated that it was important to engage with schools about any potential investment;

·           Councillor Helliar-Symonds asked if there enough demand to justify a potential investment in sixth form places in the Arborfield area;

·           Piers Brunning stated that this was part of the discussion with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37