Decision details

Background –

The Kent Commissioning Plan for Education 2019-2023 identifies a need for additional places in the Canterbury City Planning Area from 2021 this is due to pressures from new housing developments in Canterbury City and specifically the private development on the former Howe Barracks Site. This development will produce a total of 500 new homes. In addition to this, the refurbishment of former army houses by Redbridge Council is resulting in 38 new families moving in from November 2019.  To mitigate the need for places, it is proposed that Pilgrims Way will expand by 0.5 forms of entry (FE) to become a 2FE Primary school. Pilgrims Way is the nearest primary school to these developments and was named for any developer contributions linked to the development of private housing on the former barracks site. Canterbury City Council Local Plan identifies 16,000 new homes over the plan period to 2031. 8,737 are planned for the Canterbury area, with 6,533 in the Canterbury City Primary planning area where Pilgrims Way Primary School is located. Pilgrims' Way Primary School was registered as a new school on 1st May 2018 and is part of the Veritas Academy Trust. They are awaiting their first Ofsted inspection. Currently Pilgrims Way has 261 on the school roll with 31 on the nursery roll totalling 292 (May school census 2019)

Proposed decision –

To expand Pilgrims Way Primary School by increasing the Published Admissions Number (PAN) from 45 places to 60 places from September 2021.

As Cabinet Member for Integrated Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, I agree to:

1. Allocate £1.9m from the Children, Young People and Education Basic Need Capital Budget to expand Pilgrims Way Primary school, by increasing the Published Admissions Number (PAN) from 45 places to 60 places from September 2024.

2. Authorise the Director of Infrastructure, Strategic and Corporate Services in consultation with the General Counsel and Director of Education to enter into any necessary contracts / agreements on behalf of the County Council.

3. Authorise the Director of Infrastructure, Strategic and Corporate Services to be the nominated Authority Representative within the relevant agreements and to enter into variations as envisaged under the contracts. Variations to contract value to be no more than 10% above the capital funding agreed by the Cabinet Member without requiring a new Record of Decision.