Decision details

To expand Goldwyn School, Ashford by 55 places, taking the number of places from 60 to 115.  The additional places will be provided in premises currently occupied by the Brook Pupil Referral Unit in Folkestone. 

This proposal is linked to a proposal to re-designate Furness School, Swanley from a school for 60 pupils with Behavioural, Emotional and Social Needs to one for pupils with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

There are no capital costs involved with this proposal, beyond some basic refurbishment of the Brook premises.   

The school will receive increased funding through the Delegated Budget.  Special schools are funded using the DfE Place Plus funding methodology for High Needs Pupils. 

For September 2014 the Local Authority has agreed to purchase a total of 120 places at Goldwyn School (75 places at the Ashford site and 45 places at Goldwyn Brook). 

Staff currently employed at the Brook PRU will transfer to Goldwyn School and there will therefore be no redundancies. 

This proposal will help to secure the local authority’s ambition “to ensure every child will go to a good school where they make good progress and can have fair access to school places” as set out in ‘Bold Steps for Kent’.

The Commissioning Plan for Education Provision in Kent 2013-18 has identified the need for 121 additional places for pupils with BESN.  

The Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform has agreed to:

Expand Goldwyn School by 55 places utilising accommodation currently occupied by the Brook PRU in Folkestone with effect from 1 September 2014

Reason(s) for decision:

Kent’s Strategy for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) aims to address, amongst other things, gaps in provision.  Therefore, the Commissioning Plan for Education Provision in Kent (2013-18) sets out the intention to commission 121 additional places for pupils with BESN.  This expansion will provide 55 additional BESN places in South Kent and is linked to the proposal to redesignate Furness School, Swanley from BESN to ASD which will provide additional ASD places in North Kent.

In reaching this decision I have taken into account:

• the views expressed by those attending the public consultation meeting on 6 May, and those put in writing in response to the consultation;
• the views of the local County Councillors; Headteacher and Governing Body of Goldwyn School;
• the Equalities Impact Assessment and comments received regarding this; and
• the views of the Education and Young People’s Services Cabinet Committee which are set out below

Financial Implications

a.         Capital – There are no capital costs involved with this proposal, beyond some basic refurbishment of the Brook premises.   

b.         Revenue - The school will receive increased funding through the Delegated Budget.  Special schools are funded using the DfE Place Plus funding methodology for High Needs Pupils.  For September 2014 the Local Authority has agreed to purchase a total of 120 places at Goldwyn School (75 places at the Ashford site and 45 places at Goldwyn Brook. 

c.         Human – Staff currently employed at the Brook PRU will transfer to Goldwyn School and there will therefore be no redundancies.