Issue - meetings

(1)     Further to Minute 4 of 10 January 2008, the report set out the results of the public consultation on the proposal to relocate Portal House School.  It sought the views of the Board on the issuing of a public notice to relocate the school to purpose built accommodation on the site of the former Newington Infant School in Ramsgate.

(2)     The proposal was to relocate Portal House School from its existing site at St Margaret’s-at-Cliffe near Dover to the site of the former Newington Infant School, on the Newington Estate in Thanet.  Potentially, staff at Portal House would transfer to the new location.  There would be no compulsory redundancies. 

(3)     The consultation document was distributed to staff, governors and parents at the schools, County Councillors, Member of Parliament, the Parish Council, the Diocesan Authorities, local libraries, the District Councils and others in accordance with the agreed County policy.  The document was also posted on the KCC website.  Prior to discussion on this item, an amended Appendix 4 was circulated relating to the summary of written responses. 

(4)     Views of the local members, Mr A Poole and Mrs E Green were set out in the report.

(5)     During discussion Mrs Angell expressed a wish for the Board to be provided with a dot map.  Dr Craig undertook to inform Area Education Officers that such maps should be included in future.

(6)     Mr Dance informed Members that there were now two further sites available, and requested the Board’s support to investigating their suitability prior to any decision being made.  Time was of the essence, and should a different site be more favourable, Members would be consulted informally.  A report on the outcome would be submitted to a future meeting of the Board.

(7)     The Board agreed that the two further sites be considered and a report be submitted to the July meeting if that was possible within the timescale.

(1)     As part of the review and reorganisation of special schools in Kent, Portal House School in Dover was re-designated from a 9-13 residential school catering for 45 children with emotional and behavioural difficulties to an 11-16 school making day provision for 60 pupils with Behaviour, Emotional and Social Developments Needs.  The report proposed the relocation of Portal House Special school to the site of the former Newington Infants School in Thanet with effect from 1 September 2009.

(2)     The school was currently located on a compact site in the village of St Margaret’s-at-Cliffe near Dover, very close to St Margaret’s-at-Cliffe Primary School.  The existing accommodation at Portal House was unsuitable for its secondary age designation and the increase in the overall size of the school from 45 – 60 students.  Funding was available through the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme to provide new purpose built accommodation.  However, the existing site was unsuitable for development and a new site must be secured.

(3)     A number of alternative sites within the Dover district and one in Thanet were explored as possibilities for relocation but these all proved to be unsuitable for a variety of reasons. The former Newington Infants School site provided the potential for development as a suitable site for Portal House.  Development would require major new build on the footprint of the existing school building.  It would also be necessary to use a small portion of the adjacent playing field site which currently belonged to Clarendon House.

(4)     The Newington site had a number of significant advantages which commended its suitability for the relocation of Portal House:-

-         It was available and already owned by KCC.

-         It was sufficient in terms of space and provided a pleasing environment for students.  The site could accommodate state of the art new buildings, as envisaged under the BSF scheme.

-         A significant number of pupils (14) came from the Thanet area and approximately half of these came from Ramsgate.  Travelling distances would therefore be reduced and parental contact with the school potentially eased by closer proximity to home.

 -        Use of the Newington site would allow Portal House to benefit from participation in Wave 4 of the BSF programme generating major capital investment by 2009.

(5)     Major investment of c. £7.7m was planned to provide state of the art facilities through the BSF programme.  The site was already owned by KCC and there would be no costs in relation to site acquisition.

(6)     Views of the local Members, Mrs E Green and Mr A Poole were set out in the report.

(7)     Relocation to the Newington site would provide the opportunity to develop superb facilities within a vibrant educational community combined with a reduction in travelling distances for many students, the move would have a beneficial impact on standards by allowing students to be educated and supported in a first class learning environment with strong community connections.

(8)     The largest number of students currently  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4