Issue - meetings

(Report by Mr P Leeson, Corporate Director for, Education, Learning and Skills)

(Mr J Nehra, Area Education Officer, West Kent and Mr K Shovelton, Director of Planning and Access, were also present for this item)

1.         Mr Nehra and Mr Shovelton introduced the report and advised that the consultation was largely supported.  There were 91 written responses received of which 89 were in support of the proposal and 2 objected the proposal.  The Infant School had been judged by Ofsted as outstanding.  Following the Headteacher of the Junior School tendering his resignation; the subsequent inspection of the Junior School which was judged by Ofsted to require Special Measures and the appointment of a New Chair of Governors, the Governing Bodies of Madginford Infant and Junior Schools recommended to the Local Authority that the most appropriate solution to securing and maintaining outstanding education provision for both infant and junior age ranges at Madginford was to have a single all through school.  This proposal was aligned to the Commissioning Plan for Education Provision and Bold Steps for Education.

2.         Mr Nehra explained that subsequently the Headteacher of Madginford Park Infant School who was appointed as Interim Executive Headteacher of Madginford Park Junior School had stood down and as a result the Local Authority was supporting the governing body to appoint a new Headteacher; and putting a wide range of support in place to raise the education standard of the Junior school cohort.

3.         RESOLVED that:-

a)     the Education Cabinet Committee endorsed the decision to be taken by the Cabinet Member of Education and Health Reform to issue a public notice to discontinue Madginford Park Junior School; and enlarge and change the age range of Madginford Park Infant School, to become a single all-through primary school; and

b)     subject to no objections being received to the public notice; make recommendations to the Schools Adjudicator for determination for implementation by September 2014.