Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Corporate Director for Education and Young People’s Services, to consider and endorse or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform on the proposed decision to issue a public notice to discontinue Furness School and, subject to no objections not already considered, implement the proposal to close the School with effect from 31 August 2015 and initiate the statutory consultation proposal process to establish a satellite provision of Broomhill Bank School on the Furness site from 1 September 2015.

Kevin Shovelton (Director of Education Planning and Access) and Ian Watts (Area Education Officer – North Kent) were in attendance for this item

(1) Mr Leeson (Corporate Director of Education and Young People’s Services) introduced the report which asked the cabinet committee to consider and endorse or make recommendation on the proposed decision to issue a public notice to discontinue Furness School and, subject to no objections not already considered, implement the proposal to close the school with effect from 31 August 2015 and initiate the statutory consultation proposal process to establish a satellite provision of Broomhill Bank School on the Furness site from 1 September 2015.

(2) Mr Leeson said the school had capacity for 60 pupils but was only 52% full; had failed an Ofsted inspection and had accumulated a budget deficit of £1.6m which would continue to increase should it remain open.  He explained how KCC would make alternative provision for pupils with ASD including special units within mainstream schools and the expansion of special schools. This included a proposal to expand Broomhill Bank School utilising the Furness School site and buildings and to transfer the existing Furness pupils onto the roll of Broomhill Bank from 1 September 2015 as well as the establishment of a Specialist Resource Base Provision for SEN and ASD students at Hugh Christie Technology College which would be considered at Item B3 of the agenda.

(3) Mr Shovelton (Director of Education Planning and Access) said that school governors and the head teacher had informed parents at Broomhill Bank School of the proposed plans and emphasised KCCs appreciation of the Kent Association of Special Schools’ support in facilitating active consideration of an alternative solution should Furness School close.

(4) In response to questions, Mr Leeson said that attempts had been made to improve the school following its Ofsted inspection including a new management structure and support from the Lilac Sky Schools Trust and that regardless of whether a school changed its name and was rebranded it was very difficult to change parental and community impressions and understanding of it.  He also said that none of the children at Furness School were inappropriately placed; no child would be placed in a mainstream school if a special school place was more appropriate and that the school had improved under the management of the Lilac Sky Schools Trust.

(5) Resolved that the proposed decision to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform to:

(a)Issue a public notice to discontinue Furness School;

(b) Subject to no objections not already considered, implement the proposal to close the School with effect from 31 August 2015;

(c)  Initiate the statutory consultation proposal process to establish a satellite provision of Broomhill Bank School on the Furness site from 1 September 2015; be endorsed.