Issue - meetings

Nick Abrahams, Assistant Director of Education – West Kent and Christine McInnes Director of Education and SEN were in attendance for this item.

1.    Mr Love (Cabinet Member for Education and Skills) introduced the report which set out the Commissioning Plan for Education Provision in Kent 2024-2028. The Kent Commissioning Plan (KCP) was a live document which would undergo regular review to ensure Kent could continue to meet its responsibility for education provision in line with the forecast local plans and decisions made by the District, Borough and City councils. The KCP also detailed the national direction of travel and highlighted the ambition for schools to either join or form Multi-Academy Trusts due to the benefits that were inherent to schools in being part of a family of education providers. Mr Love thanked all those involved who had helped to shape the KCP.

2.    Mr Abrahams advised that whilst there had been a slight increase in the number of births for 2022 compared to 2021, there had been 1000 fewer in 2022 compared to 2018 and almost 2000 fewer compared to the birth peak in 2012. Within the primary phase, from Reception class upward, there was sufficient provision across the county; however, demand was expected to rise in five years’ time, largely within the rural areas due to the number of new housing developments coming to fruition. With regard to secondary school places, the population bulge from the 2012 birth peak was moving through the secondary school system with some areas of Kent expected to experience a deficit of places which would require commissioning action; these areas included Maidstone, Gravesham and Longfield. Much of the change in commissioning needs within education provision would be driven by the rate of house builds and people moving in and around the county as opposed to changes in birth rates.

3.    The Leader commented on the importance of Developer Contributions and the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) in response to the anticipated demand in growth and ensuring funding was available. 

4.    Further to comments and questions from Members, it was noted:

·         That the Council would need to remain mindful of the changes proposed by a Labour government, concerning the introduction of charging VAT on Independent school fees. Members highlighted the potential impact this would have on public sector schools as parents unable to afford the increased costs could seek to move their child into state owned schools, thus impacting on availability of places. The proposed Labour policy could also negatively impact the smaller independent schools, where a slight change in pupil numbers could make the schools unviable and therefore cause them to close. It was also noted that there could be a disproportionate number of pupils with SEND moving into public sector schooling, which would place additional pressure on the Council to find appropriate provision quickly.

5.    RESOLVED to agree to the recommendations as outlined in the report.