Proposed decision.
i. agree to provide £4,930,041 from the Children, Young People and Education Capital Budget for the permanent expansion of Highsted Grammar School by 1FE for September 2022.
ii. Authorise the Director of Infrastructure, Strategic and Corporate Services in consultation with the General Counsel and Director of Education to enter into any necessary contracts / agreements on behalf of the County Council.
iii. Authorise the Director of Infrastructure, Strategic and Corporate Services to be the nominated Authority Representative within the relevant agreements and to enter into variations as envisaged under the contracts.
· Reason for the decision
To allocate £4,930,041 from the Capital budget for the expansion of Borden Grammar school by 1FE from September 2022. The figure of £4,930,041 will be finalised following the planning process, in the report to the Children and Young People’s Cabinet Committee Report.
· Background
The Kent Commissioning Plan 2021-2025 identified the need for additional selective places for the Sittingbourne and Sheppey Planning group. Forecasts indicted a deficit of up to 64 Year 7 places for 2022 and a continual need through the plan period of between 1.5FE and 2.5FE of additional selective school places. Discussions have been held with both grammar schools in Sittingbourne and each school has agreed to progress a 1FE expansion, delivering a total of 60 additional places from September 2022.
· Options (other options considered but discarded)
There are two grammar schools in Sittingbourne, and they have both agreed to a 1FE expansion. Neighbouring planning groups, including Faversham and Canterbury Selective and Maidstone Selective planning group, have a deficit of year 7 places.
· How the proposed decision meets the objectives of ‘Increasing Opportunities, Improving Outcomes: Kent County Council’s Strategic Statement (2015-2020)’
This proposal will help to secure our ambition “to ensure that Kent’s young people have access to the education, work and skills opportunities necessary to support Kent business to grow and be increasingly competitive in the national and international economy” as set out in ‘Increasing Opportunities, Improving Outcomes: Kent County Council’s Strategic Statement (2017 - 2022)’.
The Commissioning Plan for Education Provision in Kent 2021-2 identified the need to commission additional capacity in Sittingbourne Selective Schools.
Decision type: Key
Reason Key: Expenditure or savings of more than £1m;
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Division affected: Sittingbourne North; Sittingbourne South; Swale East; Swale West;
Notice of proposed decision first published: 12/08/2021
Decision due: Not before 10th Sep 2021 by Cabinet Member for Education and Skills
Lead member: Cabinet Member for Education and Skills
Contact: Jackie Marks, Extended Schools Development Manager Phone number: 03000 418794 Email: jackie.marks@kent.gov.uk Tel: 01732 525045.
Consultees
The Children’s and Young People Cabinet Committee considered this decision on 14 September 2021.
Financial implications: The capital allocation of £4,930,041 is to deliver a programme providing the additional general and specialist classrooms plus a new sports hall required to meet the additional pupil place need. The school’s current published admission number (PAN) is 120. The £4,930,041 has been agreed based on a full feasibility and curriculum analysis against BB103 requirements for a 5FE school. This figure is in line with the DfE’s benchmark figures for an expansion of a secondary school by 1FE.
Legal implications: Any legal implications will be identified and reported in the Children and Young People’s Cabinet Committee Report.
Equalities implications: An Equality Impact Assessment has been produced and the assessment identified the following positive impacts: • Sufficient year 7 places will be provided for Grammar pupils. • Year 7 pupils will be able attend Grammar school provisions in their locality. • More pupils will be able to attend a good or outstanding school. No adverse impacts were identified during the assessment.