Agenda item

To receive a report by the Corporate Director on the proposal to close Chaucer Technology School, Canterbury, for all year groups except the current Year 10 from 31 August 2014.  Part of the school would remain operational until August 2015 to enable year 10 pupils to complete their GCSE courses.

(For Item B1 the Chairman has used his discretionary powers to allow a maximum of two members of the public to speak; one for and one against, the proposal to close Chaucer Technology School.  Any member of the public wishing to speak must register with the Democratic Services Officer by no later than 12 noon on Monday, 21 April. Each registered speaker has three minutes in which to address the Cabinet Committee).

(Report by Mr P Leeson, Corporate Director for Education and Young People Services)

(Mrs M White, Area Education Officer for East Kent, and Mr K Shovelton, Director of Education Planning and Access were present for this item)

1.         Mr Leeson introduced the report that outlined the proposal to close Chaucer Technology School, Canterbury, for all year groups except the current year 10 from 31 August 2014.  Part of the school would remain operational until August 2015 to enable year 10 pupils to complete their GCSE courses.

2.         Mr Leeson expressed his regret that the school had to close but the situation for Chaucer Technology School had become untenable. 

3.         The Chairman advised that he had used his discretionary powers to allow members of the public to speak on this item.  No requests had been received by the Democratic Services Officer from the public to speak for or against the proposal.

4.         Mr Gough and Mr Leeson responded to comments and questions by Members which included the following:

a)Mr Cowan stressed in the strongest terms that he considered that the information in the report on the closure of the Chaucer Technology School a fait accompli.  He highlighted his point by referring to paragraph 1.10 of the report which referred to the pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9 being offered and accepting alternative schools places.  He suggested that the issues regarding Chaucer Technology School should have been brought to the Cabinet Committee earlier for discussion. Mr Cowan stated that he would vote against the recommendations to close the school.  Mr Gough advised that the events regarding the Chaucer Technology School had moved rapidly from December 2013 to the end of January 2014.  He too regretted that parents learnt about the proposal to close the school following information being leaked to the press.  This had occurred following preliminary discussions being made with local schools to ascertain whether there were places available to take pupils from Chaucer Technology School.  It was not clear whether there was a better way of proceeding with a proposed closure as there had to be an assurance that there were places for the children locally should the decision be made to close the school.

b)In response to a comment made that Year 10 pupils needed support even though it was proposed that they would remain in the school until they completed their GCSEs. There had been concerns about the effect on extra curriculum activities etc. Mr Leeson said the remaining pupils in Year 10 would have the upmost support from Swale Academy Trust and would have opportunities for trips etc.  It was a priority to ensure that all pupils had a good chance of completing their education. 

c)  Mr Leeson paid tribute to the local neighbouring schools that had welcomed and integrated pupils from Chaucer Technology School into their schools.

d)Mrs Dean made a request for more detail on the issue/options considered when drafting the report eg proposed housing developments in the area, neighbouring schools expansions/relocating to be forwarded outside the meeting.

e)    A Member welcomed the public being given the opportunity to speak on this item and would like to see this practise continued.  The Chairman advised that his decision to allow public speakers would be considered on a case by case basis.

f)     In reply to a question, the Chairman advised that public meetings held as part of the consultations regarding school closures/expansions etc were open to all Members, cross party; and Members were encouraged to attend.

g)    In response to a question regarding the need for additional secondary schools in the future in Canterbury, Mr Leeson and Mrs White advised that KCC had been working closely with Canterbury City Council regarding future housing developments and was confident that there would be no requirement for additional secondary school places in the Canterbury area until the middle of the 2020s.  The largest development was to be in South Canterbury which required a lot of enabling work from Kent Highways.   Mr Gough considered that it was likely that the Chaucer Technology School site would to be kept for educational purposes.

h)   The local Member, Mr Northey, reflected on his statement on page 12 of the report and said that few people had approached him regarding the closure of the school.

5.         The Chairman proposed, seconded by Mr Balfour, that the Chaucer Technology School site should be retained for additional educational use and that further analysis of future need be undertaken to inform whether any part of the site could be disposed of or made available for alternative use.

Carried 8 votes for 5 against

6.         RESOLVED that:-

a)the responses to comments and questions by Members be noted;

b)        the Education and Young People Services Cabinet Committee endorses the decision to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform to issue a public notice to close Chaucer Technology School for all year groups except the current Year 10 from 31 August 2014 and to close the school permanently from 31 August 2015;

c)         the Education and Young People Services Cabinet Committee recommends that the Chaucer Technology School site be retained for additional educational use and further analysis of future need be undertaken to inform whether any part of the site could be disposed of or made available for alternative use;

And following the issuing of the Public Notice and subject to consideration of objections:

d)        Close the School for all year groups except the current Year 10 from 31 August 2014 and to close the school permanently from 31 August 2015.

Should objections, not already considered by the Cabinet Member when taking this decision be received during the notice period a separate decision would be required in order to continue the proposal and to allow for proper consideration of the points raised.