Issue details

Goldwyn School, Ashford - Expansion

 

 

To expand Goldwyn School, Ashford by 55 places, taking the number of places from 60 to 115.  The additional places will be provided in premises currently occupied by the Brook Pupil Referral Unit in Folkestone. 

 

This proposal is linked to a proposal to re-designate Furness School, Swanley from a school for 60 pupils with Behavioural, Emotional and Social Needs to one for pupils with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

 

There are no capital costs involved with this proposal, beyond some basic refurbishment of the Brook premises.   

 

The school will receive increased funding through the Delegated Budget.  Special schools are funded using the DfE Place Plus funding methodology for High Needs Pupils. 

 

For September 2014 the Local Authority has agreed to purchase a total of 120 places at Goldwyn School (75 places at the Ashford site and 45 places at Goldwyn Brook). 

 

Staff currently employed at the Brook PRU will transfer to Goldwyn School and there will therefore be no redundancies. 

 

This proposal will help to secure the local authority’s ambition “to ensure every child will go to a good school where they make good progress and can have fair access to school places” as set out in ‘Bold Steps for Kent’.

 

The Commissioning Plan for Education Provision in Kent 2013-18 has identified the need for 121 additional places for pupils with BESN.  

 

 

Decision type: Non-key

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Division affected: Ashford Rural West; Folkestone North East;

Notice of proposed decision first published: 12/05/2014

Department: Education & Young People's Services

Contact: David Adams, Assistant Director Education (South Kent) 01233 898559 and 01622 694174 Email: david.adams@kent.gov.uk Tel: 01233 898559, Kevin Shovelton, Director Education Planning & Access Email: kevin.shovelton@kent.gov.uk.

Consultees

At its meeting on 14 March 2014 the Education Cabinet Committee recommended that a consultation took place on the proposal. The consultation took place between 23 April and 20 May 2014 and a summary of the written comments received is at Appendix 1 of the report and a summary of the views and comments received at the public consultation is at Appendix 2 of the report.

An Equality Impact Assessment has been completed as part of the consultation.  To date no comments have been received and no changes are required to the Equality Impact Assessment.

The Local Members Mr Simkins and Mr McKenna support the proposed expansion: 

The Head teacher and Governing Body of Goldwyn School are in full support of the proposal. 

The Area Education Officer said Goldwyn was a popular school and the Ashford campus could not accommodate more pupils than are currently on roll.  Additional BESN places were needed in South Kent and the option to provide these additional places in Folkestone was very much appreciated.  He also said he was confident that the Senior Leadership Teams at both Goldwyn and Goldwyn Brook would work well together to provide the best possible learning environment for the students who will attend Goldwyn Brook in the future.

Financial implications: David Adams Area Education Officer for South Kent 01233 898559 david.adams@kent.gov.uk Kevin Shovelton Director of Education Planning and Access 01622 694174 kevin.shovelton@kent.gov.uk

Legal implications: 14/00059

Equalities implications: Not Key

Decisions

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