The need for new Secondary School provision to meet demand arising from the Ebbsfleet Garden City development was identified during the original planning of the City and has been highlighted in recent versions of the KCC Commissioning Plan for Education Provision, including the latest 2017-21 version of the Plan. More specifically the school is anticipated to accommodate pupils who are residents of any of the three villages on Eastern Quarry or of the Ebbsfleet Green development. Based on current housing trajectories for those developments, it is anticipated the first four forms of entry will be required by September 2021.
The need for new Primary School provision to meet demand arising from the Ebbsfleet Garden City development was identified during the original planning of the City and has been highlighted in recent versions of the Commissioning Plan for Education Provision, including the latest 2017-21 version of the Plan. More specifically the school is anticipated to accommodate pupils who are residents of the Ebbsfleet Green development. Based on current housing trajectories, it is anticipated the first form of entry will be required by September 2020.
Regardless of the situation in respect of the ESFA’s Free School Wave application process, the onus is on the local authority to run competitions outside of any Wave, as both schools will be funded either wholly through developer contribution or through a mixture of Local Authority Basic Need funding and developer contribution.
Through the existing Section 106 agreements the Secondary School will be produced wholly through developer contributions relating to Eastern Quarry and Ebbsfleet Green. The Section 106 agreement for the Primary school on Ebbsfleet Green provides for a site of 2.05 hectares to be provided along with a 1FE Primary school with infrastructure to allow expansion to 2FE.
Due to the high pupil numbers being realised by existing housing developments in Dartford, exisiting pupil place pressures already being experienced in the District and the fact that 1FE Primary Schools are vulnerable in terms of viability, it is the intention to provide a 2FE Primary School within the Ebbsfleet Green development.
Decision type: Key
Reason Key: Expenditure or savings of more than £1m;
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Division affected: Swanscombe and Greenhithe;
Notice of proposed decision first published: 03/05/2018
Decision due: Not before 31st May 2018 by Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education
Reason: In order that the proposed decision can be published for a minimum of 28 days, in accordance with statutory requirements
Lead member: Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education
Lead director: Keith Abbott
Department: Education & Young People's Services
Contact: Ian Watts, Assistant Director Education, North Tel: 03000 414302 Email: ian.watts@kent.gov.uk Tel: 03000 414302.
Consultees
A full consultation process was undertaken as part of the formulation of the Commissioning Plan and a six-week consultation with the community and other stakeholders began at the end of October 2017.
The matter was discussed by the Children’s, Young People and Education Cabinet Committee on 13 October 2017, at which the proposed decision was endorsed.
Financial implications: The full cost of land and buildings for the new Secondary School will be met from developer contributions and will therefore have no impact on the Children, Young People and Education capital budget. However, capital funding will be allocated to enable the School to resource each new classroom as they come on line, presently at a value of up to £2,500 per classroom. The cost of the first FE of accommodation for the Primary school, and the cost of the core buildings, will be met through developer contribution. The land will transfer to KCC with no charge. The estimated cost of providing the second form of entry within the Primary School on Ebbsfleet Green is £2.5m.
Legal implications: The legal implications were outlined in the report to Children’s, Young People and Education Cabinet Committee on 13 October 2017.
Equalities implications: An Equality Impact Assessment was completed is available on the KCC website as part of the commissioning process.