Purpose

Approval is
sought to undertake the consultation and decision-making processes
to enable the Council to consider a decision to implement a
permanent extension to the age range for Hatherley Infant School
from 4-7 to 2-7 years.
 
The proposed
changes are to take effect on 1st April 2024 when it is
anticipated the school will convert to an academy, following the
receipt of an academy order.  The extension of the age range
will not take effect if the school does not become an academy.
 

Decision

In coming to this
decision I have given due and full
regard to the requirements of the public sector equality duty
contained in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 (“the
Act”) by reference to the law itself and also the relevant Equality Impact Assessment,
which was prepared in accordance with the requirements of the
Act.
 
Having fully
considered all the available information, I have decided to reject
the alternative options and take the recommended decision to:
 
Delegate
authority to the Director of Education, in consultation with the
Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Bus Transport:
 

1.    
To publish a statutory notice on the proposal to permanently
extend the age range of Hatherley Infant School from 4-7 to 2-7
years with effect from 1 st April 2024;
and
 

2.    
If no materially significant representations are received to the
statutory consultation set out in Recommendation 1, to determine
the proposal to permanently extend the age range for the school
from 4-7 years to 2-7 years with effect from 1st April 2024,
subject to the Department for Education (DfE):
 

·      
Issuing an academy order for the school; and

·      
Agreeing the date on which the school converts to academy
status.
 
The decision to
consider such representations shall be determined by the Cabinet
Member if materially significant objections are received to the
consultation exercises set out in Recommendation 1
 
 
For the reasons
set out in the report.