Purpose

The report will request approval to initiate a
pre-publication consultation on the potential closure of
(discontinuance of) Calverton Primary school.
 
This is due to the school’s declining
pupil roll numbers, with no reasonable prospect of reaching pupil
capacity levels that would enable it be sustainable over the medium
to long term. The school has an unrecoverable financial deficit,
which is likely to have an adverse impact on the quality of
education, wellbeing and welfare of pupils and staff.
 
To discontinue a maintained school the Council must follow the statutory process
as set out in the School Organisation (Establishment and
Discontinuance of Schools) Regulations 2013/3109. The first stage
of the process is a pre-publication consultation to seek views from
all stakeholders and interested parties on the potential closure
before a statutory notice and closure proposals are published.
 
Cabinet will be asked to decide on the
pre-publication consultation. And that subject to the outcome of
the consultation, the second stage of the process (the publication
of the statutory notice and closure proposals) should be delegated
to the Corporate Director of Children and Young People’s
Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment,
Sustainable Transport, Children Services and Education.
 
To note that the publication of the statutory
notice and proposals (stage 2 of the statutory process) will set
out details of the school closure which can be commented on or
objected to during the statutory representation period (stage
3).

Decision

Decision
 
For the reasons set out in the report and its
appendices Cabinet RESOLVED to Agree to:
 

i) 
For officers to undertake a pre-publication consultation regarding
the potential closure of Calverton primary school.

ii) 
That subject to the outcome of the pre-publication consultation,
the second stage of the process (the publication of the statutory
notice and closure proposals) should be delegated to the Corporate
Director of Children and Young People’s Services in
consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment, Sustainable
Transport, Children Services and Education. The publication of the
statutory notice and proposals (stage 2 of the statutory process)
will set out details of the school closure which can be commented
on or objected to during the statutory representation period (stage
3).

iii) 
To note that the decision (stage 4) on whether or not to proceed
with a closure will be taken by the Cabinet at the end of the
formal consultation (representation) period as set out in the
statutory process referred to in the legal implications of this
report.
 
Alternatives
Considered
 

a) 
Local Authority officers are working with schools in financial
difficulty including Calverton Primary School, to help sustain and
maintain their financial stability.

b) 
For Calverton Primary School, cash advances from LA resources and
an intensive support package have been made available. The
leadership of the school, working with Council officers, have
thoroughly explored a range of options such as:

· reducing the school's published admission
number;

· seeking income generation
opportunities;

· reducing staffing levels further;

· exploring amalgamating (merging) with
another school; or

· the school joining a multi academy trust
(MAT)

c) 
 Unfortunately, given pupil numbers are
expected to fall further, none of these options will be able to
reduce or recover the accumulated deficit over a reasonable period,
whilst maintaining high quality education.

d) 
 Do nothing: This is not recommended as
it would likely result in a growing budget deficit, estimated to
grow by around £0.6m per annum, and the quality of education
at the school would be at risk. This is not educationally or
financially sustainable, and does not provide best value when
dealing with budget pressures. Without 6 considering the potential
closure proposal, any future write-off of this growing deficit
would fall to the Council's general fund.