Decision Maker: Cabinet, Cabinet Member for Children and Families

Outcome: Recommendations approved

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Date of Decision: November 4, 2024

Purpose: This report provides the Cabinet Member for Children and Families with an update, summary and recommended formal proposals, following the public, informal consultation where the Local Authority (LA) is proposing to amalgamate and/or possibly close a number of local primary schools. This is in response to the significant surplus of primary school places in the Borough. Published Admission Numbers (PAN) reductions from 2025 onwards, were not achieved in line with the LA’s recommendations as a part of the Pupil Place Planning (PPP) Strategy agreed by Cabinet in November 2022, thereby ‘triggering’ worst-case options. Lambeth Local Authority will therefore use their powers under section 15 of Education and Inspection Act (EIA) 2006, and the School Organisation (Establishment and Discontinuance of Schools) Regulations 2013, to pursue possible amalgamations or even closures of up to 8 local, primary schools.

Content: Councillor Claire Holland, Leader of the Council, set the initial context for the item and highlighted the following: ·       Falling birth rates, Brexit, COVID, and the cost-of-living crisis, had resulted in falling pupil numbers within inner London boroughs. ·       School funding was calculated by the government and was paid per pupil, however, changes to this formula by the previous government had resulted in detrimental impacts on Lambeth’s schools. ·       The Council had lobbied for needs and deprivation to be included in the pupil formula to produce fairer funding. ·       Falling pupil numbers meant less funding for schools and threatened the viability of schools. Councillor Ben Kind, Cabinet Member for Children and Families, then introduced the item and stated: ·       The Council had a statutory duty and strategic responsibility to ensure a sustainable, high quality, and fair education system in Lambeth. ·       Austerity measures had led to large budget cuts, estimated at £40 million for Lambeth, and a fragmented education system with government policy favouring academisation at the expense of community and maintained schools. ·       Lambeth was committed to community schooling and the contributions of schools, leaders, and communities was invaluable to creating a borough wide approach to address falling numbers collaboratively and produce viable solutions. ·       The strategy was adjusted and balanced against the data to respond to consultation responses on changing trends, concerns, and community needs. ·       Streamlining the system would strengthen communities, ensure that resources were used effectively, and provide future families with improved schools. Andrew Carter, Corporate Director for Children, Families, and Education noted that: ·       The principles applied in the consultation process had been set out in the supplementary appendix in response to the decision by the Office of the Schools Adjudicator and showed a fair and comprehensive approach. ·       It was not possible to commit to no compulsory redundancies, however,a recruitment freeze was in discussion with all employers to protect as many jobs as possible. ·       Parental choice across the borough was a central priority of the strategy. ·       Work was ongoing with the Contextualised Safeguarding team and the Community Safety team to ensure that children were able to access school safely. Abrilli Phillip, Director of Education and Learning, noted a couple of corrections which included the misalignment of some figures  in the report and that the data on the East planning area was updated to reflect misalignment with one of the calculations. Brian Hazell, on behalf of the National Association of Head Teachers addressed the meeting and stated: ·       Amalgamation was the preferred view over closures. ·       School closures would have a devastating impact on the local community. ·       The proposal to amalgamate Fenstanton and Holy Trinity was supported as it would protect the community of both schools. ·       That amalgamations should adopt a bottom-up approach to allow local communities to contribute meaningfully to the process. ·       The Council should encourage larger schools to reduce forms of entry so that other local schools could remain viable.   Peter Truesdale, Chair of Governors of St John the Divine Primary School, noted:   ·       A correction at page 1178 of the report was required, as the governors’ submission was made through the consultation on the Published Annual Number (PAN). ·       There was concern that amalgamating St John the Divine would result in the additional funding being transferred to Southwark due to many children moving to Southwark schools.   Jane Scarsbrook, Headteacher of Glenbrook Primary School, addressed the meeting and stated:   ·       The proposal to amalgamate Kings Avenue and Glenbrook Primary School was logical since pupil numbers for both schools had declined and better use could be made of the new school building at Glenbrook Primary. ·       Glenbrook Primary was the reasonable site for amalgamation based on recent pupil number trends, excellent indoor and outdoor facilities, and accessibility features. ·       It was also off the main road which protected pupils further from pollution and traffic hazards. ·       The quality of education at Glenbrook was judged as excellent in 2024 and it held the highest proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium in Lambeth.   In response to the comments, the officers answered: ·       A bottom-up approach was agreed and was evidenced by the direction taken in the report. ·       The projected figures for demand recognised current and future data on trends based on a peer reviewed process, which led to the conclusion that there was only demand for one school. ·       There was no proposed change in the case of Kings Avenue Primary and Glenbrook Primary; Glenbrook would remain as the proposed amalgamation site. The speakers from the Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School were Pauline Thomas, Acting Head Teacher, Lesley Saddington, Deputy Headteacher, Daniel Brooks, Teacher and Union representative, and Chris Tongeman, Chair of Governors. The speakers highlighted: ·       Closure of Holy Trinity Primary School and Fenstanton Primary school would permanently change the landscape of primary education in the local area and take the heart out of primary education in the Tulse Hill community. ·       Holy Trinity and Fenstanton school served a similar demographic in Tulse Hill and were both strongly supported by the community, staff, and parents. ·       Holy Trinity was on an upward trajectory of improving standards which was reflected in improved pupil outcomes. ·       A school closure would disrupt pupil, teacher, and community networks and produce an adverse effect on pupil outcomes that would become more apparent at secondary school. ·       Closures would particularly impact those from high socio-economic disadvantage. ·       The ask was to support both schools in working together as a single amalgamated school. Jess Edwards, National Education Union, Branch Secretary also spoke during this segment and noted: ·       The support to families would be decimated due to closures and would cause trauma to children displaced from schools. ·       Falling rolls should benefit Lambeth schools in the same way as private schools and their smaller class sizes. ·       The Council should instate creative ideas to compel Headteachers to work collaboratively on solutions. In response to comments and questions, the officers answered: ·       The proposal was for a closure of Holy Trinity with the condition that a viable alternative proposal to amalgamate would be proposed within the agreed timeframe and criteria. ·       Schools identified within two kilometres of Holy Trinty were of good and outstanding rating, allowing high quality education to be maintained. ·       Parents would be given a choice and would be allocated schools based on that choice. The speakers from Fenstanton School were, Danny Walsh, Headteacher, and Gillian Roberts, Headteacher. The speakers raised the following points:   ·       There was an opportunity to keep schools open with lower class sizes instead of creating cuts for already disadvantaged children. ·       The pupil and parent/carer community relied heavily on the school for support. ·       The Council was urged to receive the amalgamation proposal put forward by Fenstanton and Holy Trinty as a viable alternative. ·       Amalgamating Fenstanton with Holy Trinity offered a sustainable alternative to closure which preserved educational opportunity for local children while addressing pupil numbers and creating significant savings to the Council. ·       It also avoided displacement of vulnerable pupils and families as both schools served uniquely similar communities. ·       Granting the amalgamation would allow the community to retain a school and community hub thus allowing additional services to be offered to families.    In response to comments, officers responded: ·       The Council had invested over £1.5 million into schools to support early intervention to support young people without Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). ·       There was also an investment of over £7 million dedicated to expanding SEN provision in the borough through the High Needs Capital Grant. ·       As a borough, we are below national figures and statistical neighbours for the number of children and young people with EHCP being placed in independent settings and are above statistical neighbours and national figures for children and young people with an EHCP placed in a mainstream setting. ·       Lambeth’s investments ensured that all primary schools in Lambeth were designed to be inclusive, and supportive, and could meet any young person’s needs. ·       Both schools were in the process of improving standards, but the proposals were not based on the quality of education offered, rather it concerned ensuring a sufficient number of school places were available per planning area in Lambeth. Pia Longman, Assistant Director of the Southwark Diocesan Board of Education, then addressed the meeting and stated: ·       The SDBE recognised that amalgamations and closures, in specific cases, would need to take place to allow a strong school system to be built and parental choice to be secured and doing nothing was not an option. ·       The SDBE were committed to working with the Local Authority on options. ·       The proposal to amalgamate St John the Divine and Christ Church Primary school was an opportunity to secure Church of England education in the area and prevent long-term closure. ·       Holy Trinity and Fenstanton served the same community and had significantly higher disadvantaged and Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) pupils. ·       The SDBE had put forward an amalgamation of Holy Trinity and Fenstanton and were committed to working with the Local Authority to reduce PAN rather than closing the schools. ·       In the case of Holy Trinity and Fenstanton, the needs of the community far outweighed the need to remove places.   Councillors Nicole Griffiths, Jackie Meldrum, Linda Bray, and Matthew Bryant also addressed the meeting and stated: ·       There was concern that plans were driven by cost factors over and above meeting the needs of children, families, and communities. ·       The Council should support schools to remain open and should demand additional funding from the government. ·       Effective communication with parents was vital in the process and there should be careful consideration of the negative impact of school mobility on children’s school achievement and the risk of children having to move school twice if further changes were required. ·       The impact of the decision by the school’s adjudicator on pupil place planning and admissions should be further explained. ·       The suggestion that Glenbrook’s cumulative deficit could be written off at the point of amalgamation was welcomed. ·       The proposal to amalgamate Fenstanton and Holy Trinity was supported as it was a community recommendation and would keep a school in the area. In response to questions, officers provided the following answers: ·       The initial proposal in 2022 to manage pupil places was driven by the quality of education, the maintenance of parental choice,including the proportion of faith and non-schools within a proximate radius, and the quality of key assets. ·       Initially, finance was not a driver but was factored in as a new risk to schools and to the Council. ·       There was an emerging pattern between falling rolls and pupil outcomes. ·       The strategy was focused on preventing schools from closing in an unplanned manner and creating strong and sustainable schools. ·       The additional funding announced in the government’s 30 October budget was allocated to pupils with specific needs in relation to EHCPs and would not increase the baseline funding for schools. ·       The governing bodies of Fenstanton and Holy Trinty would need to provide the proposal and expected governance arrangements. ·       The consultation provided translated surveys and opportunities for parents from all backgrounds; access to information would continue. ·       Two form entry schools could reduce parental choice and limit the proximity of schools. ·       There would be a second phase due to the paused decision on St John Angell Town’s amalgamation with St Saviour’s. ·       The deficit position of the schools would be reported within the Council’s overall balance sheet. ·       The Council held the deficit so any school closures would impact core reserves. ·       The Council did not agree with the adjudicator’s position and was considering how to respond to the decision made. ·       The timeline for amalgamation for Kings Avenue and Glenbrook was raised by the finance manager from Kings Avenue as it was more cost-effective, and the recommendation sought to write off debts to allow the schools to start afresh. ·       Bringing the proposals forward could reduce the general fund spend from the Council. The officers then answered questions raised by Cabinet and advised the following: ·       The data gathered was monitored to ensure that forecasts were specific. The actual numbers were closely aligned with forecasted figures; the current data suggested that there would be no improvement in pupil numbers. ·       90% of temporary accommodation placements were either in Lambeth or a neighbouring borough with many parents continuing to educate their children in Lambeth schools. ·       Work with Community safety colleagues was ongoing to recognise any new and emerging risks and to ensure that parents were supported with choice. ·       Resource Bases were fully supported in the borough and set criteria was available for establishing a Resource Base. Lambeth is above national and statistical neighbours for children and young people placed in a Resource Base. Lambeth completes an annual full scope of the need requirements (i.e., autism, SEMH) and where the need in the borough existed. ·       The criteria required to open a new Resource Base in a school is to have a good or outstanding Ofsted grading, there was continuous work to expand such places but they are separate from PPP approaches. ·       Amalgamated schools would be supported closely with the governing bodies and should the amalgamation fail, a new set of proposals would be recommended. ·       The strategy protected children and families with protected characteristics by preventing unplanned closures and recognised the disruptive impact should this occur. ·       Schools with smaller class sizes cost more per child in each class and posed a risk to children with SEND needs due to inadequate funding and specialist staff. ·       Full and well-funded classes would provide schools with efficient budgets to manage resources more effectively for children and young people. ·       A local agreement with the trade unions was to be created to request that schools save places for teachers made redundant at other schools. ·       The deficit was expected to continue growing however the mitigations made in the strategy would effectively make the situation more manageable. Councillor Kind then closed the item by stating: ·       Schools at low capacity were struggling to manage deficits which would impact staff retention and ultimately the quality of education offered. ·       Cabinet was encouraged to consider how the proposals prevented the abrupt closures of schools. ·       The proposals were focused on creating balance across the whole borough. RESOLVED: 1.    To approve the Closure of Fenstanton Primary School with modifications, subject to certain conditions being met. 2.    To approve the Closure of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School with modifications, subject to certain conditions being met. Page 6 3.    To approve, without modification, the amalgamation of Christ Church Primary SW9 with St John the Divine CofE Primary School by closing St John the Divine CofE Primary School and site and merging into Christ Church Primary SW9 on its site. 1.    To approve, with modification, the amalgamation of Glenbrook Primary School with Kings Avenue Primary School by closing Kings Avenue Primary School and site and merging into Glenbrook Primary School on its site.