The Scrutiny Children & Young People Sub-Committee was scheduled to review the council's Education Estates Strategy, which encompasses plans for managing school places, provision for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and the maintenance of school buildings. The committee was also set to examine the council's budget proposals related to children and young people's services and receive updates on early help, children's social care, and education performance.

Education Estates Strategy

A significant portion of the meeting was scheduled to be dedicated to a pre-decision scrutiny of the Cabinet's Education Estates Strategy. This strategy, reviewed annually, covers the period from 2023 to 2026 and addresses key areas including the management of surplus school places, provision for Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND), and the proposed Schools' Maintenance Plan. The strategy aims to ensure the council fulfils its statutory duties regarding school place planning, fair access to education, and the maintenance of school buildings to provide a suitable learning environment.

Key aspects of the Education Estates Strategy scheduled for discussion included:

• School Place Planning: The strategy outlines plans to ensure a sufficient supply of school places across early years, primary, and secondary education phases, including provision for SEND. It also addresses the management of surplus school places, a growing concern due to falling birth rates, by strategies such as reducing Published Admission Numbers (PANs). The report highlighted that while there is a borough-wide sufficiency of places, the balance varies across different planning areas. Projections indicate a continued sufficiency of mainstream school places for the next three years, though some schools may experience higher levels of unfilled places.
• School Admissions: The committee was to review proposed admission arrangements for Croydon's community schools for the 2025/26 academic year and the continued adoption of Pan-London co-ordination arrangements. The agenda indicated no proposed changes to the previously agreed admission arrangements for community schools. The report detailed the admissions criteria, which include priority for looked-after children, linked schools, siblings, exceptional medical need, and distance. It also outlined procedures for in-year admissions and the fair access protocol.
• School Maintenance and Compliance: The proposed Schools' Maintenance Plan for 2024/25 was to be considered, detailing a budget of £3.412m for 2024/25 and £3.777m for 2025/26. This plan addresses essential repairs, upgrades to electrical and mechanical equipment, and efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in schools. The agenda also covered the management of asbestos in community schools, statutory compliance inspections, and the identification and monitoring of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) and Cross Laminated Timber Panels (CLT). Fire safety works were also a focus, with an update on a £3m programme to address remedial works.
• Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Provision: The strategy acknowledged the increasing demand for SEND provision. Data presented showed a significant number of children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), with the top areas of need being social, emotional and mental health (SEMH), Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and speech, language, and communication difficulties. Plans for developing provision, including a new 25-place Education Learning Provision (ELP) for children with Autism Spectrum Conditions at Monks Orchard Primary School, were to be discussed. Expansion opportunities at existing special schools were also under consideration.
• Early Years and Childcare: The Childcare Sufficiency Assessment 2023 was to be reviewed, assessing the availability of childcare for children from birth to 14 years old. The assessment indicated that there is currently sufficient childcare available across the borough for all age groups. The report detailed the upcoming expansion of funded childcare hours for working parents, including 15 hours for two-year-olds from April 2024 and extended hours for younger children from September 2024 and 2025. The report also highlighted challenges in recruiting staff for childcare for babies and the growing need for SEND provision within early years settings.

Budget Scrutiny Challenge

The Sub-Committee was asked to review information on identified budget proposals for children and young people's services. The key questions for consideration were whether the proposed savings were deliverable, sustainable, and posed an unacceptable risk; whether the impact on service users and the wider community had been understood; and if all reasonable alternative options had been explored.

Early Help, Children's Social Care and Education Dashboard

The committee was scheduled to receive and review the latest performance data presented in the Early Help, Children's Social Care and Education Dashboard.

Cabinet Response to Scrutiny Recommendations

The Sub-Committee was to be presented with the Cabinet's most recent responses to recommendations previously made by the committee.

Scrutiny Work Programme 2023-24

The draft work programme for the remainder of the 2023-24 municipal year was to be noted, with an opportunity for members to consider any proposed changes.

The meeting also included standard procedural items such as apologies for absence, the minutes of the previous meeting, and disclosures of interest. An item on What Difference has this Meeting made to Croydon's Children was scheduled for the conclusion of the meeting, and a motion to exclude the press and public for specific agenda items was also listed.