The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Property, Councillor James Crocker, approved the expansion of a specialist provision at Outwoods Primary School in Atherstone and authorised the surrender and re-grant of a lease for the Benn Education Centre in Rugby. These decisions aim to improve educational facilities and provide new learning opportunities for local children.

Addition to Education Capital Programme - Outwoods Primary School

Councillor James Crocker approved the addition of a scheme to the capital programme for Outwoods Primary School in Atherstone. This will see the school's resourced provision for pupils with Education Health and Care (EHC) plans increase its capacity from 8 to 16 places. The project is estimated to cost £0.345 million and will be funded by the High Needs Provision Capital Allocation and a grant from the Department for Education. The decision also authorises the Executive Director for Children and Young People to manage the procurement process for the works.

The existing modular building housing the provision is over 50 years old and in poor condition. Replacing it with a new modular building will not only ensure the continuation of the service but also provide better facilities, including more pupil toilets and dedicated changing areas. This expansion is crucial as there is a high demand for such provision in the Atherstone area, with 6% of primary school children with EHC plans currently attending independent special schools, the highest rate in the county. The council's strategy aims to reduce overspending on the Dedicated Schools Grant by providing more local specialist provision, which is significantly more cost-effective than independent placements.

Surrender and Re-grant of Leasehold Interest at the Benn Education Centre, Rugby

A decision was made to authorise the surrender of Warwickshire County Council's existing leasehold interest and the re-grant of a new leasehold interest at the Benn Education Centre in Rugby. This move will facilitate the creation of new Alternative Provision¹ education places for primary-aged pupils in the Rugby area, addressing a current gap in local services. The new provision will be established as a satellite site of Arise Education, an organisation rated 'outstanding' by OFSTED, and will have capacity for 15 pupils.

The Benn Education Centre, a former Victorian school building, is owned by the Coventry Diocesan Board of Education (CDBE). The council currently leases 64% of the building, which houses the Children & Family Centre and the Youth Service. The proposal involves re-granting a lease for the entire building, with the council then granting sub-leases to Barnardo's and Arise Education. This arrangement is expected to provide placements at a better value than other independent providers and reduce home-to-school transport costs by offering local education. The council will retain its concessionary rent for its existing accommodation until November 2033, while a market rent will be payable for the remainder of the building, which will be recovered from Arise Education. The decision authorises the completion of these lease arrangements on terms acceptable to the Executive Director for Resources.