Meeting documents

Appendix 3

BATH & NORTH EAST SOMERSET COUNCIL

A REVIEW OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN THE NORTH WEST BATH AREA

1. WHY ARE WE REVIEWING THIS AREA?

1.1 All primary schools in Bath & North East Somerset are to be reviewed over the four years between September 2003 and July 2007. Each school will initially be reviewed alongside its partner schools in a geographical area. At the end of each Area Review elected Councillors may decide that some changes (school closures, new schools, enlarging schools etc.) appear to be necessary and initiate a further consultation process focussing on the school(s) affected. It is equally possible that Councillors may simply acknowledge that the pattern of school provision is working effectively and that no changes are required in the short or medium-term.

1.2 The process to be followed when undertaking an Area Review was the subject of wide and lengthy consultation. It was finally approved by the School Organisation Committee (a body independent of the Council) on 22 July 2003.

1.3 A document describing the process can be found on the Council website at: www.bathnes.gov.uk/committee_papers/OandSEYCL/EYCL021202/10SchoolReviewProcess.htm .Paper copies are available on request.

1.4 The schools named below are considered in this Review.

2. INTRODUCTION

2.2 On 17 January 2005, a draft version of this document was circulated to the Headteacher of each school covered by the Review.

2.3 On 4 February 2005 a revised version containing amendments, clarifications of facts and some initial conclusions was issued to the Headteacher and Chair of Governors of each school covered by the Review, the Headteacher and Chair of Governors of the secondary schools serving Bath, senior officers of the Education Service, the Bath & Wells Diocesan Board of Education, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Clifton and Councillors representing the wards in which the schools are located. The document was also circulated to members of the Education, Youth, Culture & Leisure Overview & Scrutiny Panel in order to inform their discussions prior to the public meeting to be held on 28 February 2005.

3. School Organisation Plan

3.1 Each school has been assessed against policies, established through the School Organisation Plan, regarding school size. The School Organisation Plan states that;

3.2 At September 2004 all schools meet the criteria regarding planned admission number and size.

3.3 The School Organisation Plan, agreed on July 22 2003, stated the following in relation to North West Bath "The number of surplus places is significant with over 40% of the unfilled places existing at one school. The effect of the Western Riverside development is likely to be felt in two of the schools and these places may fill as the development takes place. A review prior to the commencement of the Western Riverside scheme is necessary but the timing of this review will depend on the progress of the redevelopment. In July 2004 an update of demographic information was published and this noted a deteriorating situation in terms of an increase in the percentage of unfilled places but noted that the vast majority of this surplus still existed within one school.

3.4 The School Organisation Plan agreed on 17 July 2001 stated that "the LEA's preferred option for school organisation at Key Stages 1 and 2 is all-through primary schools. This also includes the Foundation Stage in nursery and reception classes." Two of the schools covered by this Review are all-through primary schools. No school operates a nursery class.

3.5 Of the four schools covered by this Review three are Church schools. Any changes in the area may result in a change in the proportion of denominational places in Bath & North East Somerset and if such changes reduced the proportion of denominational places this would require the support of the relevant Diocese. At present, approximately 54% of primary school places in Bath & North East Somerset are in Church schools. In the North West Bath area the percentage is 73%.

3.6 All schools have also been assessed under the Authority's Asset Management Plan (AMP). The AMP is concerned with the Condition, Suitability and Sufficiency of schools. The Key Data sheets at the back of the document show the position at these schools in relation to the AMP headings.

4. The Context

4.1 A map showing the location of the schools is attached. A wide area map showing where pupils live is also attached. For legal reasons it is necessary to state that the maps have been reproduced from the Ordnance Survey with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright under License Number 100023334.

4.2 Population data from the Primary Care Trust shows the position at March 2004 in the wards in which these schools are located.

5 Levels of Educational Achievement

5.1 There are various measures of educational performance. Simple examination of headline results may not reveal the success (or otherwise) of a school.

5.2 Care must be taken when analysing results of small year groups and making comparisons with schools that are significantly different in size. In small schools one pupil can have a very marked effect on the percentage figures. OFSTED makes the following statement:

6. Levels of Educational and Multiple Deprivation

7 Timescales and Consultation

7.1 The Overview & Scrutiny Panel will hold a public meeting to hear contributions from invited stakeholders. This will take place on 28 February 2005 at the Guildhall, Bath beginning at 4.30 p.m.

7.2 The document will be further considered by the Overview & Scrutiny Panel (OSP) at its meeting on 14 March 2005.

7.3 A meeting for Bath & North East Somerset Councillors representing the relevant wards took place on 24 January 2005.

7.4 The final paper will be considered by the Council Executive which meets at 10 a.m. on 6 April 2005 at the Guildhall, Bath.

KEY DATA

Numbers on Roll, Forecasts & Surplus Places (Sufficiency 1)

Population Data

Level of Recruitment against Standard Number

Financial Information

Outstanding Planned Maintenance (Condition)

Site and Building Areas (Sufficiency 2)

Deprivation Data

Educational Standards

Pupil Locations

Suitability

Notes

PAN means Planned Admission Number. This figure equates to the number of pupils the school must admit if demand exists. PAN replaced Standard Number for admissions from September 2004.

Net Capacity is the physical capacity of the school and shows the number of places available. It is derived from a DfES formula.

Surplus places mean unfilled places. Not all unfilled places are surplus. The calculation of surplus places takes account only of those schools where the number of pupils is fewer than the number of places available. Shortfalls of places in schools are not counted.

The purpose of showing the average number on roll over the five years previous to 2004/05 is to ensure that an unusual variation in admissions in one year does not provide a distorted picture.

Forecast numbers for individual schools are not included. It can be seen that the total number on roll at September 2004 is 95% of that at September 1999. Forecasts indicate that by September 2007 the total number on roll will be 92% of the 1999 figure.

Population Data - North West Bath

Source : B&NES Primary Care Trust

Data valid as at March 2004

The number of children in the area has fallen very slightly. There is no reason to believe that the number of unfilled places will increase significantly as a result of this fall in the birth rate.

In addition the proximity of the Newbridge schools to the Western Riverside needs to be taken into account.

Levels of Recruitment against Standard Number / Planned Admission Number

Notes

Levels of recruitment are shown as percentages as changes to Standard Number were implemented at several schools

over the period September 1997 to September 2002. This was often as a result of the infant class size legislation.

Standard Number (SN) was abolished from September 2004 and replaced by Planned Admission Number (PAN)

Financial Information

Notes

CPN means Composite Pupil Number. This is the number of pupils for which a school receives funding. It is based on 5/12 of actual number on roll at January each year plus 7/12 from the estimated September number on roll.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE FIGURES HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED IN LIGHT OF ACTUAL NUMBERS ON ROLL AT SEPTEMBER 2004.

Outstanding Planned Maintenance

Notes

The figures showing the total costs of outstanding planned maintenance show only those works which are regarded as Urgent or Essential.

DfES and Property Services define Urgent as `Work that will prevent immediate closure of premises, and/or address an immediate high risk to the health and safety of occupants and/or remedy a serious breach of legislation'

Essential is defined as `Work required within two years that will prevent serious deterioration of the fabric or services and/or address a medium risk to the health and safety of occupants and/or remedy a less serious breach of legislation'

Notes

An assessment of these areas forms part of the Sufficiency element of the Asset Management Plan.

Building Bulletin 99 (BB99) `Area Guidelines for Schools' is a DfES guidance document which indicates total site and building areas required. Figures take account of the size of school and the age range covered.

A site or building which is too small will make management of the school more problematic. A site or building that is oversized will require more resources in order to maintain it. Such resources will come from the school budget and thus leave less to allocate to direct delivery of the curriculum.

Levels of Educational and Social Deprivation

Notes

These figures are taken from the Indices of Multiple Deprivation published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in 2004 and from data provided by the Fischer Family Trust. The extent of educational deprivation in a ward is assessed by considering the following; Average points score of pupils at Key Stage 2 2002, Average points score of pupils at Key Stage 3 2002, Average points score of pupils at GCSE/GNVQ based on best of eight results 2002, Proportion of young people not staying on in school or non-advanced further education above 16, Secondary school absence rate Average of 2001 and 2002, Proportion of those aged under 21 not entering Higher Education (1999-2002), and in the Skills Indicator, the proportion of working age adults (aged 25-54) in the area with no or low qualifications 2001

Educational Standards 2004

Data provided by Bath & North East Somerset Performance Data Unit

Pupil Locations September 2004 - Wide Area View

Reproduced from Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office Crown Copyright License number 100023334SUITABILITY ASSESSMENTS

In conjunction with sufficiency and condition assessments, suitability assessments help in the targeting of resources where they can have the greatest effect in raising standards and maximising value for money. The assessments help in identifying the educational impact of any deficiencies in accommodation, may identify a need for additional accommodation or improvements to existing accommodation.

The definitions below will assist readers in assessing the scale of the suitability problems faced by the schools within this Review.

Readers are reminded that the issues identified by the Suitability Assessments represent the findings of work undertaken during the Autumn Term 2002-03. They reflect the position at each school on the day of the assessment. An update of the assessments will not be undertaken until the Autumn Term 2004-05.

Each school received a copy of their Assessment and Headteachers were invited to comment on the findings. The issues identified below represent the agreed suitability issues facing the school at the time of the Assessment.

Category A - Unable to teach curriculum.

This is most likely to be associated with numbers and types of teaching spaces available. There should be enough appropriate spaces to accommodate all pupils for the whole of the curriculum

Category B - Teaching methods inhibited. Unsuitability of spaces may mean that schools' preferred teaching methods are inhibited. This may be associated with numbers and types of teaching spaces, or with the size and other aspects of spaces

Category C - Management or organisation of school affected adversely.

Unsuitability of spaces and/or the way they relate to each other may affect the organisation or management of the school

Category D - Pupil or staff morale or pupil behaviour affected adversely.

Unsuitability of spaces may affect pupil or staff morale or pupil behaviour.

Suitability information for all these schools is in the process of being updated. This exercise will be complete by the end of January 2005 and will be incorporated in later versions of this paper. It is irrational to include data gathered during the previous exercise undertaken in 2002.

The Schools Asset Manager has stated that known suitability issues at the four schools covered by this Review are as follows:

Newbridge St John CofE VC Infant School

School comprises a central administrative core with three separate double classroom blocks and organises on split year teaching. All the staff administration spaces including staff room are undersized and inaccessible. The Hall serves several activities (dining, assembly, PE, Food Technology, administration), has very poor ventilation and is also wholly inaccessible to wheelchair users. The school have asked that we also note that the library provision in the school is entirely within corridors and other circulation spaces. Not only does this make them undersized, it makes access for all users extremely difficult. We are also asked to include the statement that the school has a space in need of development as an SEN Room.

Newbridge Junior School

School comprises a 2 storey building and 4 temporary classrooms. It organises on 2.5 classes per year group and has sufficient classrooms; 2 of which are in temporary buildings. Music and SEN are housed in the other two temporaries which are unsuitable for environment and location. The library is undersized. School administration is undersized. The school is inaccessible for wheelchair users

St Mary's Catholic Primary School

The school comprises a single storey building and is organised on 1 class per year group. Work is ongoing to take out internal partitions in the presently undersized Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 classrooms to increase teaching area. An extension for music/SEN has recently been added. The ICT suite is somewhat undersized although functional. All the staff administration spaces including staff room are undersized and have very tight circulation.

Weston All Saints CofE VC Primary School

The school comprises separate junior and infant blocks with two temporary classrooms for library and staffroom extended across a large site which is less than ideal for school management. Much of the teaching accommodation and all administration areas are undersized. Rooms such as SEN and ICT are based in the infant block. The Hearing Impaired Resource Base has insufficient dedicated space in the junior block. The implication of the condition problems with the junior block will result in replacement in the medium term which effectively limits improvement in junior teaching provision. The deterioration of the block is progressive and replacement should be planned in the short to medium term.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

Aims and Objectives

The aims of the Review are to:

Numbers in the area are expected to remain relatively stable over the medium term. Towards the end of the decade and the early part of the next some `overspill' might be expected as a result of the development of the Western Riverside through the exercise of parental preference. The timely provision of a new school on the Western Riverside itself should prevent excess pressure on the schools in the area.

The level of unfilled capacity in the area is slightly higher than desirable but does not cause concern.

St Mary's Catholic Primary School

Children achieve high standards at this school. The school is full (in fact a little over capacity) and whilst there are a number of suitability issues these are either in the process of being addressed or are of such limited concern as to mean no action is planned. The building is suitably sized although the overall site and team games playing field area are insufficient. There seems to be no likelihood whatsoever of resolving these issues and whilst the situation is undesirable it is clearly not intolerable. No action is required in relation to this school.

Newbridge St John CofE VC Infant and Newbridge Junior School

Children at both schools achieve high standards. Both schools have a relatively small proportion of unfilled places and this is broadly acceptable at present. The Infant school building and site are almost exactly the right size. The Junior building and site are considerably in excess of what is required or desirable. The schools present an ideal opportunity for amalgamation. However, the combined numbers on roll exceed our desirable maximum size for a primary school. A gradual fall in numbers over recent years brings the schools closer to a point where amalgamation would be possible. Consideration should be given to amalgamating these schools when the opportunity arises.

Weston All Saints CofE VC Primary School

Children at this school achieve high standards. There is a relatively small proportion of unfilled capacity and this causes no concern. The buildings (which are poorly configured) and site are considerably in excess of what is required or desirable. Of greater concern is the structural condition of the Junior block and this is being closely monitored by Property & Legal Services. In response, the Authority has initiated a feasibility study examining the potential for rebuilding the block, or replacing the whole school. This activity antecedes the commencement of this Review and will almost certainly continue throughout the remainder of 2005. Of greater importance in relation to this Review is the size of any replacement school that might be built.

Should replacement of the school take place the opportunity to consider the planned size should be taken. This may also allow rationalisation of the site. In current circumstances no organisational change is considered necessary.