Meeting documents
Cabinet
Wednesday, 7th April, 2004
Appendix 2
61BATH AND NORTH EAST SOMERSET COUNCIL
EDUCATION, YOUTH, CULTURE & LEISURE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY PANEL
Tuesday 9th March 2004
PRESENT -: Chair 2003-2004: Councillor Andy Furse
Councillors: Sarah Bevan, Sally Davis, Dine Romero, Leila Wishart , Hilary Fraser, Shirley Steel
Also in attendance: Co-opted Members and teaching unions observers: Paul Grant, Lyn Sammons, Mike Brownbill, Chris Batten
Officers: Mike Young, Bruce Austen, Tony Parker
Apologies: Councillors Sir Elgar Jenkins, Sarah Webb, also Rob Henderson, Colin Hitchin, Philip Pope
1 WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
The Chair, Councillor Andy Furse welcomed everyone to the meeting and explained the Panel's role in the consultation process for this review.
2 EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURE
The Chair drew attention to the emergency evacuation procedure as set out on the Agenda.
3 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillor Hilary Fraser declared a personal interest as a Governor of St Swithin's school.
Councillor Andy Furse declared a personal interest as a parent of children who attend Widcombe Infants and Widcombe Junior Schools.
4 TO ANNOUNCE ANY URGENT BUSINESS AGREED BY THE CHAIR
There was none.
5 ITEMS FROM THE PUBLIC OR COUNCILLORS - TO RECEIVE DEPUTATIONS, STATEMENTS, PETITIONS OR QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE BUSINESS OF THIS MEETING
Councillor Mike Kelleher - Bath & North East Somerset Councillor - Lambridge Ward
"There are three schools in my ward - St Saviour's Infants, St Saviour's Juniors and Swainswick but I would like to make three general points at this stage. Firstly that schools are an underused community asset, there is a new Government policy on extended schools - I hope we examine community uses for our schools. Secondly, I hope in this Review you will try to minimise causing extra journeys and adding to traffic problems. My last point is that this Review is an ongoing process which I hope can be linked into our housing strategy in the future"
M.Young (Education Director) - The Government Policy of developing extended schools along with the new Children's Bill both encourage more community use of schools, our intention is to move more towards this situation, the new design at Radstock is in line with this aim.
Parkside Infants School - Mrs Graham (Headteacher) and Councillor G Curran (Chair of Governors)
Councillor Curran introduced himself as Chair of the Governors and Ward Councillor for Kingsmead. He expressed concern at the negative tone of the comments about the school accommodation within the review report. He said that the quality of teaching at the school was very high and the children achieved well. The school served not only its immediate community, particularly the areas of social housing, but also children from all over Bath, whose parents found the school's location convenient for their work. If Parkside were closed, it was not certain that St Andrews or Widcombe could absorb the extra children. The school acknowledged that the location and buildings were not ideal, but they made the best use of the available space.
Mrs Graham pointed out that the review report made no mention of the nursery at Parkside and asked that the Panel made their judgement only on verifiable data. She also made a statement to the Panel, a copy of which is available.
Questions from the Panel
Panel - Councillor Romero commended the school on its imaginative use of the outdoor space. Councillor Furse asked whether the school used the Royal Victoria Park for recreation.
Mrs Graham - The children are taken to the Park with extra supervision and they also use it for their sports day.
Panel - Whereabouts do the children at the school come from?
Mrs Graham - More than half come from the Kingsmead ward, the rest from all over the city.
Panel - Why was there a drop in the intake for 2003?
Mrs Graham - The figures shown were taken in September 2003, when there wasa drop in numbers , but by January, the numbers had risen. The school was averaging 60 children.
Councillor Curran - A fluctuating intake is quite normal,but there are other factors, such as children leaving Parkside before the end of their infant years to go to a primary school.
Bathwick St Mary CE VA Primary School - Mr Burnett (Head) and Father Prothero (Chair of Governors)
Mr Burnett - We acknowledge the support the Council is giving us regarding our playing fields. We have some concerns about the data in the Review papers - it needs to be kept up to date.
Father Prothero - The report states that at the moment, no action is required but I would make a few points on the papers. Firstly the comments from the school visits seem to be negative, also I would urge caution in using emotion in these statements - there needs to be a level playing field. Also, page 17 showing the stars - what facts are being given here?
A. Furse - The negative comments were not from the Councillors visits, they were already in the document, we treated every school equally and as individuals, noted a lot of very positive things.
B. Austen - Regarding the statements on suitability, this assessment was made in 2002 using DFES criteria. There is a difficulty in that this criteria only requires you to record things that are unsuitable. Regarding the point on consistency, these comments would have come from discussions between the Headteacher and the inspector. Finally the purpose of the stars shown on the map on page 17 is to show which areas the schools serve, we can provide a detailed breakdown.
Panel - It is useful to see if well-subscribed schools are serving a geographical community around the school.
Father Prothero - Every house sold in the area seems to be going to a young family. Bathwick community, along with others living outside the area, is served by the school.
A. Furse - Your admissions policy does not focus on the local community.
Father Prothero - This will be updated in the future.
St Andrews CE VC Primary School - Mrs Dixon (Headteacher) and Mr Coombes (Chair of Governors)
Mr Coombes gave a summary of the school's history and position in the community. The school had no playing field, but the children were taken to facilities in Weston and also used the Royal Victoria Park. They had had some very good play equipment installed in the playground in the past year. He informed the Panel that there were plans to alter the traffic-flow system outside the school in Julian Road to make it more pedestrian-friendly.
Mrs Dixon expressed concern that there was no mention of the nursery classes in the area. She informed the Panel that a significant percentage of families walked to the school.
The Panel commented positively on the use of space in the school and the excellent playground.
Questions from the Panel
Panel - Has the school been asked to produce a `safer route to school' plan?
Mrs Dixon - Yes, we were one of the first schools to have that and are still actively involved in consultation on traffice issues.
Panel - How much spare capacity has the school got?
Mrs Dixon - The school was built to take 30 in each class, with 210 pupils maximum. None of our classes contain 30 at present. We have experienced a drop on numbers as young families are being moved out of the social housing nearby, and the rise in house prices mean that families can't afford to live in our area.
St John's Catholic RC VA Primary - Mr Coleman (Headteacher) and Father Gunning
Mr Coleman - We found that the question of reducing the school size below 320 worrying. We try to create and inclusive environment and share the gospel values, we allow all to succeed through holistic education. We try to include all denominations. We want to remain at 320.
Questions from the Panel
Panel - I note that you say you need a school of 320 - how many of your pupils are Catholics?
Mr Coleman - The existing numbers have been damaged by the fact that we have not yet had a new building. There are 260 baptised Catholics. Our numbers will grow. Numbers for the new reception class are positive. The numbers fell because of a lack of consistent leadership (3 acting Headteachers in 1 year) and the site issues.
Panel - Would it not be easier to find a site for a smaller school?
Mr Coleman - If you went for a single entry school of 210, you could not provide sufficient places for Catholics. Also, we could not offer all the community aspects that we now offer. The numbers in the school are increasing, we now have children applying from other schools.
B.Austen - The size of the new school planned is currently 315. We are in the process of searching for sites. We are not saying that the school has to reduce from that number but we are just saying that we should have that discussion.
A.Furse - In a letter I sent to the school in November 2003, I put forward the following points and questions:
· How would you deliver a full curriculum with 315;
· Would there still be surplus places at 315;
· If children come from other schools, there would be surplus places there;
· Community value is not reflected in your admission policy (number 9 on the list)
Mr Coleman - We have looked at the structure of the school if it was reduced to 315 - this would be feasible with some joint year groups. If the school were reduced to 210 - there would not be enough places for Catholics and the school would not have the community aspect it now has. On the new site we would have sporting equipment and a hall for use by the community.
St Saviours CE VC Infants School - Mrs John (Headteacher) and Mrs Wright (Chair of Governors) and Mr Sydes (Vice-Chair of Governors)
Mrs John - I have some concerns about the subjective language used in the draft conclusions - this is not helpful. The language used regarding educational standards is concerning.
M.Young (Education Director) - Councillors did not have this information before they visited. The comments are not a critique of the school but I take the point about the language. It is not a whole evaluation of the school.
Mrs John - I think amalgamation on two sites would be inappropriate, I have experience of amalgamation and it cannot be done successfully maintaining two sites. There needs to be some consideration of nursery provision in the area.
Our school has one of the highest percentages of children who walk to school.
Mr Sydes - Will the Panel Review think around a new school?
A.Furse - We note the comments regarding amalgamation. New builds are on the agenda but depend on funding. We were impressed on our visit by the way you had embraced the private nursery next door.
St Saviour's Junior School - Mr O'Shea (Head)
Mr O'Shea informed the Panel that the Junior and Infants schools worked closely together and he concurred with the Infants school head's comments on amalgamation. A significant investment would be required to develop the two schools on a single site.
Questions from the Panel
Panel - Are there any plans to develop covered walkways between the buildings on the site?
Mr O'Shea - Yes, we are meeting next week to discuss this issue.
Panel - Would you agree that the school needs a lot more investment than many other schools in Bath?
Mr O'Shea - Yes, and Ofsted pointed out that fact in their report.
Panel - What about falling numbers on roll?
Mr O'Shea - There are wide fluctuations and variations in the intake which are caused by the demographic issues in the area.
St Stephens CE VA Primary School - Mr Blackman (Chair of Governors)
Mr Blackman informed the Panel about the building work at the school which was due for completion in late March 2004. Previously, the classes were undersized and there was no spare space for meetings or general use. The alterations would deliver an improved school which offered community facilities, an IT suite and an enlarged hall. However, despite the larger floor area, the overall capacity of the school of 420 would not be affected.
Questions from the Panel
Panel - How has the school managed to obtain funding for this scheme?
Mr Blackman - 90% of the funding came from the Dfes and the school will raise the remaining 10% which amounts to £150K.
Panel - Given the different levels in the building, what are you doing about disabled access?
Mr Blackman - There will be new covered links between buildings. Disabled people will be able to access all areas except for the upstairs section - to get there, a lift would need to be built, which the school cannot afford at present.
Panel - Will you be spending the funding on other projects around the school?
Mr Blackman - We will be spending on new playground equipment for the foundation year and also extending the tarmac playground.
St Swithin's CE VC Infants School - Ms Jarvis (Headteacher) Ms Murphy (Parent Governor)
Ms Jarvis produced a written statement (a copy of this statement is available on the Council's minute book which is available at Democratic Services, Riverside, Keynsham
L. Murphy - I would like to emphasise the point that this is the third review in 5 years for the school. Also between 1999-2001 the school has had 7 acting Headteachers, this has been disruptive and had an affect on parental choice. The school has a special profile, it is within the Snow Hill area. We have the highest percentage of children walking to school. The school plays an important part in bringing the community together.
Panel - Do the community use the school?
Ms Jarvis - The school is available to let in evenings and weekends. We have adult education classes, literacy groups and courses. It is available to anyone who wishes to use it.
A.Furse - We had a good visit to this school. We are sorry for any difficulties the process of the review gives the school. We would hope that the Council Executive will make clear decisions.
Panel - What would happen to the children in this area if the school was closed?
L.Murphy - I would be concerned about children who come to the nursery, some would not go to nursery at all if it was shut. They would miss out on a good start to their education.
Ms Jarvis - We have a high proportion of special needs children, some have troubled backgrounds, some are referred to us because the school is small and can offer a family environment. These children will start failing if sent to a larger school. Parents do want longer nursery provision and if less children want it then we should give it to those who need it all day.
Swainswick CE Primary School - Mrs Cripps (Head) and Mr Shackell ( Chair of Governors)
Mrs Cripps made a statement to the Panel about the school, a copy of which is available. She informed the meeting that most of the children attending the school came from the local area, the Swainswick Valley and some parts of Wiltshire. The school buildings were well-cared for and in a lovely location.
Mr Shackell (in his role as a Parish Councillor) referred to the proposed development of new homes near the A46/A4 junction at Bailbrook and asked where the children from that development would go to school. The School Organisation Manager replied that the LEA has to work with the existing situation - they had no way of knowing whether parents from that development would choose Swainswick. The Panel agreed that they needed more information about the development.
Questions from the Panel
Panel - What percentage of local children attend the school?
Mrs Cripps - There are places for all local children in the school. 60% of children who attend the school live within 2 miles and 40% live further afield. She offered to provide the panel with more detail on these percentages.
Panel - What about the congestion problems caused by parents setting down and picking up children from school?
Mrs Cripps - We are working on a school travel plan. The main problem is picking-up time. We are looking at changing the infants' finishing time to 15 minutes earlier to alleviate the congestion. I will let the panel have the transport plan.
Panel - What provision do you have for disabled children?
Mrs Cripps - We have not had to cater for any disabled children so far. The site would present great difficulties and is unsuitable for wheelchair use.
Widcombe CE VA Junior School - Mr Jones (Headteacher)
Mr Jones - Our school has a distinctive character and diverse community. It has a bright new building and environment. It is a church school and we teach positive values, we emphasise personal and social development - there are residential trips in years 4, 5 and 6. We provide a well balanced curriculum, we got the Arts Mark Gold award last year and have a famous blues band. We are good and improving, all we need is stability, give us that and we will carry on improving.
My view on amalgamation is that the schools have distinctive but complementary characters. It would be disruptive and painful to amalgamate, especially in the short term. I don't have a problem with the principle of all through schools in general.
Panel - Are there problems with ventilation and air conditioning at the school?
Mr Jones - It is only a problem on a few summer days and is not top priority at the moment. I have no information on the air quality. We usually ventilate the school by opening doors and some vents draw fresh air from the field.
Panel - Is your staff accommodation good?
Mr Jones - There is not much room in our staff room as numbers have grown since it was built. There is a separate kitchen.
Panel - How many children from the infant school come to your school?
Mr Jones - In the last three years we have had almost 100% from the infants.
Panel - Could you not amalgamate then?
Mr Jones - We work closely but we are very different.
The Chair thanking everyone for attending. He explained that the Panel would now consider the evidence which had been presented and make their recommendations to the CouncilExecutive. These recommendations would be published in a report which would be presented to the public at a meeting on Wednesday March 24th at 5.30pm in the Drawing Room of the Pump Room.
The meeting ended at 8.10PM