Issue - meetings

On a motion from Councillor Tim Warren, seconded by Councillor Paul May, it was

RESOLVED that

This Council notes that;

1.  Ministers from the Department for Education (DfE) have given their in-principle agreement to the termination of the Bath Studio School’s funding agreement following a request by the Wellsway Multi Academy Trust to seek this by mutual agreement. This decision was not made by the Council but instead by the Regional Schools Commissioner.

2.  It is proposed that following the termination of the funding agreement, the Bath Studio School will close in August 2020.

3.  A high proportion of current pupils at Bath Studio School transferred there from Bath Community Academy (BCA) which closed its doors for the last time in July. Without these additional pupils, the lack of parental demand for the school would have been much starker, resulting in a recommendation for closure even earlier.

4.  Bath Studio School has one of the highest proportions of students eligible for free school meals in Bath.

5.  Bath Studio School only opened in 2014 and has only had one full Ofsted inspection.

6.  Bath Studio School has state of the art facilities, specialising in digital media, which is a growing and vital industry in the West of England.

7.  That current students at BSS will be able to complete their existing course of study, either to 16, when many pupils naturally transition to a new establishment for Sixth Form or college course, or to 18 when they would have finished school anyway.

8.  That there is a range of ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ educational options available locally including multiple Sixth Form or college options and two other more successful studio schools within B&NES.

This Council believes that:

9.  That the Secretary of State and Regional Schools Commissioner, working with the Wellsway MAT have a duty to consider all possible options to make the school viable, but if they are satisfied that these options have been exhausted, they still have a duty to local pupils to ensure they have better educational opportunities available.

10.The quality of educational experience and outcomes for pupils should be the paramount factor in determining a school’s viability.

Council resolves therefore:

11.To ask the cabinet member to write to the Wellsway MAT and RSC to ask them to ensure that if, following due process, they agree to the closure of the school, that: -

a.  BSS pupils are given as much support as possible to successfully complete their current course of study without disruption, and to then successfully move on from BSS to their next preferred destination;

b.  They will work with other local education providers to make the best use of the specialist resources owned by BSS and to consider if other providers can adapt their Sixth Form curriculum offer to address needs formerly met by BSS;

c.  That the future opportunities for children and parental choice shall be explored by all parties to provide long term sustainable educational uses in the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59