Agenda item

The School Organisation Plan 2023 – 2029 outlines the current level of mainstream and Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) school provision in the Authority and projected pupil numbers up to admissions in September 2023 for primary age and 2025 for secondary age pupils.

Councillor Paul May, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services introduced the report to the Panel. He said that demand for places within Secondary and Primary education had reduced, but that there has been an increase identified within provision for children and young people with SEND.

The School Organisation Manager added that birth figures had currently levelled off within B&NES, but the need for additional SEND provision has increased.

Councillor Paul Crossley said that he was concerned over the lack of use of the former Culverhay site and believed that young people within its locality have a poor deal in terms of accessing educational provision close to their homes. He stated that potential educational land should not be sold unnecessarily.

Councillor May replied that a meeting had been held recently to discuss the site in terms of education and other purposes and what could be achieved if additional housing was put in place as part of the Local Plan.

The Director of Education added that they were looking to maintain some form of education provision from the site, but that additional Secondary and Primary places are not needed at this time.

He added that more vocational offers would be welcome within Bath for those pupils in Year 10 & 11 and that they are providing support to Bath College to attempt to find somewhere to achieve this.

Kevin Burnett asked if Academies or Multi Academy Trusts (MATs) were able to apply for additional buildings to be built or to increase their Planned Admission Number (PAN).

The School Organisation Manager replied that they are able to apply for funding to expand, but that this was rare at the current time. She added that they do work closely with all MATs and felt that they would share any such intentions with the Council.

Kevin Burnett asked if it was felt that sufficient provision would be in place if the additional SEND Free School, Alternative Provision and any initiatives through the Safety Valve programme come to fruition.

The Director of Education replied that he believed that a good level of sufficiency would be in place if all of those elements work out as planned.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked if the 203 children & young people with SEND that are placed out of county for their provision would be invited back into B&NES if new facilities were established.

The Director of Education replied that this would be the case for a number of them, but for others they would still need to access services out of area that could not be provided by us. He added it was possible that around 120 of these young people could be invited back for provision within B&NES and this could lead to cost savings.

Councillor Hardman referred to Paulton Infant School and its PAN of 90 and asked if pupil numbers were reducing in that area.

The School Organisation Manager replied that this was a bit of a challenge as numbers have decreased to an average of around the low 60s or high 50s, but that a degree of flexibility was required otherwise you would be at risk of removing a whole class from the PAN. She added that we also need to keep in mind whether children can travel to their local school sustainably.

Councillor May asked what would happen if new housing developments were approved through the Local Plan in the south-west of Bath.

The School Organisation Manager replied that they do work with colleagues in planning policy and that normally there is some early engagement and discussion relating to existing provision when new developments are being considered. She added that it would also depend on the type of housing that was being proposed and when it was planned to be built.

The Panel RESOLVED to note the proposed strategy for the provision of sufficient mainstream and SEND school places within the 2023 – 2029 Plan period.