Agenda item

A report from Councillor Tamoor Tariq, Cabinet Member for Children and Education Services is attached.

Councillor Tariq, Deputy Leader, Cabinet Member Children, Young People and Skills provided an overview of the report. He advised it is projected there will be gaps over the next five years.

Paul Cooke advised the report sets out the forecasted demand for school places. Typical projections are for five years, and this covers that period. From primary we take data from the Health Services such as births and add data from other variables such as faith preferences, building, housing, commuting out of Borough and changes in locations. Secondary Schools have a slightly longer leading time as we can see this developing based on current figures in primary.

The Birth rate in bury has been in decline for a number of years and housing growth has also been limited reducing demands for school places. The report sets out the implications for this the reason it is important is the level of school funding declines due to the projections and can affect the viability and sustainability of individual Schools if action is not taken to mitigate it. The report gives us an advanced view of this and helps us to mitigate the risk of schools entering hardship. There is the potential for significant residential growth though the proposals of the GMSF and those demand pressures are not recognised in this report.

The report brings forward proposals to mitigate issues on schools that could be impacted. This may include leadership models, class sizes and executive heads that function over more than one school and this paper informs these discussions.

Admission arrangements for secondary schools is the use of catchment areas which is largely historical. They have not evolved as demographics and schools have changed. Proposed changes to admission arrangements critically reviewing the role of catchment areas. 

Councillor Boles clarified that whilst the report discusses the drop in demand for primary schools it is not reflected in Bury East and Moorside.

Paul Cooke agreed, the issues are not consistent across the Borough. Sometimes the issue is popularity, whilst you aim to maintain parental preference equally we must ensure all our schools are sustainable and have places filled.

Councillor Boles Also Secondary School’s planning do we have any idea on how the schools in the north of the Borough will be affected when the Radcliffe /school is developed.

Paul Cooke, Assistant Director of Learning advised we currently see a high level of demand in Secondary Schools, we currently have a temporary increase in capacity to use when needed and to scale back when not required. Admitting first year 7’s in 2024 should help to offer more parents the option for preference. When the new Radcliffe schools starts it will offer a place to 750 pupils, over time this will increase to 1000 although it will grow incrementally so will take until September 2028 until it is full. Paul Cooke to provide some further more detailed responses by email.

Councillor McBriar asked why catchment areas haven’t been looked at before and when will they be looked at again.

Paul Cooke Assistant Director of Learning advised admissions are looked at regularly however the idea of catchment areas has not. Any changes to admissions will be consulted on to a more modern distance which is standard across many councils. We will be going out to consultation next year but this academic year.

Councillor Tariq Deputy Leader, Cabinet Member Children, Young People and Skills advised school admissions has been a continual issue and catchment areas should not be seen as a political issue and hope to have all Council to support.

Councillor Lancaster questioned the report states that new secondary school in Radcliffe will respond to some of the localised pressures.

Paul Cooke, Assistant Director of Learning advised that the number of brownfield sites that are going to be brought forward which will make great demand pressures and the option to expand from 750 to 1000 is a definite option should those developments come to fruition.

Councillor Lancaster questioned when will the public consultation be likely to take place.

Isobel Booler, Director of Education and Skills advised the Education Business Plan did not consider the demands of staff time elsewhere in the service. The past 7 weeks of staff covering internally has impacted the Educational Business Plan and timings, at the next Education SLT we will look at when we can run that consultation.

It is important to note our faith schools will have their own admissions policy and the majority of academies choose to follow our admissions policy, but this is not compulsory. We have the duty to provide places, but academies are allowed to choose their own admission policies.

Councillor Lancaster questioned what the Council are doing to work with Schools with low uptake.

Paul Cooke, Assistant Director of Learning advised that this is typically a parental preference matter, so we work with all our schools to support way to improve interest in those schools.

Councillor Pilkington following the COP 26 meeting how does school transport match up with school places especially in light of the bee network, does this give greater control over cutting emissions outside schools and how do you come up with a fair system for parents to choose.

We have positive relationships with all our schools and trusts. It is an important role of ours to maintain quality and performing at the highest level. Conversations with transport for Greater Manchester as transport has followed the demand in parental preference this is demonstrated by demand not design.

Councillor Whitby asked if any nursey provisions at primary schools have closed and if so, will support to those schools/nurseries be offered as a result.

Paul Cooke, Assistant Director of Learning advised we have one nursery school which is Hoyle Nursey and is sustainable and viable. We have many primary schools which have nursery classes, one school made the decision to shut the nursey class however we have no plans to scale back maintained nursery classes.

Councillor Whitby asked more specifically about the impact on nursery provision linked to Primary Schools.

Paul Cooke Assistant Director of Learning further advised we are working with individual schools to ensure sustainability to not reduce preschool capacity. We have several schools that have really small numbers in their reception classes and to be viable going forward they have had to do mixed aged classes and others have now gone for an executive headteacher model to ensure their local school remains open.

Councillor Pilkington asked if one of the key aspirations going forward to address the inequality gap across the Borough.

Paul Cooke, Assistant Director of Learning advised if you look at the case the Council submitted to the DFE to our current plans to establish a new school in Radcliffe. It looked at the role housing employment, health and high-quality education played in the wider place shaping and growth of a community.

It was agreed:

The report be noted.