Southampton Schools' future: The Council report - part 1

It is the biggest upheaval of education in Southampton for many years as part of its Learning Futures Secondary School Review.

Among the proposals is the closure of both Oaklands and Millbrook community schools in August 2008, and the creation of a new school on the Oaklands site.

Here, in several takes, the Daily Echo publishes in full the reports which members of the Southampton City Council Cabinet will be considering:

REPORT OF: CABINET MEMBER FOR CHILDREN'S SERVICES AND LEARNING.

AUTHOR Andrew Hind.

This report relates to the determination of statutory proposals directly affecting six secondary schools in Southampton.

This is the final set of decisions in the Learning Futures Secondary School Review, and is intended to create a pattern of school provision which will help to raise standards of achievement and provide a sound basis for the redevelopment of secondary schools in Southampton through "Building Schools for the Future".

RECOMMENDATIONS: Recommendations to Cabinet Note: Recommendations (i) to (v) are linked proposals and must be determined together in a manner that is consistent as between each decision and does not render one or more of the linked proposals incapable of implementation.

(i) To approve the closure of Millbrook Community School on 31st August, 2008.

(ii) To approve the closure of Oaklands Community School on 31st August, 2008.

(iii) To consider the proposals to set up a new school on the Oaklands site,with the Millbrook site retained as a temporary annexe, to open on 1st September, 2008 received from: Oasis Community Learning to establish an Academy.

Southampton Education Trust to establish a Trust School.

and United Learning Trust to establish an Academy.

2 (iv) To determine which proposal made under s.66 Education Act 2005 be approved subject to the following modifications: a. that the site and buildings of Oaklands Community School be leased to the promoter of the New School West on a short-term lease until long term plans for a new school building, whether on the Oaklands, Five Acre Field or any other appropriate site, are approved and that the land upon which the new building for New School West is constructed be leased for a period of 125 years when the site has been determined; b. that the site and buildings of Millbrook Community School be leased to the promoter of New School West until it is deemed by the Council, following consultation with the school, to be no longer required as an annexe.

c. that part of the Five Acre Field is leased on a short term basis so as to provide playing field facilities for New School West until long-term plans for the new school building are finalised.

d. that the promoter of the new school west be required to adopt the common admissions policy of Southampton City Council for a period of three years, commencing on 1st September 2008.

(v) To approve the prescribed alteration (excepted expansion) of Redbridge Community school by way of an increase of 27 or more to the admission number so that from 1st September, 2008 it admits up to 210 pupils to Year 7 in place of the current 180, which will result in an increase in its total capacity from 900 to 1050.

Note: Recommendations (vi) to (xii) are linked proposals and must be determined together in a manner that is consistent as between each decision and does not render one or more of the linked proposals incapable of implementation.

(vi) To approve the closure of Grove Park Business and Enterprise College on 31st August, 2008.

(vii) To approve the closure of Woolston School Language College on 31st August, 2008.

(viii) To consider the proposals to set up a new school on the Grove Park site, with the Woolston site retained as a temporary annexe, to open on 1st September, 2008 received from: CfBT Education Trust to set up a Trust School Oasis Community Learning to establish an Academy Southampton Education Trust to establish a Trust School, and United Learning Trust to establish an Academy.

(ix) To determine which proposal made under s.66 Education Act 2005 be approved subject to the following modifications: a. that the site and buildings of Grove Park Business and Enterprise College be leased to the promoter of the New School East on a 3 short term lease until long term plans for a new school building are approved; and that the Grove Park site then be leased to the promoter for a period of 125 years; b. that the site and buildings of Woolston School Language College be leased to the promoter of New School East until it is deemed by the Council following consultation with the school to be no longer required as an annexe.

c. that the promoter of the new school east be required to adopt the common admissions policy of Southampton City Council for a period of three years, commencing on 1st September 2008.

(x) To approve the prescribed alteration to The Sholing Technology College by changing the character of the school from a single sex girls school to a mixed school by admitting both boys and girls to year 7 from 1st September 2008.

(xi) To approve the non-statutory expansion of The Sholing Technology College so that from 1st September 2008 it admits up to 210 pupils to Year 7 in place of the current 190, which will result in an increase in its total capacity to 1050 from 950.

(xii) In order to give effect to the proposals at (x) above Cabinet is asked to grant a Transitional Exemption Order in relation to the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (the SDA') for a period of four years from the date of implementation of the proposals to allow for the change from single sex to co-educational to be phased as set out in the published proposals.

(xiii) To request further investigation is conducted into the potential relocation of: New School West to be part of the Five Acre Field site.

Regents Park Community College to the St Mark's CE Junior/former Civil Service Sports Ground site.

The Sholing Technology College to the Itchen College building (assuming Itchen College plans for relocation are successful).

And that a progress report on these investigations be brought to Cabinet by the end of December 2007.

(xiv) To request officers to make a case to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills for Southampton's inclusion in the "Building Schools for the Futures" programme at the earliest possible date.

(xv) To recommend to Full Council that the capital works outlined in paragraphs 74 - 95, and detailed in appendix 12, which are required to deliver the Learning Futures programme, in the sum of £5,530,025, be added to the Children's Services & Learning Capital programme.

(xvi) To recommend to Full Council that it agrees the required funding contribution, in the sum of £3,410,025, funded from corporate resources, towards the total Learning Futures capital costs of £5,530,025.

4 (xvii) To recommend to Full Council that the sum of £250,000, phased £100,000 in 2007/08, and £150,000 in 2008/09, be made available to fund the preparatory work necessary for Building Schools for the Future (BSF). If successful BSF could deliver approximately £250m of capital investment to renew secondary school provision in Southampton. The sum of £250,000 funding to be made available through a draw on reserves.

(xviii) To recommend to Full Council that the Woolston Site be declared surplus to educational requirements, once it is no longer required as an annexe for the New School East.

(xix) To note that the proposed Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) at Grove Park is now on hold subject to further negotiations with the successful promoter and taking into account any requirements for a new build under Building Schools for the Future.

(xx) To note the potential risk of repaying the Big Lottery Fund grant of £583,134 if the existing sports hall at Grove Park is demolished under Building Schools for the Future and not rebuilt as part of the design of a new school and to request that officers use their best endeavours in partnership with the promoter of the New School East to retain the sports hall as part of the design for the new school.

Recommendations to COUNCIL: (xxi) Subject to approval of recommendations (i) to (xx) above by Cabinet on 2nd July 2007: To add in accordance with Finance Procedures Rules, the sum of £5,530,025 as proposed by Cabinet in recommendation (xv), to the Children's Services and Learning Capital programme to implement the Learning Futures: Secondary Education proposals.

(xxii) To declare the Woolston site surplus to educational requirements once it is no longer required as an annexe for the new school (xxiii) To agree to contribute the sum of £3,410,025 from council resources, as required by recommendation (xvi), in order to fund the proposed Learning Futures capital schemes.

(xxiv) To note that there could be significant redundancy costs resulting from the establishment of the New School East and New School West, which would need to be met by the City Council, if a Foundation or Trust school(s) is established, and to note that any balances reverting back to the local authority from the closing schools would be used to partly fund these costs, with any balance funded from the Strategic Reserve, if required.

(xxv) To agree that the sum of £250,000, phased £100,000 in 2007/08, and £150,000 in 2008/09, be made available to fund the preparatory work necessary for Building Schools for the Future (BSF). If successful BSF could deliver approximately £250m of capital investment to renew secondary school provision in Southampton. The sum of £250,000 funding to be made available through a draw on reserves.