Issue - meetings

That the School Organisation Plan 2015/16 - 2024/25 be approved for recommendation to Council to determine its publication.

Reasons for Decision:

The School Organisation Plan is a key document used by schools and education stakeholders in considering long term plans. It is necessary to review the Plan to ensure that the best and most up to date information is published for use in this planning process.

The Cabinet Member for Schools, Skills and Educational Achievement said that the School Organisation Plan set out the policies and principles underpinning school organisation in Surrey and highlighted the likely demand for school places projected over a 10 year period. It set out any potential changes in school organisation that may be required in order to meet the Authority’s statutory duty to provide sufficient places.

She said that the current position in Surrey remained one of a rising permanent school population across the county, despite a plateau in the birth rate in 2013. The sharp increase in primary cohorts was also now starting to impact on the secondary sector. She also confirmed that the County Council worked closely with Boroughs and Districts to ensure that appropriate contributions from developers were received to meet future educational infrastructure and that the Council would continue to work with the Department for Education for a fairer funding settlement.

Other key points highlighted by the Cabinet Member were that Elmbridge was the fastest growing borough in terms of overall population and that 197 languages other than English were spoken by children and young people in Surrey schools.

Points made by other Cabinet Members included: (i) that the County Council had maintained its statutory duty and had offered all Surrey children a school place,

(ii) School expansion in their areas and the number of bulge classes throughout the county, and (iii) the importance of accurate forecasting.

Finally, the Cabinet Member thanked officers from the School Commissioning Team for the compilation of the School Organisation Plan and commended it to Cabinet for recommendation at the next meeting of the County Council on 8 December 2015.

RESOLVED:

That the School Organisation Plan 2015/16 - 2024/25 be approved for recommendation to Council to determine its publication.

Reasons for Decision:

The School Organisation Plan is a key document used by schools and education stakeholders in considering long term plans. It is necessary to review the Plan to ensure that the best and most up to date information is published for use in this planning process.