Issue - meetings

That subject to the agreement of the detailed financial information for the expansion set out in agenda item 20 in Part 2 of this agenda, the business case for phase 2 of the expansion for the provision of an additional 240 places in Woking be approved.

Reasons for Decisions:

The Local Authority has a statutory duty to ensure there are sufficient school places in the County and Woking is an area where school demand has increased significantly. St John the Baptist is an Ofsted rated ‘outstanding’ secondary school and has been oversubscribed even at existing levels of demand for many years. Expansions at St Dunstan’s and the Marist Catholic Primary School (who are both direct feeders to St John the Baptist) increase this demand, which needs to be met with relevant increases in Secondary provision. The Cabinet approved phase 1 of the expansion works at the School on 25 February 2014 to provide 60 places, this approval included programme agreement for phase 2 to provide a further 240 places. Cabinet can now be provided with details of the phase 2 elements to complete the agreed programme.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Council Overview Board or the Education and Skills Board]

The Cabinet were informed that the report set out the business case for phase 2 of the expansion of St John the Baptist Catholic Secondary School by 240 places.

The Cabinet Member for Schools, Skills and Educational Achievement explained that Phase 1 had delivered 60 places and combined with Phase 2, would expand the school from 6 Forms of Entry (900 places) to 8 Forms of Entry (1200 places) from 2018 which would meet the basic need requirements in the Woking area.

She said that expansions in feeder schools had taken place and that the Cabinet had approved Phase 1 of the expansion in February 2014. She also said that the school was rated outstanding by Ofsted. She stated that the financial information was set out in Part 2 of the agenda under item 20.

The Deputy Leader said that he was pleased to see the report and that this was an excellent school that would be increasing in size by a third.

RESOLVED:

That subject to the agreement of the detailed financial information for the expansion set out in agenda item 20 in Part 2 of this agenda, the business case for phase 2 of the expansion for the provision of an additional 240 places in Woking be approved.

Reasons for Decisions:

The Local Authority has a statutory duty to ensure there are sufficient school places in the County and Woking is an area where school demand has increased significantly. St John the Baptist is an Ofsted rated ‘outstanding’ secondary school and has been oversubscribed even at existing levels of demand for many years. Expansions at St Dunstan’s and the Marist Catholic Primary School (who are both direct feeders to St John the Baptist) increase this demand, which needs to be met with relevant increases in Secondary provision. The Cabinet approved phase 1 of the expansion works at the School on 25 February 2014 to provide 60 places, this approval included programme agreement for phase 2 to provide a further 240 places. Cabinet can now be provided with details of the phase 2 elements to complete the agreed programme.