Issue - meetings

That, subject to the agreement of the detailed financial information for the expansion as set out in Part 2 of this agenda, the business case for the provision of an additional two forms (240 places) of junior places in Ewell planning area be approved.

Reasons for Decisions:

The proposal supports the Authority’s statutory obligation to provide sufficient school places to meet the needs of the population in Epsom and Ewell borough.

[The decision on this item may be called in by either the Council Overview Board or the Education and Skills Scrutiny Board]

In the absence of the Cabinet Member for Schools, Skills and Educational Achievement, the Cabinet Member for Children and Wellbeing said that this report requested approval for the business case for the conversion of West Ewell Infant and Nursery School from a 4FE infant school with 360 places plus a 100 nursery places, to a 2 form entry Primary (420 primary places plus 52 nursery). This would reduce the number of Key Stage 1 and nursery places at the school by half but would add 240 junior places into the planning area.

This expansion formed part of an area re-organisation of primary schools within Ewell that sought to deliver around 600 additional primary places across three schools and would help meet the basic need requirements in the Ewell and NW Epsom primary planning areas from September 2017.

She confirmed that West Ewell Infant and Nursery School was a popular and successful school, which delivered high quality education and had been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted at its last inspection. With reference to the consultation process, she said that the proposals had been favourably received with 85% of written responses in favour of the proposal.

The Cabinet Member for Business Services and Resident Experience highlighted the fact that the County Council had to find 11,000 additional school places over the next five years and this expansion would deliver 600 additional primary places. She confirmed that the funding for it was included within the Medium Term Financial Plan.

RESOLVED:

That, subject to the agreement of the detailed financial information for the expansion as set out in Part 2 of this agenda, the business case for the provision of an additional two forms (240 places) of junior places in Ewell planning area be approved.

Reasons for Decisions:

The proposal supports the Authority’s statutory obligation to provide sufficient school places to meet the needs of the population in Epsom and Ewell borough.