Issue - meetings

This report informs the Cabinet of the outcome of the statutory proposals to increase the number of places at Manor Special School from September 2015 and recommends that the expansion be approved.

that the expansion of Manor Special School by the addition of 44 new places for students aged 4 to 11 from September 2015 be approved.

A report on the permanent expansion of Manor Special School was presented to the Cabinet by Councillor Moher (Lead Member Children and Young People). The report detailed the outcome of the statutory proposals to increase the permanent provision at Manor Special School from 132 places to 176 places from September 2015. Manor School provided school places for primary aged pupils between the ages of 4 to 11 years old with Moderate Learning Difficulties / Autism Spectrum Disorder. There had been increased demand for SEN placements in Brent for a number of years, following a national trend though exacerbated in Brent by increased inward migration. Demand for SEN school places was expected continue to rise in line with the increasing pupil population. Manor School had a Good Ofsted rating and was popular with parents. Expanding provision at the school would enable children, who would otherwise be placed at independent special schools some distance from their homes, to access good quality local provision thereby reducing transport costs for the council and travelling time for those children, as well as meeting parental demand. A recent feasibility study had confirmed that Manor School had the capacity to accommodate the additional school places on the existing site via internal remodelling and the building of a small extension. A period of consultation had been undertaken with key interested parties including parents, staff and the wider community. This had been followed by a six week statutory period during which representations could be made; no objections had been raised.

Members’ attention was drawn to the financial implications set out in the report. Councillor Moher advised that the Education Funding Agency (EFA) had awarded the Council £1.541m of Targeted Basic Need (TBN) grant to fund the project. This TBN grant would be subject to reclamation by the EFA if the project was not pursued. In August 2014 the Cabinet approved the allocation of £641k from Basic Need Capital grant allocated to the council for the provision of school places in order to address a funding gap between the TBN grant and the total forecast project cost of £2.182m.

RESOLVED

that the expansion of Manor Special School by the addition of 44 new places for students aged 4 to 11 from September 2015 be approved.