Agenda item

This report provides a summary of the informal consultation undertaken between 20 March 2019 and 7 May 2019 on a change in the age range of Roe Green Infant School and the closure of primary provision on the Roe Green Strathcona site from September 2020. It recommends a move to formal consultation, through publication of a statutory notice, on a change in the age range of Roe Green Infant School from 3-11 to 3-7, a reduction in the school’s Published Admission Number (PAN) from 150 to 120 and a phased closure of provision on the Roe Green Strathcona site.

RESOLVED: That a period of formal consultation be approved, through publication of a statutory notice, on proposals to:

§  change the age range of Roe Green Infant School from 3-11 to 3-7

§  reduce the school’s Published Admission Number (PAN) from 150 to 120 for September 2020

§  implement a phased closure of the provision on the Roe Green Infant School Strathcona site.

CouncillorMuhammed Butt,LeaderoftheCouncil,introducedtheitembyinformingthe meetingthat he had received a number of requests to speak on item 7.

CouncillorMuhammed ButtwelcomedLizMcLaren, DeputyHead,tothemeeting. MsMcLaren raisedconcerns abouttheconsultation process.Shestated thatthereport containeda numberofinaccuraciesandthatsome figureswereinconsistent.Shequestionedwhethera newprimaryschool inWembleywasjustifiablegiventhepotentialclosure of RoeGreen Infant School.

CouncillorMuhammed ButtwelcomedMs GloriaAmadi,ChairofGovernors,tothemeeting. MsAmadistated thatthephasedclosure oftheschool wasnottheanswer.Resultsintheschool, shestated, hadbeenconsistently good.Shestated thata phasedclosure wouldaffectstaff andpupilmorale andthatmany staffmembers would leave.

A parent of a pupil atthe school,Ms Sylvia Webster, stated that the schoolprovidedanexcellenteducationandsetting forlearningforallthechildren andthatchildren’s needs should determine whether aschool remainsopen or not.

Ms NicoleLobo,RoeGreenExecutiveHead,reminded membersoftheCabinetthattheschool hadopenedinitiallyattherequest ofBrentCouncil.SheinformedCabinetthatresults hadbeengoodandthatOfstedhadrated theschool tobeOutstanding.

LesleyGoldbourne,speaking onbehalfofNEUmembers, statedthattheNEUwasdealingwithemploymentissuesrelated tothepotentialclosure. Shestated thatifformalconsultation resultsinclosure oftheschool, redundancieswillbeinevitable.SheaskedthattheCabinettakesnoteoftheconsultation responsesandconsiders alternative solutions.

CouncillorIhteshamAfzal,PrestonWard,recognised thedifficultpositionthattheCouncilisinandthefinancialboundariesthattheCouncilisoperatingin.Hestated that the Council cannot be seento limit ambition and options for children.

CouncillorAnitaThakkar,PrestonWard,askedtheCabinethowstaffing issueswillbeaddressed.Sheaskedwhatmeasures wouldbeinplacetosupport parentsandchildren if the closure goes ahead.

CouncillorMuhammed Butt,LeaderoftheCouncil,thankedallthespeakers fortheir contributions.

CouncillorAmerAgha,CabinetMembers forSchools,EmploymentandSkills,introducedthereport providingCabinetwitha summaryoftheinformalconsultation undertakenbetween20March 2019and7 May2019ona changeintheagerange ofRoeGreenInfantSchoolandtheclosure ofprimaryprovisionontheRoeGreenStrathconasite from September 2020.

Hestated thatthereport recommendsa movetoformalconsultation, throughpublicationofa statutorynotice,ona changeintheagerange ofRoeGreenInfantSchoolfrom3-11to3-7,a reductionintheschool’s PublishedAdmissionNumber(PAN) from150to120anda phasedclosure ofprovisionontheRoeGreenStrathconasite.

CouncillorAghastated that,inresponse toconcerns raisedduringinformalconsultation andtominimise theimpactonchildren attendingtheStrathconasite, aphasedclosure oftheprovisionisproposedsuch thatnonewadmissionswouldbemade intoanyReceptioncohort fromSeptember2020andtheschool wouldbefullyclosed attheendofJuly 2022.Hestated thatthiswouldallowallchildren ontheschool rollin2019/20toremain attheschool for3 yearsandallowthemajority to complete their currentkey stagebefore the provision was closed.

Inresponse toa questionfromCouncillorShamaTatler,GailTolley,StrategicDirector,ChildrenandYoungPeople,stated thatArkSomervilleschool hasgainedindicative planning permission but no opening date is confirmed.

GailTolley,StrategicDirector,ChildrenandYoungPeople,reassured Membersofthecabinet thatthelocalauthoritywouldworkwithstaff tosupport themduringanyperiod of change.

RESOLVED:

      i.        That a period of formal consultation be approved, through publication of a statutory notice, on proposals to:

§  change the age range of Roe Green Infant School from 3-11 to 3-7

§  reduce the school’s Published Admission Number (PAN) from 150 to 120 for September 2020

§  implement a phased closure of the provision on the Roe Green Infant School Strathcona site.