Agenda item

Consideration was given to a report detailing the allocation of primary and secondary school places offered in the Borough for September 2018. An amendment to the financial implications set out in the report was tabled, and set out below:

‘Corporate Finance has reviewed this report and confirms that there are no direct financial implications arising from the recommendations set out above. The Council continues to invest in its flagship School Expansion Programme, which remains at the centre of the approved Capital Programme, providing additional school places for both the Secondary and Primary sectors within the approved Capital Budgets of £28.9m in 2018/19.’

Key points of the report were highlighted, and included:

·         100% of children were offered a school place on National Offer Day.

·         95.11% of Hillingdon pupils were offered one of their preferred schools. This was above the London average of 93.02%.

·         To meet the growing demand for school places in the Borough, Hillingdon had invested £12.3m to rebuild and expand Oak Wood School in Hillingdon, and had approved plans to offer an additional 300 secondary school places at Vyners School in Ickenham. Expansion at Ruislip High School would also create a further 174 places for future admissions.

Members asked a number of questions, including:

The number of children being offered their preferred secondary school was declining. What was Hillingdon doing to address this?

Hillingdon officers regularly attended parent evenings, at which parents were given advice on admissions. Often, parents’ preferred schools were unrealistic, and so it was important to manage expectations and ensure that parents understood that they would be more successful if they were to apply for their local schools. The expansion of the secondary schools, as detailed in the report, would help address demand for places.

Hillingdon’s admissions team conducted an annual school refresh, which included a review of admissions trends and their possible causes. In this instance, no specific reasons for the trend in secondary school applications had been identified.

How much spare capacity remained for admissions into Year 7 in September 2018?

The team was continuing to process admissions for September, and certain areas of the Borough had vacancies remaining. A snapshot figure could be provided to the Committee following the meeting.

Demand for school places was often subject to varying peaks and troughs, though without any identified reason. Forecasts showed a level of capacity that was required to meet demand. Though it was often necessary to maintain a moderate amount of surplus places, further dialogue with schools regarding places and funding was required to ensure that this surplus capacity was not disproportionate across the Borough.

The new Local Plan Part 2 had highlighted a need for extra school places, this showing that 7 more forms of entry of primary places were required in the south of the borough and 2 in the north, and that extra secondary school places were required in both the north and south of the Borough.  Had new factors been identified that would result in future increased demand?

The Local Plan took into account planned residential development. This development, coupled with the rise in birth rate, had resulted in a forecasted increased demand for places. Future demand for places would be identified through a forecast refresh, conducted annually.

How many children were attending Hillingdon schools from outside the Borough?

Figures detailing this could be forwarded to the committee following the meeting.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the report be noted;

2.    That details of Year 7 capacity be forwarded to Committee Members via the clerk; and

3.      That details of Non-Hillingdon pupils attending Hillingdon schools be forwarded to Committee Members via the clerk.