Agenda item

Dan Kennedy - Director, Housing, Environment, Education, Performance, Health & Wellbeing, and Sarah Phillips – School Place Planning Project Manager, updated the Committee on the Council’s School Places Planning.

It was highlighted that all primary and secondary school children had been offered a school place for September 2019 entry. Demand for primary places was slightly reducing overall, but with surplus places concentrated in a few schools. Officers were speaking with schools to establish plans to address this, which included the option to reduce Planned Admission numbers (PANs) or introduce temporary caps.

Demand for secondary school places was increasing, as predicted. Places across the Borough were tight, with only a handful of schools retaining capacity. Officers were confident that late applications would be offered school places for September 2019. Forecasting was underway, and potential measures to address the increased demand included temporary or permanent expansions of existing schools, and the proposed new Free School north of the A40.

Members sought further information on a number of points, including:

Could the officers provide more detail on the reasons for the decline in demand for primary places?

The reduction in demand appeared linked to housing, as well as changes to the welfare system and benefits caps. Families were either staying in existing homes for longer due to increasing house prices, or moving out of high rent areas due to rises in rent costs.

How did the Council work to address the issue of places at schools close to Borough boundaries?

Local authorities across London were in regular dialogue regarding timetabling and admissions, and so forecasting and school place planning took into account information from neighbouring boroughs. However, as parents retained the choice of school for their children, many border schools could have a high proportion of non-Hillingdon attendees.

Were the demand trends seen in Hillingdon in line with trends seen elsewhere in London?

Primary trends were broadly the same across London. Demand for secondary places in parts of inner London was falling, while still increasing in outer London.

What was the strategy when deciding which schools were to receive a reduced PAN?

School places at primary schools was a complicated issue. The Council’s strategy was based on available data and aimed to keep a sufficient number of places available to facilitate parental choice. A subset of eight schools was now being reviewed to determine whether reduced PANs were necessary, and such action would be subject to evidence and a legal process.  Two of the eight schools were to be reviewed further in September, once pupils were in place.

Was there a danger that the current shortage of secondary school places could turn into a surplus?

Currently, all options were being considered to address secondary school places. This included bulge years, the new Free School, etc. Dialogue was continuing with schools, several of whom had expressed an interest in accommodating additional pupils. Currently, the concern was that every one of the existing seven year groups already in the Borough’s primary schools was larger than the secondary capacity, so the high numbers would last for some time yet. Further information would be reported to Members, once available.

Did the Council have the ability to influence schools to ensure they made the right decisions for their pupils?

The Council maintained regular dialogue with schools to discuss attainment of pupils, challenges, etc. Collaborative working was promoted, including peer reviews, and measures such as lesson observation, mentoring and buddying were seen to be effective.

It was agreed that the revised projections for school places, as referred to within the report, be forwarded to Members, once available.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.