2006 -20082006 -2008TOWARDS 21ST CENTURYLEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

FUTURE SCHOOLINGIN KNOWSLEY: TOWARDS 21ST CENTURY

LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

FUTURE SCHOOLINGIN KNOWSLEY:

Foreword At the turn of the new century Knowsley set out on a journey to create a world class education system with 21st Century learning environments at the heart of local communities. The catalyst for this journey was falling pupil numbers, high surplus places and long term decline in the quality of our school buildings in the context of wider deprivation and the need to drive up education attainment. This journey has been characterised by a determination and a sense of ambition by all stakeholders and is marked by key documents. The reports of the Schools’ Commission (2002) and Options for Change: Future Schooling in Knowsley: A Joint Statement of Intent (2003) set out a series of principles for transformational system wide reform. Proposals to reorganise schools were presented in the Future Schooling in Knowsley: Statement of Implementation and Formal Proposals published in October 2004. Throughout this period, Knowsley has met the challenging task of maintaining improvements in performance alongside facing the challenges of transformation and reform in the context of Every Child Matters and Building Schools for the Future. This is testimony to the quality of partnership working in the borough. Knowsley’s Building Schools for the Future plans are central to this transformation and were singled out in the recent Schools White Paper: Higher Standards: Better Schools for All (2005) as a model of best practice in linking transformation to investment. Knowsley is acutely aware that its primary and special schools are in need of investment and we have lobbied Government on this matter. The signs are encouraging. We have secured funding to support the cost of a new build for Holy Angel’s RC Primary school which is expected to be open in September 2007. We have also been awarded £6million by Government for new primary and special provision on the site of the North Kirkby Learning Centre Campus in Northwood and we are in the process of securing up to £17m to invest in SEN facilities as part of Building Schools for the Future. Later in this document we highlight plans to invest in new primary facilities in the North Huyton area. Government has recently announced its intention to invest £7billion in primary schools across England over 15 years. Knowsley is well placed to benefit from this investment. Whilst this investment is not expected to be on the scale of Building Schools for the Future we do expect it to have a significant impact on primary schools across the borough. It is clear that the Government is keen to ensure that this investment supports transformation in primaries, placing schools at heart of communities delivering a broad range of services for children and families. It has given a clear indication that taking out surplus places is a prerequisite for investment. Details of the Government’s intent will be published in the Autumn.

We are now entering a transition period in our journey to create a world class education system in Knowsley. Building Schools for the Future provided a vehicle for transformation in the secondary sector. It is hoped that the onset of the Primary Capital Programme will act as a catalyst for transformation in our primary phase as it ushers in a period of sustained investment. Since 2004 we have moved increasingly towards a Children’s Service. This brings with it many challenges in how schools support the needs of children, young people and families and in particular how a system of schools responds to these challenges with regard to governance, leadership, management and a wider range of partnership working all of whom will play an active role in the delivery of children’s services through our schools. In the past this might have been viewed as optional and exotic. These principles are now fundamental and central to a new way of working and resources continue to be deployed against these principles. Some difficult decisions have been made over the last 4 years, particularly around the closure of schools, and we will continue to have to make difficult decisions as a result of continued falling pupil numbers. The road ahead will continue to be challenging as we begin to manage the change which is required as we to strive towards achieving 21st Century learning environments. Experience thus far has confirmed that we remain on the right track and we are now recognised as a trail blazer for national reform at the local level. Knowsley has surprised many with its ambition and willingness to face head on the challenges of the 21st Century. The challenge is to hold our nerve as we remain true to the scale of our ambition. Many of the proposals set out in the report of the Schools’ Commission while radical at the time have become central to how we go about our work. In this document we again look to anticipate change, particularly around areas such as governance and leadership of our schools. This report follows consultation with both the Liverpool Roman Catholic Archdiocese and the Anglican Diocese of Liverpool. In the coming years Knowsley will deliver brand new schools for the 21st Century: Schools for communities at the heart of communities to give all the opportunity to achieve and have life chances equal to those across the country Damian Allen Executive Director Children’s Services July 2006

CONTENTS

Section 1 From the Statement of Implementation towards 21st Century Learning Environments

1.1 Methodology

1.2 School Organisation Committee Decisions 2004 – 2006

Section 2 Policy Context: National Perspective: Local Response

2.1 Changing Landscapes: Integrated Children’s Services

2.2 Education and Inspections Bill 2006

2.3 Capital Investment Policy

2.4 14-19

2.5 Youth Matters

2.6 Childcare Bill 2005

2.7 Concept Knowsley: Neighbourhood Management

2.8 Challenges and Implications for Schools

Section 3 Transforming Schools: Propositions for Reform

3.1 Drivers for Change: Review and Amendment

3.2 Propositions for Reform: 2006 – 2008

Section 4 Propositions for Reform: Implementation: Reaffirming the

System

4.1 Propositions 1 – 3: School Places, Schools’ Performance and

Schools’ Viability

4.2 Proposition 4: Learning Environments for the 21st Century

4.3 Proposition 5: Choice and Diversity in the School System

4.4 Proposition 6: Retention of Pupils

4.5 Proposition 7: Pupil Choice: Transforming the Curriculum to

Meet Preference

4.6 Proposition 8: Concept Knowsley: Schools & Extended

Services

4.7 Proposition 9: Inclusion

4.8 Proposition 10: Governance for 21st Century Learning

Environments

4.9 Proposition 11: 21st Century Leadership & Management

Section 5 Reform and Re-organisation

5.1 Methodology

5.2 Borough Description: Primary Provision

5.3 Kirkby

5.4 North Huyton

5.5 Knowsley Village

5.6 South Huyton

5.7 Prescot and Whiston

5.8 Cronton

5.9 Halewood

5.10 Secondary Provision

5.11 Special Schools

5.12 Children’s Centres

Section 6 Specific Proposals for School Re-organisation

6.1 Kirkby

6.2 North Huyton and Stockbridge Village

6.3 South Huyton

Section 7 Timetable for Change 2006 - 2008

Annex A School Organisation Process

Annex B Glossary of Terms Bibliography

From the Statement of Implementation to 21st Century Learning Environments 1

1

1.1 METHODOLOGY This report follows on from the Future Schooling in Knowsley: Statement

of Implementation and Formal Proposals (to be referred through out this report as the Statement of Implementation) published in October 2004 by Knowsley Council. The purpose of this report is:

• To bring up to date the policy context within which the transformation of education delivery across Knowsley is being taken forward

• To review the propositions for system wide reform in the context of

new policy circumstances and chart progress in achieving reform thus far.

• To review progress made in implementing school reorganisation

and developing 21st Century learning environments

• To make further recommendations for options for change to individual primary schools and analyse the current proposals for secondary provision under the Building Schools for the Future, in the context of falling pupil rolls

• To provide further context for the evolutionary change for Special

Schools

• To set out plans for the development of further Children’s Centres This report continues Knowsley’s journey in developing 21st Century learning environments and establishing a world class education system. It continues work commenced by the Knowsley Schools’ Commission, which was taken forward by the Council and its Diocesan partners through the Statement of Intent process and the Statement of Implementation and should be approached in this context. The report follows the following structure: Section 1.2 provides a summary of the key decisions of the School Organisation Committee in taking forward Knowsley’s implementation of proposals contained within the Statement of Implementation. Section 2 highlights emerging policy developments since October 2004 that have characterised education transformation and reorganisation of

2

Knowsley’s schools. In particular we focus on the transition to Integrated Children’s Services and how this impacts upon education, along with the Education and Inspections Bill (2006). This is also in the context of a renewed localism through the Neighbourhoods Agenda. Section 3 assesses Knowsley’s propositions for reform in the context of the changing policy climate and details additional propositions for reform which have emerged as a result. Section 4 updates the progress which has been made in taking forward local reform, setting out details of activities which the authority and its partners have taken since the publication of the Statement of Implementation. Section 5 details progress in taking forward the proposals contained within the Statement of Implementation and outlines specific recommendations for further reorganisation of schools. This includes:

• Update on progress in implementing specific proposals for primary schools contained within the Statement of Implementation

• Further options for change in the primary phase • Update on progress in taking forward the Building Schools for

the Future Programme for secondary provision • Proposals for change for Special Schools • Details of the establishment of additional Children’s Centres to

be developed Section 6 summarise specific recommendations for the reorganisation of primary schools. Section 7 summarises a timetable for change and priorities for investment for 2006 – 2008.

1.2 SCHOOL ORGANISATION COMMITTEE DECISIONS 2004 – 2006 The Statement of Implementation set out a number of formal proposals for

school reorganisation including proposals to close and amalgamate specific schools. In undertaking changes to schools, the Council is required to undertake a statutory process to publish notices and submit proposals to the School Organisation Committee (SOC) to request changes following a period of public consultation in which all parties are permitted to present objections and supporting comments. The School Organisation Committee process is set out in more detail in annex A. The following sets out those proposals which Knowsley has taken to SOC since 2004 and the subsequent outcome:

3

Proposal

Outcome

Closure of Beechwood Community Primary School, Huyton

Proposal approved by SOC on 28th November 2005. School to close with effect from 31st August 2006. Longview Community Primary School designated as the school to receive pupils from Beechwood School.

Closure of Mackets Community Primary School, Halewood

Proposal approved by Cabinet on 7th December 2005. School to close with effect from 31st August 2006. Halewood Holy Family Catholic Primary School designated as the school to receive pupils from Mackets School.

Amalgamation of New Hutte Community Primary School and Roseheath Community Primary School and the establishment of Greengates Community Primary School on the site of Roseheath.

Proposal approved by SOC on 28th November 2005. Schools to close with effect from 31st August 2006 and Greengates Community Primary to be established with effect from 1st September 2006. Greengates Primary is designated as the school to receive pupils from both New Hutte and Roseheath Schools.

Closure of St Thomas Becket Catholic School, Huyton

Proposal approved by SOC on 29th June 2005. School to close with effect from 31st August 2006. Pupils in Years 9, 10 and 11 to continue their education on St Thomas Becket site until the end of Year 11 i.e. pupils in

4

Year 9 will remain on site until June/July 2008. Pupils in Year 8 will continue on the St Thomas Becket site until the end of Year 9 and will then transfer to St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School in September 2007.

Closure of Southmead Community Primary School

Statutory Notice proposing closure was published on 24th April 2006. The 6-week representation period ended 11th June 2006. Cabinet will ratify this proposal on the 12th July 2006 to designate St Leo’s Catholic Primary School as the school to receive Southmead pupils.

Closure of the following existing secondary schools:

• Higherside School • Halewood College • Prescot School • St Edmund Arrowsmith RC

School • Bowring Community Sports

College • Knowsley Hey School • All Saints RC School • Ruffwood School • Brookfield School

To establish 7 new learning centres under Building Schools for the Future.

Proposal approved by SOC on 27th March 2006 subject to the condition that the Private Finance contract relating to the Building Schools for the Future programme is successfully entered into thereby securing the funding for implementation of the proposals. Schools to close with effect from the following dates:

• Higherside School: 31st August 2008

• Prescot School: 31st August 2008

• Bowring Community Sports College: 31st August 2008

• Knowsley Key School: 31st August 2008

• Ruffwood School: 31st August 2008

• Brookfield School 31st August 2009

• Halewood College: 31st

5

August 2009 • St Edmund Arrowsmith

RC School: 31st August 2009

• All Saints RC School: 31st August 2009

New Learning Centres will be established prior to closure of existing secondary schools. Pupils will then transfer into the new Learning Centres upon closure.

Closure of St Edmund of Canterbury Catholic High School

Proposal approved by SOC on 27th March 2006 subject to the following conditions: i) that the agreement for this

building project is successfully entered into with the Department for Education and Skills thereby securing the funding for implementation of the proposal; and

ii) that the Secretary of State for Education and Skills approves the establishment of the North Huyton Joint Catholic/Church of England Academy to replace St Edmund of Canterbury Catholic High School

It has not been possible to meet the second condition and therefore a new proposal will need to be consulted on and taken to SOC. Timeline not yet agreed but final decision will be available before the end of November 2006 at the latest. This is set out in more detail in section 5.10.

Policy Context 2 National Perspective: Local Response

6

2.1 CHANGING LANDSCAPES – INTEGRATED CHILDREN’S SERVICES The policy context in which the Statement of Implementation (October

2004) was developed has shifted as we begin to take forward the Children Act (2004). This requires public authorities with responsibility for children to work collectively to provide a strategy focused upon services for the needs of children: so called Integrated Children’s Services. There is also a requirement for local authorities to establish a Children’s Trust or to make arrangements to ensure that the duties of a Children’s Trust are fulfilled. Knowsley has continued to build on its progress in Integrating Children’s Services:

• A Director of Children’s Services has been in post since May 2005 • The Council is in the process of restructuring and it now has a

Directorate for Children’s Services. • The Directorate for Children’s Services is now responsible for all

the services previously the responsibility of the Education Department together with additional services which provide for children and families including libraries and youth and play services.

• Establishing arrangements to meet the requirements of the Children Act via a virtual’ Children’s Trust.

Our strategic vision is set out in Knowsley’s Children and Young People’s Strategic Plan 2006 – 2007. All local authorities are now required to deliver against the Every Child Matters National Outcomes Framework in developing an holistic approach to children’s services. Outcomes include ensuring that each child is:

• Healthy • Safe • Enjoys and Achieves • Makes a positive contribution • Achieves economic well-being

This framework provides the architecture for bringing together a range of services relating to children and young people. This has implications for the nature of schooling and the organisation of schools themselves. It also has implications for the role of local authorities, characterized by a shift from provider of services for children and families to a commissioner of services. This also includes the commissioning of schools and school places. This is expanded upon in section 2.2.

7

The Statement of Implementation acknowledged that the move to Integrated Children’s Services would have a significant impact upon schools with regard to their design, management and operation. It focused upon the role of Children’s Centres as an early test bed for integration and the provision of local facilities for communities. This follows on from a number of investments in many schools that have been initiated on the basis of similar principles, with the longer term implications for the primary phase as being identified as co-location and reform of statutory agencies to enable co-ordinated service delivery. However the impact of Integrated Children’s services expands well beyond the primary sector and it is in this context that all schools should be viewed less as ‘traditional…single entities” but more “as a coherent system of service delivery points linked to wider delivery of public services. The following provides a commentary on current policy conditions which impact upon schools and children’s services and Knowsley’s subsequent response.

2.2 EDUCATION AND INSPECTIONS BILL 2006 In autumn 2005 the Government published the Schools White Paper:

Higher Standards: Better Schools for All. The Government’s Education and Inspections Bill 2006 takes forward the proposed changes which require legislation. The Bill signals a widening and deepening in the process of educational transformation, particularly in the secondary phase, which has been highlighted in previous policy announcements such as the city academies programme; specialist schools; extended schools; and personalised learning. The focus now is on continued greater independence for schools and diversity within schools; a stronger voice for parents; and a changing role for local authorities.

• Independence and Diversity

To generate independence and diversity in the school system the Bill makes provisions for the development of Trusts and the extension of the existing foundation status for secondary schools to primary schools. Trusts are independent not-for-profit bodies which will have responsibility for the appointment of Governing bodies and staff and control of assets and admissions. They will also to be able to apply for additional freedoms and flexibilities such as the curriculum. Trusts can be formed by the private, voluntary and / or the community sector. Local authorities will have the same intervention powers with Trust Schools as with other failing schools. Importantly any new or replacement schools will be subject to a competitive process and will be self-governing trusts. The establishment of a national ‘Schools Commissioner’ will champion the development of Trust schools.

8

• New Role for Local Authorities

Greater independence for schools also has implications for the current role of Local (Education) Authorities1. The role of local authorities will change to one of ‘Commissioner’ promoting choice, diversity and fair access. This new regime will see local authorities gain new powers whilst shedding some existing responsibilities. This will include a new role to commission services and resources; strategic planning for school places and the number and type of schools within their local area to meet parental and pupil demand thereby promoting diversity and choice; new powers to close and expand popular schools when School Organisation Committee powers revert to local authority ownership; and supporting parents to access information about schools.

The Bill gives local authorities an enhanced role in tackling underperformance through supporting and challenging schools so that underperformance does not become entrenched. Local authorities will also focus on tackling school failure in those instances where schools are judged by Ofsted to require special measures or significant improvement.

Knowsley Context Knowsley’s broader philosophy is mostly consistent with the Government’s. The Schools’ Commission and Statements of Intent and Implementation mark a process of transformation in the local education system. We recognised some years ago that there was a need to fundamentally shift how education is delivered in the borough if we are to continue to raise attainment and improve life chances. As such Knowsley is already at the forefront in adopting some of the proposals. Government has recognised this. Knowsley has committed in the Statements of Intent and Implementation to the principles of diversity and choice. We have also begun to establish the local authority as ‘Commissioners’. Knowsley views itself as a radical and reforming local authority focusing on its strategic role. Through the process of school re-organisation we are addressing issues such as pupil places and developing new models of education such as the 14-19 Collegiate, a Joint Catholic / Anglican School, Catholic Schools for the Community and we are establishing Public-Private Partnerships under the Building Schools for the Future Programme.

1 The Government plans to abolish the term Local Education Authorities and the Bill refers only to Local Authorities

9

However, there is a tension in the Bill in relation to the relationship between Children’s Trusts and schools. All have a duty to contribute to the collective outcomes of the Every Child Matters framework, however, Children’s Trusts are responsible for commissioning schools, places and services and yet they have no recourse for supporting and monitoring ongoing performance rather intervening only at the point of crisis. It is at this point that our position contrasts with the Government. Rather, Knowsley is in favour of a co-leadership approach. We have actively developed partnership and collaboration within our schools and are currently exploring new models of Governance at the school and system level and how these might relate to the Knowsley ‘virtual’ Children’s Trust.

2.3 CAPITAL INVESTMENT POLICY 2.3.1 Building Schools for the Future As far back as the late 1990s it was clear that Government had started to

do significant work around what schools of the future might look like. The Schools Commission reports were Knowsley’s contribution to that national debate, advocating schools for the future in the local context. Following its appointment as a wave 1 Building Schools for the Future authority, Knowsley’s progress in this area has been formally recognised by Government in the recent Schools White Paper: Higher Standards: Better Schools for All (2005), linking transformation to investment. The following extract from the White Paper summarises Government’s recognition of Knowsley’s approach. The integration of the Academy programme into Building Schools for the Future at a national level has been a significant development. The effect of this on the Knowsley programme is discussed in section 5.10. “In Knowsley, Building Schools for the Future will provide just under £150million [for] eight new-build learning centres…These will provide opportunities for Knowsley residents to learn in state-of-the-art environments by 2009. The programme has allowed Knowsley to be truly transformational in its vision for secondary education, with the emphasis place firmly on improving standards and promoting achievement for all. …Through extensive consultation, it has developed a vision for secondary education which seeks to build on the significant improvements already made. A number of key actions are at the heart of Knowsley’s vision:

• Enhancing parental choice and diversity of school provision… • Building on school’s existing

strengths…developing…specialisms; promoting partnership, collaboration and federative approaches

10

• Supporting …integrated children’s services, 14-19 education and workforce remodelling

• Placing schools at the heart of the community… • Ensuring an inclusive approach to education • Providing appropriate, viable, stable and sustainable learning

environments” Schools White Paper: Higher Standards: Better Schools for All (October 2005) (p111)

2.3.2 Primary Capital Programme: Every Child Matters The Government has recently announced plans to develop a capital

investment programme for primary schools across England. This will look to rebuild, refurbish or remodel at least half of all primary schools by investing some £7billion over the next 15 years. This will see a number of the worst condition schools buildings brought up to standard or taken out of commission. The Primary Capital Programme will focus also upon creating innovative learning environments founded upon 3 key principles:

1. 21st Century learning environments 2. Schools at the heart of local communities 3. Children and family services

And will aim to deliver a number of national objectives including:

• Personalised learning and teaching to ensure every primary school is at a good standard with a focus on literacy and numeracy, good teaching and a broad curriculum

• Working effectively with parents / carers, communities & partners offering extended services, childcare provision and family support services

• Promoting healthy living and emotional well being • Good use of freedoms and flexibilities including partnership and

collaboration with other schools • World class ICT • Flexible primary buildings responsive to demographic pressures

and resulting surplus places It is anticipated that Government will publish detailed plans in late autumn. Early indications suggest that the Government will make funding allocations available to all local authorities, rather than operating a national bidding round as with the Building Schools for the Future programme. However, some local authorities will be selected to become pilots for the programme in late 2006, with all local authorities eligible to receive investment from 2009 onwards. To access funding local authorities will be required to provide strategic investment plans which set out the infrastructure to deliver education and children’s services.

11

Knowsley Context There is significant commonality between Knowsley’s approach and the principles upon which the Primary Capital Programme rests. Once again this development illustrates how critical and influential the work of the Schools’ Commission was in placing Knowsley at the forefront of national policy. As such Knowsley is in a strong position with regard to supporting the delivery of a Primary Capital Programme locally and it is our intention is to continue the process to target investment linked to local reform as demonstrated through the Schools’ Commission, and the Statements of Intent and Implementation. This process is being driven locally through Building Schools for the Future for secondaries and in the primary phase it is our intention to put forward the development of primary provision on the Kirkby Campus in Northwood to become a regional pilot. This will see the development of a 2 form entry primary school incorporating the services of the Knowsley Northern Support Centre and Children’s Centre on the campus of a Learning Centre. We believe this represents an exemplar model of integrated provision for 0-19. Our approach to Building Schools for the Future has given us confidence that we heading in the right direction and we look forward to working with colleagues to develop world class facilities in the primary phase.

2.4 14-19 The Government published its 14-19 Education and Skills White Paper in

2005 based upon some of the recommendations of the Tomlinson Working Group which had considered reform of 14-19 education provision. Since then the 14-19 Education and Skills Implementation Plan has been published and sets out how the Government intends to deliver the White Paper. Key features include:

• A ‘General Diploma’ including English, Maths and ICT for those achieving 5 good GCSEs

• ‘Specialist Diploma’ in 14 vocational areas • All young people expected to achieve functional skills: the ability to

use basic English, Maths and ICT • Increased stretch and challenge at A Level through the introduction

of an extended project • Freeing up of the Key Stage 3 curriculum to give schools more

scope to stretch young people • Promotion of collaboration and partnership between schools to offer

more to young people • Ensuring the workforce is fully trained and every area has the

facilities it needs to secure this It is expected that every area will establish a 14-19 Partnership, led by the Local Authority and the local Learning and Skills Council, which under the

12

Education and Inspections Bill, will be responsible for ensuring there is sufficient provision of opportunities for 14-19 education in the local area. The 14-19 Partnerships will decide how to deal with key local delivery issues including: governance arrangements; a common curriculum framework; transport; underpinning systems; data; complaints procedures and so on. Schools, colleges and work-based learning providers will decide which elements of the curriculum they wish to provide for, however under the Bill, schools will be under a duty to ensure that young people on their roll have access to the full range of curriculum opportunities available in the local area. Knowsley Context Knowsley’s pathfinder status under 14-19 has proved invaluable. The emergence of the 14-19 White Paper is testimony to the hard work of local authorities such as Knowsley and we understand our influence on its contents has been significant. Consequently, the overall direction of the 14-19 Implementation Plan coincides with the development of the 14-19 provision within Knowsley: the Borough has a long established partnership arrangement through the 14-19 Collegiate which offers a range of curriculum opportunities are available to young people including college based collegiate courses and 14-16 Work Based Learning courses focusing upon the development and accreditation of basic skills. Progress is discussed further in section 4.5.1. The opportunities the 14- 19 Implementation Plan presents will stimulate the Borough in further developing the 11-19 curriculum to better meet the needs of all learners. Knowsley must now strategically focus upon developing an approach to determine what curriculum requirements are needed across the Borough.

2.5 YOUTH MATTERS The Government’s Youth Matters Youth Green Paper (2005) sets outs its

proposals to enable young people to enjoy and manage the opportunities and challenges they face in a fast paced changing world as they make the transition to adulthood. For some young people, circumstances may prevent them from enjoying opportunities leading to disengagement from society, family and school and, if not addressed, anti-social behaviour. The Government is keen to promote the concept of social responsibility and this paper reflects the Inclusion and Respect agendas. Proposed reform includes:

• Empowerment and Participation

Empowering young people to take up volunteering, sporting and

13

cultural activities, where by local authorities would have a legislative duty to provide activities through a ‘local offer’. Extended schools are vital in increasing opportunities for young people to participate in positive activities and volunteering. Active participation in communities will promote a sense of ‘civic service’ in young people. Young people should also have a stronger role in planning and delivering services and more opportunity to express their views.

• Information, Advice and Guidance

Review of the current system for Information, Advice and Guidance to young people will see greater specialist support at different ages. The Connexions brand would remain, however responsibility would revert to local authorities.

• Targeted Support

For some young people with multiple problems it is recognised that there is a need to provide coherent tailored support. Lead professionals will co-ordinate support and provide a single point of contact for young people and their families. This will be spearheaded by integrated ‘Youth Support Teams’, clearer assessment frameworks and widening of accessibility for support and advice through schools, drop-in centres, youth facilities and ‘advice shops’. Current funding will be streamlined to enable local authorities to deploy resources more flexibly against need. Priority groups for investment include those at risk of Teenage Pregnancy, NEET (not in education employment or training), drug misuse and youth offending.

Knowsley Context Knowsley is broadly supportive of the proposals contained with the Youth Green Paper, recognising many of the issues identified which affect young people living in the Borough and has already activity embraced some of the proposals through Knowsley’s Youth Strategy. Schools have a strong role to play in delivering services for young people, through extended activities as well as providing appropriate information, advice and guidance for pupils linked to the curriculum and pastoral support. Knowsley has consistently set out its aims that all schools should become extended schools, not just for pupils but also for parents and local communities. Many of Knowsley schools now offer some form of extended activities. However, the current physical state of our schools is not always conducive to supporting extended opportunities with many lacking adequate and modernised facilities. Building Schools for the Future will provide fun and safe environments for learning, sport, recreation and

14

culture. This is consistent with the objectives of the Youth Green Paper and aims to broaden opportunities for young people. In particular this supports wider choice and diversity reflected in our strategy for 14-19 education. However, whilst the proposals contained within the Youth Green Paper continue to confirm our direction of travel in developing services for young people, it is felt that the Government could do more to address the needs of targeted groups such as homelessness and young carers. Further we would disagree with the Government’s view that sanctions should be introduced for those young people who do not actively participate. Knowsley believes that this is not an effective tool and would have the likely impact of serving to reinforce negative behaviour leading to further exclusion.

2.6 CHILDCARE BILL The Childcare Bill introduced to Parliament in 2005 legislates for the

provision of high quality childcare and services for children under 5 and their families. The Bill places local authorities under a duty to:

• Improve the well being of all young children and reduce inequality by ensuring integrated childcare services; assisting or encouraging parents to obtain or retain employment; providing information and advice to parents in relation to childcare and children’s services.

• Provide information, advice and training to childcare providers

including those who provide childcare in schools. • Secure as is reasonably practical, sufficient childcare for children

up to the age of 14 (16 if disabled) to enable parents who require childcare to work or undertake training or education to prepare for work. This extends the existing statutory duty of authorities to provide sufficient education for 3 – 4 year olds

• Ensure an element of free childcare for 0-5s

Under these duties local authorities would be able to make arrangements to commission childcare places from a range of providers. Where there is no alternative provider this can be provided by authorities directly. This would include childcare, nursery provision and extended school activities. The Bill proposes the introduction of the Early Years Foundation Stage including national standards for childcare, guidance for practitioners and a learning curriculum. The Bill also aims to reform the current regulation and inspection regime of childcare provision. There would be an early years and childcare register.

15

Early Years provision will be subject to HMCI (Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools) inspection at regular intervals. It is anticipated that the proposed duties on local authorities will be financed through existing resources to support childcare and early childhood services and future funding will be determined through normal spending review mechanisms. Knowsley Context Knowsley has already begun to implement elements of the bill:

• An annual audit of existing childcare provision is carried out. Currently there are approximately 2,540 places for 0-5 year olds and an additional 2,343 wrap around care / after school places for 4-14 year olds.

• Knowsley also offers a package of support and training. This

includes training to all childminders in the borough, sector meetings and an opportunity to achieve the Knowsley Quality Assurance Kite Mark – Investors in Children Accreditation. Around £7million has been invested in childcare in the borough since 2000.

• The introduction of the Children’s Information Service including

website and helpline which has improved the quality and level of information which parents can access regarding childcare and other support services.

• We have also moved someway towards integrated early education

and childcare provision ahead of the introduction of an Early Years Foundation Stage with the establishment of Educare Centres and Neighbourhood Nurseries and Out of School Activities along with Private and Voluntary sector provision.

Knowsley schools have a key role in supporting the delivery of the Childcare Bill locally. Many of our schools offer extended activities, however the Bill will require them to provide a comprehensive package of wrap around care from 8am – 6pm for children and young people up to the age of 14 years. As we have already noted, our Youth Strategy sees schools providing activities beyond 14. There has also been significant investment in provision for 0-5 years, much of which is on school sites. Children’s Centres, Neighbourhood Nurseries and Educare Centres located at schools are offering childcare places as well as information and family support services. The provision of childcare services changes the ways in which schools are governed, managed and operated. This may well see new legal and governance arrangements as our schools enter into partnerships with providers to deliver extended activities and family services.

16

Further, those schools currently offering nursery provision for 3-4 year olds will be required to deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. This may require further workforce remodelling to facilitate delivery of this curriculum.

2.7 CONCEPT KNOWSLEY: NEIGHBOURHOOD MANAGEMENT There is a renewed focus upon place and neighbourhoods in Government

as a means to create sustainable communities. This vision is based on securing sustainable improvements in public services and re-engaging citizens with institutions of government. Citizen Engagement and Public Services: Why Neighbourhoods Matter (2005) sets out a strategy to promote and develop activities at a neighbourhood level to harness people’s interest in those local issues that affect their daily lives in order to:

• Develop local quality services responsive to local need • Increase involvement of the community in decision making on the

provision of those services and the life of neighbourhoods • Provide opportunities for public service providers, voluntary and

community groups to work together to deliver the outcomes for the locality

• Build social capital and reduce social exclusion The Government is keen to see local neighbourhood arrangements established to deliver the above outcomes. The role of councils will be to provide strong local leadership in developing partnership working with local, regional and national partnerships to develop arrangements for neighbourhood engagement. A Government White Paper on the future structure and role of local government is planned for 2006. A focus of this White Paper is expected to be a stronger role for communities in local government and a stronger role for local government in communities. The emphasis is expected to be on devolution and subsidiarity of decision making. Knowsley Context Knowsley has developed ‘Concept Knowsley’ as a clear approach to delivering neighbourhood and community regeneration. It aims to strengthen local partnership working, community engagement and improve local service delivery arrangements as follows:

• Local area partnership forums will be established to develop local action plans to target services to meet local need. The forums will also agree service standards and monitor against outputs and outcomes.

• Area public forums will be open meetings to allow more detailed

17

engagement with local people enabling them to have an opportunity to influence local-decision making.

• Neighbourhood Pride Teams will be established bringing partner

services together to ensure effective co-ordination and delivery which is responsive to local need in order to deliver real improvement in basic conditions and quality of life.

These arrangements are currently being piloted in Halewood focusing initially upon providing an early response to ‘safe and clean’ issues. The learning from this will be used to roll out the arrangements across the rest of the borough later in the year. The Statement of Implementation clearly set out that it is the Borough’s goal to create schools at the heart of communities. Schools have an important role to play in providing services for children, young people, their families and the wider community, particularly in those communities where the school is the only public building. In preparation for this, Knowsley schools are developing extended services and exploring co-location possibilities in order to offer a full range of holistic services. Building Schools for the Future has been deliberately structured to facilitate a range of community activities such as sport and the arts as well as learning. ‘Concept Knowsley’ will provide a local framework within which schools will become local strategic providers delivering services targeted at specific local need, which may vary from community to community. Schools will be required to develop further local partnership arrangements in order to deliver services and report on performance in meeting locally agreed outcomes. Schools may also become hubs for services wider than those associated with children and family services but may be co-located with other services which support the local community. Estates Strategy Knowsley is in the process of developing an Estates Strategy to enable the delivery of ‘Concept Knowsley’ and facilitate the use of Learning Centres as hubs of community facilities and services. This will include where appropriate the integration and co-location of community and family services on school sites in order to support the use of education space for community use and community education. This will also require new governance and management arrangements for schools to accommodate new partners in delivering community services.

2.8 CHALLENGES & IMPLICATIONS The Schools Commission, Statements of Intent and Implementation

identified the emergence of a ‘new flexibility’ and breaking down of the traditional roles and relationships between Government, local authorities

18

and schools. We are now entering an intense period of reform of education and children’s services as we move towards a phase of increased integration of service providers for children and families. This creates a new dynamic as we see a new relationship between the Council, our schools, the private and voluntary / community sector. The result is a new concept of learning organisations for the 21st Century. That is, organisations which support the whole needs of every child. Schools which are responsive and adaptive to societal and economic changes offering, learning for all alongside integrated child, youth and family services, whilst at the same time developing partnerships with wider community services. This reform will transform the purpose of schools. Schools for the future will be characterised by: • Increased choice and diversity • Interdependent partnerships, collaborative and federative structures

through co-located family and community services • New governance arrangements that are responsive to the new

environments • Leadership and management which is fit for purpose This ‘transformed state’ is beginning to take shape and this document looks to set out the drivers bringing about this transformation. This new role for schools however does not deter from a focus upon continued improvements in school performance and viability and there is a strong steer from Government that it will support those schools which are popular and high performing. This underlies proposals to invest and modernise in schools. We have already witnessed this under Building Schools for the Future and there will be a similar challenge under the Primary Capital Programme to create innovative yet sustainable schools which are high performing. This is not to say that Government policy is always consistent. The tensions between the objectives of the Children Act 2004 and The Education and Inspections Bill 2006 are evident. Knowsley favours a system characterised by collaboration: a system of interdependent learning organisations as part of a learning community that provides choice and diversity. The implementation of Children’s Services, the 14-19 agenda, Building Schools for the Future, Primary Capital Fund, Neighbourhood Regeneration, Youth Matters and the focus on transformation of secondary education in the Education and Inspections Bill 2006 will bring about this transformed state.

Transforming Schools 3 Propositions for Reform

19

3.1 DRIVERS FOR CHANGE: REVIEW AND AMENDMENT The propositions emerging out of the process that commenced with the

Schools’ Commission have provided the framework for change and transformation. It is clear that many of these propositions preceded legislation and investment placing Knowsley at the forefront of national policy. Now that national policy has caught up with many of these propositions it is time to reflect upon the impact this has had and look to identify new areas of policy development that will come to shape the delivery of Children’s Services in Knowsley in the coming years. In the previous section we identified a series of policies and legislation which will transform schools. The following assesses the relevance of the Council’s propositions and associated principles for reform as outlined in the Statement of Intent and Statement of Implementation in order to identify how they have been met by the introduction of legislation and policy directives discussed in section 2. It makes a series of recommendations for further propositions, defining how each proposition will be taken forward in the next phase of Knowsley’s transformation.

3.1.1 School Places, Schools’ Performance and Schools’ Viability The Statement of Implementation based decisions for school

reorganisation on:

• The state of the school’s physical assets and the appropriateness of these to support the modern curriculum

• The extent to which improved facilities will impact on curriculum delivery, achievement and motivation

• Ideally, no primary school should have less than one form of entry (i.e. 30 pupils per year group)

• No child in a primary school will need to be in a class of over 30, notwithstanding the fact that it is the school governing body and not the local authority that determines class sizes in Key Stage 2.

• In putting forward recommendations for significant change for individual schools based on falling rolls and the condition of buildings, the impact on standards will be assessed as part of the process

• Transitional arrangements should be provided to ensure the needs of pupils are met

• The principles for supporting staff during the change period should be adopted by all Governing bodies

• The viability of sixth forms needs to be considered in light of the Strategic Area Review to be concluded in June 2004

20

The Education and Inspections Bill 2006 places a strong focus on school places. Local authorities will be under a responsibility to commission and strategically manage school place planning, ensuring appropriate provision not only with regards to the number of places available but also with respect to the type of school provision with a focus upon directly championing parental preference. The focus upon school places is borne out in the conditions for investment in school buildings within Building Schools for the Future and the Primary Capital Programme, both of which dictate that investment in schools should only be made in those schools which are viable and sustainable in the long term. Under the Primary Capital Programme it is expected that the Government will determine grant allocations to local authorities on the basis of the pupil population. This will determine the number of schools which authorities can afford to rebuild or refurbish. Although Knowsley considered the impact of high surplus places and poor condition of buildings upon standards when making decisions regarding reform, performance of individual schools was not a criteria in selecting schools for closure or amalgamation. The Education and Inspections Bill 2006 intensifies pressure on schools to improve their performance and raise attainment. The Bill gives local authorities new powers to support those schools which are high performing and popular including powers to expand such schools, whilst intervening in those which are coasting and underperforming, with powers to close failing schools. It is clear from recent policy that schools should be sustainable and viable in the longer term and there remains a pressure to secure high quality high attaining schools. The issue of school places and viability will continue to drive investment decisions. These remain key factors for reform in Knowsley. However, the Bill will place a new obligation on Knowsley to consider the issue of performance of schools when making decisions about school reorganisation.

Recommendation: These propositions continue to be relevant as Knowsley will continue to make decisions on school reorganisation on the basis of school places, performance and viability. However, the issue of performance is given greater weighting in decision making regarding future school reorganisation. In addition to the principles set out above the following principles will be adopted in making decisions on school reorganisation:

• The performance of schools taking into account key stage results and contextual value added measures

21

• In taking forward change we will maintain our commitment to support schools, governing bodies, pupils and parents in managing the change of reorganisation and will continue to develop transitional arrangements. However we will also continue to work with schools which face financial challenge as a result of falling pupil numbers.

• The provision of sixth form provision should be considered in our

proposition to maintain choice and diversity in the school system. This is set out in 3.1.3

3.1.2 Learning Environments for the 21st Century The Statement of Implementation recommended:

• Further debate with stakeholders to establish a common

understanding of 21st Century learning environment • Conduct a review of the extent to which each primary and

secondary school meets the requirements we have identified • Produce in the light of technical and professional assessments, a

long term programme of modifications not merely to remedy deficiencies but rather to make the physical environment in all schools appropriate for the 21st Century

• Establish new or refurbished learning environments wherever possible, taking as much of the current school stock out of commission as is viable and affordable

• Incorporate agreed characteristics of learning environments to all forthcoming significant capital investments

• Assess ways in which school management structures can be developed to respond to the extended school environment

• Local communities should be key partners in the design, focus and operation of new schools

Knowsley set out to create learning environments for the 21st Century

which are equipped to support a modern curriculum offering the best and varied opportunities to children and young people. Our approach was to establish a set of principles which defined 21st Century learning environments and involve local communities as part of this process. We would then look to develop a capital investment programme for schools informed by these characteristics. Schools for the Future is now a philosophy underpinning the Government’s capital investment strategies which demand investment in high quality, innovative and modern buildings which are fit for purpose to deliver 21st Century learning. The Primary Capital Programme has aspirations for well-designed, sustainable school buildings which must take account of key design features including,

22

• changes in the curriculum with a focus upon personalised learning; • state of the art ICT; • appropriate kitchen and dining facilities and; • environmental sustainability.

The DfES has revised guidelines for primary schools: Building Bulletin 99 sets out clear design requirements and specifies increased space standards that reflect current developments including extended schools. Knowsley has developed a radical concept of 21st Century learning environments under Building Schools for the Future and will maintain this commitment in our approach to investment in primary and special schools through the Primary Capital Programme.

Recommendation: The proposition 21st Century Learning Environments remains intact. The relationship between design and transformation has emerged a key theme under Building Schools for the Future. This reflects a shift in thinking across the country around the need for public buildings to be as ambitious in their designs, and, critically, to support better the purpose for which they are intended. This area of work will continue to be central to our plans for the Primary Capital Programme. Knowsley is a founding member of the National Council for School Environments and aspires to be a national leader in the development of modern learning environments. Aspects of the proposition that relates to leadership are covered at 3.1.7.

3.1.3 Meeting Preferences The Statement of Implementation recommended:

• Selective and single sex secondary education are not viable • To maintain community / denominational system including joint

Christian or other joining arrangements where there is clear support or demand from the community or parents

• To ensure that schools and their partners can meet young people’s preferences in respect of learning pathways at 14.

The Education and Inspections Bill 2006 places great emphasis on

meeting the preferences of parents in the provision of schools. Local authorities would be under an obligation to meet these demands encouraging greater diversity in the choice of education providers available to parents and their children. However, the Bill moves away from selection through admissions policies for fear of creating a two tier system of education and makes provisions to introduce ability banding preventing

23

schools from discriminating pupils on the basis of academic attainment and supporting pupils from local communities. The Statement of Implementation set out our position with regard to selective and single sex secondary education, both of which were deemed not to be viable. Rather the Council and its partners will look to maintain community and denominational school choice for parents and pupils. This includes exploring new joining partnerships building upon recent innovative work such as joint Catholic and Anglican schools and Catholic schools for the community. Since 2004 we have witnessed policies which have strengthened Knowsley’s approach to 14-19 education. The Tomlinson Report, 14-19 Education and Skills White Paper (2005) and the 14-19 Education and Skills Implementation Plan (2005) have all set out an approach to offer alternative curriculums for 14-19 year olds. However, the Schools White Paper: Higher Standards: Better Schools for All (2005) takes the personalized learning further, as it becomes entrenched in approaches to Key Stages 2 and 3 with a call for broader, flexible and enriched curriculums which are suitable to the demands of the 21st Century. There is a need now to consider how we transform the curriculum to meet the needs of the 21st Century and encompass choice and preference across the whole curriculum spectrum in order to support the learning of all pupils of different ages Further, given the shift from schools to Learning Centres under Building Schools for the Future, the issue of choice and access to learning for the wider community is of more relevance. While the obvious differences between the provision of statutory education and the optional nature of lifelong learning provide the framework for this issue, it is clear that further debate will be needed to address how choice is put in the context of the delivery of lifelong learning.

Recommendation: This proposition is separated to reflect the need to create and maintain choice and diversity in the school system for parents and pupils with respect to the type of school and also the need to transform the curriculum in order to meet pupils’ learning preference. As such two new propositions have evolved and should be defined as follows:

• Choice and Diversity in the School System In developing school provision we will maintain flexibility and diversity by: • Maintaining that single sex schools are not viable • Maintaining community and denominational school provision

and looking to explore new forms of joining arrangements where there is demand from the community or parents

24

• Continuing to develop choice at 14 and reviewing 6th form provision working alongside strategic partners

• Maintaining selection on ability is not a principle which Knowsley believes in

• Promoting equity and accessibility in admissions

• Pupil Choice: Transforming the Curriculum to Meet Learner Preference We will develop a curriculum experience which offers opportunities for students to develop skills to enable them to become successful learners by: • Continuing to expand the ways in which pupil preference may

be met in respect of learning pathways at 14. • Exploring the development of new curriculum approaches at all

key stages. • Developing strategies to support transition across all age

groups • Meeting the challenges around personalisation and

customisation of learning

3.1.4 Retention of Pupils The Statement of Implementation recommended:

• To develop a programme for the modernisation of school buildings

and continue to implement and extend strategies for school improvement

• To continue to expand ways in which pupils’ preferences may be met particularly in respect of the post 14 agenda

• To invest in inclusive environments that promote the presence, participation and achievement of all pupils

• To continue to support strategies for primary to secondary transition

• To promote partnership, collaboration and federation between all schools in the Borough.

We have successfully worked over recent years to retain pupils in the

Borough. We have done this by securing significant investment through Buildings Schools for the Future to modernize our secondary provision; investing in Education Change Partners to support improvement in schools – our schools have achieved a Borough wide average of 44% at GCSE A* - C; developing a range of alternative curriculum options for pupils aged 14 through the 14-19 Collegiate; successfully developing transition in each of our secondary schools; establishing a number of area

25

primary collaboratives and our secondary colleagues work in partnership through the Secondary Education Transformation Collaborative. The Schools’ Commission concluded that it might take a generation to turn around existing perceptions. The combination of investment and rising attainment demonstrates that Knowsley is moving rapidly in the right direction.

Recommendation:

It remains Knowsley’s vision that we develop a world class education system which meets the needs of all learners. An education system which we can be proud of and which attract learners. The retention of pupils remains a driving force behind our intentions to reform our education system and create 21st Century learning environments. Consequently, the retention of pupils remains a key proposition and an indicator by which we will judge our longer term success.

3.1.5 Extended Schools The Statement of Implementation recommended:

• The Authority, as a corporate and multi service body, will take the

lead in formally establishing extended schools in partnership with its strategic partners and local communities

• Reorganisation of the school system will take account of existing extended and co-located provision

• All schools, with the support of the LEA, should re-assess the extent to which they are a ‘school for the community’ and investigate further the potential for co-location and extended school concepts

Extended schools and co-located services have been fundamental

principles for Knowsley’s strategy for transformational reform. We set out as a corporate and multi-service body to establish extended schools and explore co-located provision when considering change for reorganisation. The Schools White Paper: Higher Standards: Better Schools for All (2005) places schools firmly in the heart of communities offering extended services. However, recent policy has formalised the role of extended schools in delivering its Every Child Matters agenda and schools are the main vehicle for achieving wrap-around childcare as detailed in the Childcare Bill (2005) and in providing opportunities for young people as outlined in the Youth Matters Youth Green Paper (2005). Further, these policies set out clearly that schools must work with a variety of partners and agencies to secure an holistic integrated approach to providing services for children, young people and their families. The

26

emergent localism also places schools as hubs for community services. Concept Knowsley reflects the wider public role of schools as engines for community life. Further this is in the context of a new role for local authorities as commissioners of service delivery targeted at need. This now needs to be reflected in how we take forward reform in our school system. Whilst extended schools remain a key driver in reforming our schools, it is no longer optional for schools to become extended. It is the provision of integrated neighbourhood services, including services for children, young people and their families, which are targeted at local need, have now become the main transformational driver.

Recommendation: The concept of extended schools, in harness with the principles of Every Child Matters and lifelong learning, has been taken to its logical conclusion with the emergence of Learning Centres under Building Schools for the Future. Under this concept extended schools is no longer an optional addition but a central objective. This proposition continues to be valid, however it should evolve to take account of the broader context of Integrated Children’s Services and Concept Knowsley as well the new Commissioning role for local authorities in developing schools as hubs for community services. It should therefore be renamed: Concept Knowsley: Schools and Extended Services. This evolved proposition will continue to be defined by the principles set out in the Statement of Implementation, however, they will also be expanded to include:

• The authority will take the lead in commissioning extended services in schools in conjunction with strategic partners and local communities.

• All schools to provide a core offer of extended services which reflect local demand and need

• Investment in schools should promote the lifelong learning and social opportunities of the wider community

• Investment in extended services will not take place on schools sites which are not viable in the long term

3.1.6 Inclusion The Statement of Implementation recommended:

• The re-organisation of the school system should maintain inclusion

27

as a first order principle that will direct investment and change • Investment in schools should promote the presence, participation

and achievement of all children • Support services for children should be co-located in and alongside

mainstream schools wherever feasible and supported by parents and the community

• Investment in schools should promote the lifelong learning and social opportunities for the wider community

Reform and reorganisation of the school system in Knowsley has

maintained inclusion as a first order principle that directs investment and change, and we have striven to promote the presence, participation and achievement of all children. In 2004 we published Knowsley’s Learner Entitlement which reflected our vision for the learning and well-being of children and young people. This was based on the principles of safe children, healthy children and the provision of learning opportunities aiming to identify and remove barriers for those children and young people who may be at risk of exclusion, marginalisation and underachievement. These principles have now been formally embodied by the Government’s Every Child Matters Outcomes Framework. Every Child Matters places local authorities under a statutory framework to ensure that all children are fully included and that we work to protect them; ensuring they are healthy and safe; encouraging them to achieve their full potential and make a positive contribution; and providing the foundations for their economic well being. Knowsley has carried out a review of special education needs (SEN) (2003) to assess how schools can support those pupils with SEN. The review stated that in order to achieve inclusion the following actions should be taken:

• Decrease the numbers of children attending special schools outside Knowsley.

• Decrease the number of children attending special schools within Knowsley.

• Decrease the number of children with statements. • Increase the level of human and financial resource available to

support children with SEN in mainstream schools. • Improve attendance rates for children with SEN. • Reduce the number of permanent and fixed term exclusions

among children with SEN. This supports the 2001 Special Educational Needs and Disability Act, together with the DfES SEN Code of Practice (2001) which states that a child with SEN should have their needs met, normally in a mainstream setting or early education setting and should be offered full access to a broad, balanced and relevant education, including an appropriate

28

curriculum for the foundation stage and the National Curriculum. This is also contained within the Removing Barriers to Achievement: the Government SEN strategy (2004). The Statement of Implementation also set out initial recommendations for the delivery of specialist provision for those pupils with SEN. We have worked with Head Teacher colleagues of our Special Schools to establish how we can secure inclusion for those for pupils within SEN building upon our strategic objectives for specialist provision as set out in the SEN Review Implementation Plan (2002). The principles for the inclusion of pupils with SEN now need to be fully reflected within this proposition.

Recommendation: Inclusion remains a fundamental principle in securing the outcomes of the Every Child Matters framework and continues to inform our decisions around developing 21st Century learning environments. More specifically it continues to provide the context for the development of our proposals for specialist provision. This proposition will remain. However, it will evolve to set out in more detail the principles around which we will undertake transformation of the organisation and delivery of services for children with special education needs. It will include the following principles:

• Co-locating support services for children with SEN in and alongside mainstream schools, supporting personalised learning and offering a ‘revolving door’ function wherever feasible and be supported by parents and the community.

• Developing an inclusive curriculum at all key stages which supports the learning needs of the whole child.

• Developing specialist dedicated facilities for those pupils with complex SEN

• Exploring and developing models of 21st Century learning environments to support SEN

• Commissioning services and targeting resources to better support the needs of pupils with SEN

• Promoting partnership, collaboration and federative arrangements will underpin reform in order to create a flexible continuum of provision for SEN that can respond to individual needs and to promote professional development opportunities across schools. This will see special and mainstream schools brought together at a number of levels

3.1.7 Partnership, Collaboration and Federation The Statement of Implementation recommended:

• In addition to proposed amalgamations, we intend to promote and

support ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ federations so that:

29

I. Pupils are retained in the Borough

II. Wider learning pathways for children are provided III. There is greater access to specialist facilities IV. There is further help to raise standards V. Community access is promoted

VI. There is co-location of facilities

• Such federations and collaborations should be developed primarily by schools in close proximity, whether community or voluntary aided and regardless of whether they are primary or secondary

• Promote the deepening of collaborative and federation practice in the secondary phase through the 14-19 Collegiate, the Innovation and Collaboration partnership and specialist school status

• Build a School Admissions Strategy that reduces competition and promotes collaboration and partnership

• Develop school transport plans and e-communications strategies that:

I. Promote partnership and collaboration

II. Make the best use of Information Technology III. Take full account of environmental impact IV. Develop safer routes to school

Knowsley set out to promote, encourage and facilitate partnership

between schools through greater collaboration and federation in order to promote best practice, increase access to specialist facilities, and provide wider learning pathways for children. Knowsley has established a number of collaboratives. The emergence of the 14-19 Collegiate, the LIG Collaborative, Area Partnerships, and the North Huyton Learning Collaborative are clear examples of significant progress. However, the process towards Integrated Children’s Services has highlighted we will be required to form new partnership arrangements with a range of children’s service providers from the private, voluntary and community sector as well as other local schools in order to deliver the services outlined in the Childcare Bill (2005) and Youth Matters (2005). The complexity of these partnership arrangements requires new system governance models to be established which build on our recent experience of collaboration, partnership and federation. The relationship between the governance of the institution and the governance of the system is central to the Education and Inspections Bill 2006 and the context of proposals for the development of Trust Schools as laid out in the Bill enables schools to adopt new governance structures in conjunction with private and community partners. As such whilst the principles of partnership, collaboration and federation are still relevant they should be considered in the context of new circumstances.

30

The emergence of Building Schools for the Future and the decision to close all existing secondary schools and establish 8 new Learning Centres has led to a review of existing Governance and Leadership. These reviews have focused on the fitness for purpose of the existing arrangements and options for future models. The findings are contained within a detailed report ‘Building Schools for the Future Governance Project’. This report is still part of wider consultation within the Building Schools for the Future process. It has assessed the effectiveness of governance in the secondary phase, the context of current and emerging legislation, and the requirements of the Building Schools for the Future Programme and recommends options for both system and learning centre governance. Research suggests that breaking away from historic vertical systems of governance (where accountability threads through what was known as the LEA/Diocesan Boards, through inspection regimes and upward to Government) and toward horizontal forms of accountability characterised by formal partnership based decision making, wide and equal representation within the partnership itself and the principle of subsidiarity. It is felt that this shift in the way we govern in education will be necessary if we are to truly deliver the neighbourhood regeneration Knowsley is committed to and see real community cohesion with a common vision and sense of belonging. There is a need to transform governance to meet the demands at local and national levels through the multi-agency challenges being brought to bear through Integrated Children’s Services and Every Child Matters. This journey of transformation provides us with an opportunity to seize the moment and create a self organising system and so lay the foundations to achieve true community ownership The challenge of 21st Century learning environments will also require leadership and management models able to respond to new governance arrangements, extended and neighbourhood services and a transformed curriculum. Knowsley has begun to explore the implications of new Learning Environments under Building Schools for the Future on leadership and management arrangements.

Recommendation:

Whilst the principles of collaboration, federation and partnership working are key to transformation, this proposition requires a new context within which to further develop the principles of governance and leadership and management. Consequently, two new propositions have emerged and should be defined as follows:

31

• Governance for 21st Century Learning Environments

The Council will look to develop governance structures which co-lead the system not just with the local authority but with its wider strategic partners – with local Further / Higher Education, with the private sector, with the voluntary sector and the local community. The expectation is that it will create a different dynamic for mutual accountability and quality assurance. The Council will:

• Move to a scale of Governance that is consistent with the size and geography of Knowsley and its communities.

• Establish as part of the Building Schools for the Future

programme a system of governance that will create a new form of system organisation, partnership driven with Learning Centres working as ‘system organisers’.

• Across all schools, develop and formalise collaboration and

federations with inclusion ensured, 14-19 arrangements agreed, specialisms to be agreed, extended school activities organised and, in particular, school improvement strategies maintained that will support system wide improvement.

• Review the role of the local authority in the light of its new

strategic role in the context of the new Education and Inspections Bill 2006

• Leadership and Management of 21 Century Learning

Environments

The Council will:

• Explore new leadership and management models based on local, national and international best practice

• Develop new structures, operations, roles and responsibilities on the basis of this research

3.1.8 Investment Strategy The Statement of Implementation recommended:

• A detailed investment strategy be developed which takes account

of both the capital investment and ongoing revenue implications of the eventual agreed proposals. This strategy should be considered as part of the Council’s wider Performance Based Financial Strategy to ensure consistency and synergy with the rest of the Council’s service areas.

• Submissions are made to the Strategic Renewal Fund – Building

32

Schools for the Future at the earliest opportunity. • Discussions and negotiations with the various regeneration

partnerships commence with a view to identifying what support may be available

• All potential sources of funding are investigated and considered including traditional funding sources for voluntary aided and voluntary controlled schools and the consideration of Private Finance Initiative / Public Private Partnerships funding sources where private sector partners’ aims and objectives are consistent with those of the Council and its strategic partners.

• Decisions on current and future buildings and facilities are made in line with the Council’s approved Asset Management Plan and emerging Estates Strategy.

• The generation of capital receipts through the sale of redundant school sites should be made available for re-investment in new or refurbished school facilities

The Statement of Implementation set out progress on the development of

an investment strategy to fund new learning environments for the 21st Century. While Knowsley had been successful in its bid for Building Schools for the Future for investment in our secondary sector, funding for primary schools has been less forthcoming until recently. Notwithstanding this, the Council set out its intention to research available funding sources and identified six priorities for capital funding in the primary phase. However, developments at both Knowsley and Government level have changed the context of this strategy and the identified priorities for investment since the agreement of the Statement of Implementation. The recent announcement of Government’s planned Primary Capital Programme and the expectation of the use of a distributive approach rather than a competition based approached based on set criteria forces us to redress our priorities for investment. This will require local authorities to submit strategic investment plans which set out priorities for investment along with an infrastructure to deliver education and children’s services in 2009. However, given the Government’s drive to create and maintain viable and popular schools it is probable that decisions to allocate funding will be based on pupil places, building condition, school performance and deprivation. It is possible that those schools with less than 2 forms of entry may not be considered for rebuild. The allocation of funding under the Primary Capital Programme will have further implications for school reorganisation in Knowsley and will require us to reprioritise our schools for investment ready for 2009. Prior to this, the Government has invited local authorities to submit applications for pilot status to deliver the Primary Capital Programme locally using existing capital resources for 2007 with up to an additional £5million per pilot being made available for 2008. Knowsley has submitted a proposal, full details of the proposal are contained in the

33

recommendations set out in sections 5.9.2.3 and 6.2.1 We expect a decision in the autumn. The generation of capital receipts through the sale of redundant school sites to be made available for re-investment in new or refurbished school facilities has been limited due to current restrictions by Government upon the sale of vacated school sites for use for housing developments. However, we will still look to maximise the generation of capital receipts to invest in learning environments for the 21st Century. The magnitude of the transformational change taking place within our secondary phase through Building Schools for the Future has highlighted the need for significant revenue resources to support the cost of change management associated with transformational change both in the secondary as well as primary and special phase. It is within this context that we must reconsider the impact upon our previously identified priorities for investment, the relevance of the proposition for the development of an investment strategy and the principles by which this would be undertaken. In the Statement of Implementation the Council identified the following priorities for investment. These have been reassessed and the following updates our position in how we will take these forward:

• A new primary school to replace St Leo’s Catholic Primary and Southmead Primary:

The Council’s Cabinet will consider a report on 12 July to ratify proposals to close Southmead School and designate St Leo’s Catholic Primary School to receive those pupils. The pupils have already in fact physically transferred to the St Leo’s building to accommodate the creation of the Southmead Children’s Centre in the Southmead building. The governors of both schools have accepted that the projected pupil numbers do not warrant a new build school at this stage, as the projections fall short of two forms of entry in the medium to long term.

• A new primary school to house an amalgamated Simonswood

Primary, Overdale Primary and Knowsley Northern Primary Support Centre on the site of the North Kirkby Learning Campus :

The Government announced the availability of Targeted Capital Fund grant for 2006 - 2007 and 2007 – 2008. Criteria for the submission of applications to access this grant was limited to those proposals which promoted standards focused re-organised and school improvements; improved provision for children with SEN; promoted extended and community use and wider inclusion; and the condition of buildings. Based on these criteria and immediate

34

local need, Knowsley submitted an application to take forward our proposal to create a new primary school integrated with the services for Knowsley Northern Primary Support on the site of the North Kirkby Learning Campus. We were successful in this application and awarded £6million. We have put this forward as a pilot for the Primary Capital Programme.

• A new primary school to house an amalgamated New Hutte

Primary, Roseheath Primary and Knowsley Southern Primary Support Centre on the site of the existing Roseheath Primary:

This proposal continues to meet our priorities and represented as a model of best practice in taking forward integration of education and children’s services through the delivery of specialist provision. We have put forward this as a pilot for the Primary Capital Programme this is set out in 5.9.2.3.

• A new primary school in Stockbridge Village to accommodate an

amalgamated Brookside Primary and Nine Tree Primary:

Details surrounding proposals for Brookside and Nine Tree Primary have been revisited as a result of the gateway review process (section 5.1). Our intentions regarding investment are detailed in section 6.2.3.

• A rebuilt Sylvester Primary on its existing site:

For the reasons set out below and due to the position on pupil number projections (section 5.6.2.3), this school is now not a priority for new build. That is not to say it is not a priority for any investment. Due consideration will be given to Sylvester School when the results of the gateway review process are ranked.

• A rebuilt Westvale Primary on its existing site:

Westvale’s projected pupil numbers (section 5.3.2.5) also indicate that a new build is now not appropriate at this stage. As in the case of Sylvester School, any priority for investment for Westvale School will be decided when the results of the gateway review process are ranked.

Recommendation:

Investment is not considered a proposition for reform, but rather a mechanism by which to achieve and deliver transformation. It is recognised that investment is necessary to attain our vision for 21st Century learning environments, however, it also noted that there is a need to identify resources to support change management.

35

Government has consulted on its proposals for the Primary Capital Programme and Knowsley has responded accordingly. It is our intention to develop a Primary Capital Programme locally which takes forward the propositions for reform and those school developments for which funding has been secured for 2006 - 2008 set out in this document (section 7). These will form the first wave of primary transformation and 21st Century learning environments in Knowsley. They will be used to develop a blue print model for future developments and to inform the national Primary Capital Programme when funding becomes available in 2009. In preparation for the advent of this national programme, Knowsley will determine further priority schools for investment by the gateway methodology set out in section 5.1. This methodology will ‘rank’ schools in priority order on the basis of surplus places, condition of school building and school performance. This is in response to the Government’s drive as outlined in the Education and Inspections Bill (2006). Detailed Government guidance regarding Primary Capital Programme will be issued in the autumn, after which we would anticipate the following factors to inform decision making regarding the targeting of capital investment:

• The use of surplus place, condition and performance data will be used to identify schools.

• Those schools with continued high surplus will be subject to re-organisation and decommissioning of surplus space in order to maintain viability

• It is likely that we only invest in new build where there is strong evidence that those schools are viable, that is, those schools where pupil populations are projected to remain at 2 forms of entry, which is considered the stable threshold for viability.

• However, new build may be considered for smaller schools where there is significant partner investment to support the development of extended and children and family services and new build is necessary to deliver high quality service provision on the same site to create a ‘hub of community services’.

• Other schools identified as a priority may receive investment for refurbishment and remodelling of the existing site.

• Schools will be expected to target their devolved capital allocations received from Government at establishing 21st Century learning environments, the principles of which will emerge as a result of the blue printing process for primary and special schools. This is set out in more detail in section 4.2.1.

Knowsley will continue to explore and identify funding for our primary and special schools both with regard to capital build, but also revenue to support wider transformation and cultural change. This may include prudential borrowing and capital receipts. Section 7 provides specific details of identified investment priorities for 2006 – 2008.

36

3.2 PROPOSITIONS FOR REFORM: 2006 – 2008 It is clear that whilst there are a number of propositions which remain

relevant, some have evolved in response to new circumstances. Further it is also clear that the existing propositions do not readily take account of the challenges of governance and leadership and management in transforming schools and it is necessary to address this. The following propositions will now be adopted in taking forward this next phase of reform.

• School Places • School Performance • School Viability • 21st Century Learning Environments • Choice and Diversity in the School System • Retention of Pupils • Pupil Choice: Transforming the Curriculum to Meet Pupil

Preference • Concept Knowsley: Schools and Extended Services • Inclusion • Governance for 21st Century Learning Environments • Leadership and Management of 21st Century Learning

Environments Section 4 will now assess the Council’s progress in working towards these propositions and set out a series of recommendations for the future direction of education transformation in Knowsley.

Propositions for Reform 4 Implementation: Reaffirming the System

37

The following summary assesses the progress of the Council and its partners in implementing reform in taking forward the new propositions as outlined at Section 3.2.

4.1 PROPOSITIONS 1 - 3 – SCHOOL PLACES; SCHOOLS’ PERFORMANCE AND SCHOOLS’ VIABILITY

Principles:

If we are to reform the education system in Knowsley we must create sustainable and viable schools. Reorganisation of the school system is necessary. Decisions relating to the organisation of school provision will continue to be based on:

• The number of surplus places within schools.. This is to ensure that:

• Ideally, no primary school should have less than one

form of entry (i.e. 30 pupils per year group) • No child in a primary school will need to be in a class

of over 30, notwithstanding the fact that it is the school governing body and not the local authority that determines class sizes in Key Stage 2

• The state of schools’ physical assets, and the appropriateness

of these to support the modern curriculum • The extent to which improved facilities will impact on curriculum

delivery, achievement and motivation • The performance of schools taking into account key stage

results and contextual value added measures

In taking forward change: • Transitional arrangements should be provided to ensure the

needs of pupils are met • The principles for supporting staff during the change period

should be adopted by all Governing bodies • Support schools to maintain financial viability as a result of

falling pupil numbers 4.1.1 School Reorganisation

There have been significant changes to school funding in the past 12

38

months. In April 2006, the Government introduced a new funding mechanism for schools. School funding will be provided through a specific grant called the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG). The DSG allocation each year is dependant on the number of pupils in our schools. Local authorities are responsible for setting the overall level of individual school budgets based on the DSG. In determining this allocation, Knowsley has conducted a major needs led review in order to formulate a new method of distributing school budgets. The current formula was designed 16 years ago at the onset of Local Management of Schools and has only been changed incrementally since that time.

In developing this needs led approach we identified a set of basic criteria which are required to operate effective education delivery within a school. Costs are then identified to support this. The model assumes that there are for example, certain pupil-teacher ratios. For primary, the assumption is 1 teacher for every 30 pupils. However, in many of our schools, due to falling pupil numbers there are less than 30 pupils in each class. The introduction of the new formula allows both schools and the local authority to identify the funding assumptions that underpin schools budgets. The formula currently offers protection for small schools, ensuring sufficient funding for a minimum of 5 teaching staff. The majority of the funding is still pupil based, but other factors, such as floor area, will also affect funding levels. Conclusions from this formula review demonstrate a significant resource shortfall between resources available and the resources required through a needs-led model based on the current number of schools in the system. That shortfall is approximately £6million and is greater within the primary phase than in the secondary phase. The Council has worked with schools to set budgets and address shortfalls where necessary. However, this process has demonstrated that we cannot sustain the large number of schools within the borough at the detriment of the quality of education for our children and young people. Re-organisation of our school estate is necessary therefore.

4.1.2 Review of Transitional Arrangements to support schools to meet

pupil need

Since the Statement of Implementation (Oct 2004) the Council has taken forward a number of the formal proposals relating to school re-organisation. Transitional arrangements have been developed to support those schools which are affected. The Department has appointed Education Change Partners. Whose role continues to provide a school improvement function as well as providing support for the transformational agenda in preparation for new Learning Centres under the Building Schools for the Future programme and Children’s Centres working with other agencies through area operational groups to support the local delivery of services according to need.

39

4.1.3 Principles for supporting staff during the period of change

A Staffing Review Policy has been developed with the support and commitment of the Council the Diocesan and Archdiocesan Authorities, and the Teacher and Single Status Unions to provide a framework to facilitate the changes arising from the Building Schools for the Future and implementation of school reorganisation. The Policy is also geared for use in circumstances where a proposed staffing change is needed for an operational, budgetary or other significant reason. This Policy will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure its continued fitness for purpose. The policy makes provisions for staff who are affected by statutory school closure, school amalgamation and/ or the opening of a new school or Learning Centre including:

• Retention and recruitment processes • Attempts to secure the effective re-deployment of any member of

staff displaced and considered ‘at risk’ as a consequence of school reorganisation

• Arrangements to ensure lawful redundancy procedures are applied

The Council is committed to securing the best interests of children and young people and this policy is aimed to treat all staff equitably in times of change, safeguarding wherever possible, the ongoing employment of all staff working in schools, avoiding compulsory redundancies where possible through collaborative between the Council, its partners the Diocesan and Archdiocesan Authorities, head teachers, governing bodies, staff, trade unions and professional associations. The Workforce Remodelling Agenda has continued at a pace. As a result of the joint agreement with the LEA Leadership, Teachers Professional Associations and Single Status Trade Unions, a Steering Group was established in 2004. Its role is to support the implementation of the Unions’ National Agreement in all schools; undertake work in relation to local pay and grading reviews; and promote the Workforce Development Agenda in relation to the Statement of Implementation and Building Schools for the Future. A working group was established to progress work in relation to the local pay and grading review of Support Staff in schools. The first stage of this work was successfully concluded in July 2005 with the agreement of a new career and pay structure for the job family ‘Teaching Assistants’. The working group is continuing to address the remaining two job families and it is anticipated that new career and pay structures for these will be ready for implementation in September 2006. The monitoring of the Union’s National Agreement remains a key focus to ensure the sustainability of the interventions developed at school level. The Steering Group is committed to reviewing its work programme to ensure it continues to meet the priorities of the current agendas

40

4.1.4 School Financial Viability

There have been significant changes to school funding in the past 12

months. In April 2006, the Government introduced a new funding mechanism for schools. School funding will be provided through a specific grant called the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG). The DSG allocation each year is dependant on the number of pupils in our schools. Local authorities are responsible for setting the overall level of individual school budgets based on the DSG. In determining this allocation, Knowsley has conducted a major needs led review in order to formulate a new method of distributing school budgets.

In developing this needs led approach we identified a set of basic criteria which are required to operate effective education delivery within a school. Costs are then identified to support this. The model assumes that there are for example, certain pupil-teacher ratios. For primary, the assumption is 1 teacher for every 30 pupils. However, in some of our schools, due to falling pupil numbers there is less than 30 pupils in each class. Conclusions from this process demonstrate a significant resource shortfall between resources available and the resources required through a needs-led model. That shortfall is approximately £6million and is greater within the primary phase than in the secondary phase. The Council has worked with schools to set budgets and address shortfalls where necessary. However, this process has demonstrated that we cannot sustain the large number of schools within the borough at the detriment of the quality of education for our children and young people. Re-organisation of our school estate is necessary therefore.

4.2 PROPOSITION 4 – LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Principles:

• Based on the concepts set out in this proposition, debate further

with stakeholders to establish a common understanding of the 21st Century learning environment

• Conduct a review of the extent to which each primary and secondary school meets the requirements we have identified

• Produce, in the light of technical and professional assessments, a long term programme of modifications not merely to remedy deficiencies but rather to make the physical environment in all schools appropriate for the 21st Century

• Establish new or refurbished learning environments wherever possible, taking as much of the current school stock out of commission as is viable and affordable

• Incorporate agreed characteristics of learning environments to all forthcoming significant capital investments

41

• Local communities should be key partners in the design, focus and operation of new schools

4.2.1 A Common understanding of the 21st Century learning environment

Knowsley has set out to create 21st Century learning environments which

are modern, dynamic and fit for purpose in meeting the learning needs of all children and young people, as well as placing schools at the heart of communities as hubs for local service delivery. In short we are striving for state of the art modern buildings. The Statement of Intent set out the ambitions of the local authority and set in motion a debate about the nature, look and feel of learning places. This has been developed as follows:

4.2.1.1 Secondary Phase: Building Schools for the Future Under the Building Schools for the Future Programme we have developed

a series of design principles for our Learning Centres. These have been underpinned by substantial consultation and engagement work with a large number of key stakeholder groups on design issues. This consultative process has analysed trends in education transformation in order to identify the shape and nature of learning environments. This process identified a number of priorities to be addressed within the Learning Centres’ design, including:

• Sustainability: Centres should be resource-efficient with low environmental impact and offer recycling opportunities

• Functionality and Flexibility: Spaces should accommodate learning

and curriculum requirements but should also be flexible, adaptable and stimulating including imaginatively designed social spaces able to respond to changing demands and innovations particularly in ICT.

• Accessibility: Buildings should accommodate the needs of all users

and promote inclusion of children with SEN.

• Safety and Security: Centres should be well controlled through a secure central area and unauthorized access to the main body of the centre should not be possible through the reception area.

• Use of suitable materials and finishes: Centres should make

creative and maximum use of natural light; promote good indoor air quality and offer effective ventilation; provide suitable heating and temperature controls; offer good acoustics which ensure clear sound transmission in rooms but prevent transmission to adjacent rooms; and offer variations in colour and texture appropriate to the

42

space’s use and age of occupants.

A number of core design concepts have emerged which will characterise our secondary phase Learning Centres. These include:

• Home bases: self-sufficient pods within Learning Centres in which connected year groups, vertical groups or ‘house’ groups can spend a significant proportion of their day.

• Learning Spaces: The changing nature of learning requires the

whole building to be a learning space which should be adaptable and flexible. This includes temporary walls which enable spaces to provide for a range of learning opportunities from large groups to small and individual work. Learning spaces will not be owned by subject specialists.

• ‘Learning Streets’: We want to change the traditional use of

corridors in our buildings. Rather, we see the use of circulation space becoming a busy learning and social space in which activity and interaction is a feature. In each home base, we would look to incorporate a ‘learning street’ in which there are comfortable seats and coffee tables where learners can choose to socialize or work. Performing or visual arts should play an integral role in learning streets. They should also provide comfortable break-out areas for learning.

• Democratised Spaces: Each generation of users of the Learning

Centres should be able to personalise and adapt spaces for their own purposes. Spaces should therefore be multi-functional and flexible. Further we would want to ensure that learning can go on both inside and outside with a similar provision of social space.

• Specialist Teaching Spaces such as science, creative arts, art and

design, sport, fitness and health will be accommodated.

• Lecture theatres for large groups.

• Learning Resources Areas for independent learning and research, equipped with ICT.

These principles and concepts have informed our discussions with the three short listed bidders. We are now in the process of evaluating bidder submissions with a view to identifying a preferred partner to construct our vision of 21st Century learning environments.

4.2.1.2 Primary Phase: Primary Capital Programme Having established a concept of 21st Century learning environments for

secondary provision, we are now moving to develop a similar

43

understanding for primary and special schools. We have begun a blue printing process that will investigate the educational and societal drivers that will influence the nature and design of new primary schools. This will include the impact of early years and children’s centres, the primary school as a base for family and lifelong learning, the personalisation of learning and the impact of anticipated changes to the curriculum. In order to engage, stimulate and excite stakeholders about design possibilities we will set in motion a series of activities through which these issues can be discussed by wider stakeholders. This commenced with a 2 day Design Festival for primaries and special schools on the 22 and 23 June 2006 in which up to 120 primary age pupils and primary school staff told us about what they would wish to see in their schools. Over the coming months we will continue to research and consult on issues affecting new school designs and identify emerging best practice in architecture. This work will continue over the coming months subject to discussions with Government around the timing and nature of any new investments.

4.2.1.3 Special Schools As set out elsewhere in this document, Knowsley has or is in the process

of finalising additional resources to invest in new SEN facilities and inclusive environments in our new Learning Centres and primary schools. Consequently, we will also commence blueprint work for special school environments consulting and working with specialists and staff. This work will continue over the coming months subject to discussions with Government around the timing and nature of any new investments.

4.2.2 Review of existing primary and secondary assets and their appropriateness

Premises surveys are currently being updated across all primary and special schools. This will be used to support schools to develop their own individual asset management plans for September 2006. The condition of schools and their appropriateness to deliver the curriculum have been used as part of a gateway process in order to highlight schools which are a priority for action (see 5.1 below). Given the Building Schools for the Future Programme targeted specifically at transforming the secondary sector, there is no requirement to update premises surveys for existing secondary schools. As such there has been a scaling down of funding for secondary buildings which will be replaced by 8 new Learning Centres. Following the mainstream formula review (see section 4.1.4 above) it is proposed that the distribution of school funding allocated for maintenance based on total floor area should be reviewed to allocate funding against the necessary floor area required to support the number of pupils on roll

44

as opposed to the physical size of the school. In some cases schools which were designed for two or three forms of entry are now operating at or below one form of entry but were previously funded for maintenance costs based on the physical size of the buildings.

4.2.3 Establish a programme of new or refurbished learning environments and de-commissioning

The Borough has built upon the recommendations of the Statement of Implementation to consolidate investments to support the modernisation of the school estate. In the secondary sector considerable progress has been made in taking forward the Building Schools for the Future programme. Intensive engagement with key stakeholders has been fundamental in informing the design of new Learning Centres and bidders are currently drawing up final designs and plans. A preferred contractor will be identified in late summer or early Autumn 2006. There has been continued targeted support of existing capital funding against need to support the ongoing maintenance and modernisation of schools in line with the priorities of the Asset Management Plan and the Statement of Implementation. As such 8 primary schools are earmarked for significant investment to improve windows, roofing, heating and electrical systems over the next 12 months. In addition we have continued to implement a number of strategic programme based projects including modernised sports facilities through the Big Lottery Fund, a new Spaces for Sports and Arts facility at St Marie’s Primary in Northwood funded by Sport England and Northwood Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) neighbourhood regeneration programme. This complements the existing four spaces for sports and arts facilities already operating. Knowsley has also successfully secured £6million from the DfES under its Targeted Capital Fund to take forward the proposal to establish a new 2 form entry primary school and rebuild Knowsley Northern Primary Support Centre on the site of the Kirkby Campus. This will replace Simonswood and Overdale Primary Schools. This success builds on the previous success in securing Targeted Capital Grant to support the rebuild of Holy Angel’s Catholic Primary school in Kirkby.

4.2.4 The Role of the Community in the Design, Focus and Operation of New Schools

4.2.4.1 Stakeholder, Community Consultation and Pupil Participation

In the Statement of Implementation, Knowsley set out its commitment to

undertake a proactive approach to stakeholder engagement with schools

45

and communities in the development of the secondary Learning Centres through Building Schools for the Future. Since October 2004 there has been significant and widespread engagement:

• An Engagement Sub Group has been established with responsibility for managing the overall engagement process including ensuring that the Building Schools for Future programme is well publicised; engaging children and the community; and researching best practice for consideration as part of the design process.

• In May 2005 the Authority held its first Design Festival – a

significant event which involved over 150 participants over 2 days in over 40 half day workshops. Participants included pupils from all 11 secondary schools, teachers, heads and governors and elected members. The workshops aimed to capture ideas on learning spaces, environmental sustainability, school identity and community use in order to inform the design, management and organisation issues of the new Learning Centres.

• We have now identified 3 preferred bidders to submit proposals for

the design and management of the new Learning Centres. A number of stakeholder focus groups have been established to challenge and inform the bidders’ designs and proposals; these include pupils, governors, school staff, heads teachers and other stakeholders such as health representatives. Focus groups have been involved in a number of activities including:

• Bidder events – an opportunity to meet the bidders and

discuss their proposals and present their own ideas • Best practice visits – there have been a number of visits

to examples of best practice in design and management of schools including trips to:

- Liverpool Blue Coat School - Parklands School, Speke - St Francis Assisi Academy, Kensington - Wingfield School, Rotherham - John Bright School, Conway, North Wales - Eden Project, Cornwall - University College Hospital, London - Montessori School, East Amsterdam - Copenhagen

The opinions and expertise of all stakeholders is paramount in securing a successful bidder which fully meets the vision of Knowsley in delivering the Learning Centres. As such, the focus groups will participate in the final evaluation of bidders and this will account for 15% of the overall bidding evaluation.

46

Knowsley will continue to maintain the involvement and engagement of stakeholders in design and procurement for the primary and special phase.

4.3 PROPOSITION 5 – CHOICE & DIVERSITY IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM Principles

In developing school provision Knowsley will aim to maintain flexibility and diversity so as to offer parents and prospective pupils a real choice in what type of school they attend:

• We maintain that single sex schools are not viable • We will maintain community and denominational school provision

and will look to explore new forms of joining arrangements where there is demand from the community or parents.

• Continue to develop choice at 14 and review 6th Form Provision. • Selection on ability is not a principle which Knowsley believes in. • We will promote equity and accessibility with regard to admissions

to ensure that every child is given the opportunity to attend their local school

4.3.1 New Forms of Joining Arrangements

The Council is committed, where there is demand, to ensuring that

parents and pupils have a real choice in the type of schooling provision available to them in their local communities. In many communities, the issue of surplus places means that it is often unsustainable to offer two or more types of schooling provision for any one community. Equally however, to offer only one type of provision does not present an adequate choice of education provision for families. This has led us to explore new models of schools in order to offer parents choice and diversity within their local communities through new forms of joining arrangements. Examples include:

• A Joint Catholic and Anglican Learning Centre in North Huyton. • St Leo’s Catholic Primary School, Whiston which is a Catholic

School for the Community and which will receive those pupils formally of Southmead Community School, subject to ratification by Cabinet on 12th July 2006.

• Holy Family Catholic Primary School in Halewood which has been designated to receive pupils from Mackets Community Primary School.

It is clear that to maintain choice in some communities within the Borough there will be a need to revisit past debates around such joining arrangements as the alternative (as pointed out by the Schools’

47

Commission) is the steady drift of some schools toward non viability. The Primary Capital Programme is a clear opportunity to build further on the learning from sensible local outcomes in recent years We will continue to explore new joining arrangements where demand exists and which are suitable to local community circumstances, promoting sustainability and viability. This may include shared facilities, federation and collaborative arrangements and new schools. Proposals under new propositions around system wide Governance will provide a strategic framework within which a wider partnership can assess the above issue.

4.3.2 Review of 6th Form Provision In 2004 a Strategic Area Review of post-16 provision was undertaken.

The LEA in partnership with Greater Merseyside Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and other partners developed a series of options for the future configuration of post-16 provision across the borough. These options were subject to a period of public consultation during October – November 2004. The aim of the consultation was to gather the views of a wide range of stakeholders in Knowsley and ensure that their opinions informed the identification of a preferred option for the provision of education and training for young people. The LSC reported back in April 2005 and the preferred option identified a structured collaborative model which builds on existing collaborative delivery arrangements for 14-19 provision. Within this option academic post-16 delivery will continue to be offered by three institutions within the borough – Knowsley Community College in the centre, and two learning centres to be developed under the Building Schools for the Future Programme – one in the North and one in the South. Management, planning and delivery will be in the context of the Knowsley 14-19 Collegiate. This was approved by the 14-19 Collegiate Executive and an implementation group is now considering issues such as admissions and curriculum planning. It is envisaged that full implementation will take place throughout 2006.

4.4 PROPOSITION 6 – RETENTION OF PUPILS Principles

• To develop a programme for the modernisation of school buildings

and continue to implement and extend strategies for school improvement

• To continue to expand ways in which pupils’ preferences may be

48

met particularly in respect of the post 14 agenda • To invest in inclusive environments that promote the presence,

participation and achievement of all pupils • To continue to support strategies for primary to secondary

transition • To promote partnership, collaboration and federation between all

schools in the Borough. 4.4.1 A programme of modernisation for school buildings This is set out in detail in section 4.2 4.4.2 Pupil preference at 14 This is set out in detail in section 4.5.1 4.4.3 Investment in inclusive environments This is set out in detail in sections 4.2 and 4.7 4.4.4 Strategies for transition This is set out in detail in section 4.5.3 4.4.5 Collaboration, partnership and federation This is now contained within the principles for governance of 21st Century

learning environments and is contained in section 4.8. 4.5 PROPOSITION 7 – PUPIL CHOICE: TRANSFORMING THE

CURRICULUM TO MEET LEARNER PREFERENCE Principles

To develop a curriculum experience which offers opportunities for students to develop personal, learning and thinking skills in order to enable all young people to become successful and confident learners and responsible citizens by:

• Continuing to expand ways in which pupil preference may be met in respect of learning pathways at 14

• Exploring the development of new curriculum approaches at all key stages

• Developing strategies to support transition across all age groups • Meet the challenges around personalisation and customisation of

learning

49

4.5.1 Meeting young people’s preferences in respect of learning pathways at 14

The Knowsley 14-19 Collegiate has continued to create a coherent and

flexible single phase of education that addresses the challenges of Every Child Matters by enabling all young people to achieve their full potential by learning in ways best suited to their needs. Now in its 4th year the Collegiate has received considerable national recognition for its approach and is viewed as a model of best practice. The Collegiate has continued to offer a range of learning pathways to better meet the needs and aspirations of young people. Successful developments include:

• An established 14-19 Work Based Learning programme which has further developed to enable all students to gain ‘Skills for Working Life’ qualification (Entry Level). Where appropriate students will also be entered for ‘Skills for Life’ National tests in English and/or Maths. Over 350 pupils now participate in the programme which has received large scale investment through the Merseyside Objective One Programme and has recently been funded as one of the DfES 14-16 Pupil Engagement Programme pilots. The programme has now expanded to offer opportunities linked to Knowsley College that are designed to better meet the needs of the student.

• The Vocational Skills Centre, Kirkby within the Partnership has also

expanded its range of provision and qualifications, recently introducing 5 new NVQ Level 1 vocational subjects and 11 new GCSE/BTEC courses. The Centre has become a model for other LEAs, schools and colleges. 34 organisations have visited the Centre over the last year, some 210 visitors, with the expectation of learning from the success of such a Centre of Excellence in Knowsley.

• Schools have also increased the number of options available to

students by introducing new Applied GCSE courses themselves and by working in collaboration to jointly offer programmes hosted by centres with specific expertise. Courses include Information Technology, Engineering and Leisure and Tourism.

• A number of schools are also exploring BTEC qualifications. Three

schools in the Kirkby collaborative are offering a BTEC Science programme, whilst other schools across the Borough have introduced BTEC Sport as alternative Key Stage 4 options.

• A successful Young Apprentice programme has been further

extended. There are a total of approximately 60 Young Apprentices in Years 10 and 11 studying Engineering or Health and Social Care, and a specific ‘Girls into Engineering’ group. The Engineering Young Apprentices have structured half day sessions

50

at Jaguar, the motor manufacturer, as part of the work-related element of the programme, which students have found highly motivating.

• An Employer Facing Group has been established to increase

school and student engagement with employers through mutually beneficial arrangements that match school and student aspirations with economic need.

• A Quality Group also meets regularly to ensure that high quality

education and training is maintained through the sharing of best practice and a rigorous monitoring of processes.

• We have an Enterprise Adviser working with all our schools to

support the implementation of the published enterprise strategy. All schools are now delivering enterprise within the curriculum, through a variety of delivery models. The Employer Facing Group will be working to draw together all the work related activities currently on offer across Knowsley and produce a menu of opportunity for schools.

4.5.2 Exploring new curriculum approaches across all key stages If we are to transform the learning experience of our children and young

people then we must look to develop new approaches to the curriculum and its delivery. Knowsley has already gone some way to achieving this in its approach to 14-19 education, however transforming the curriculum is a key priority across all key stages. Development work has begun under the Building Schools for the Future Programme to explore curriculum innovation across key stages 3 and 4. A Curriculum Blueprint group has been established, bringing together curriculum thinkers from all phases, and research has been undertaken, at local, national and international levels, to develop a curriculum strategy that will ensure that the needs of all learners are more effectively being met. So far, the work of the Group has identified a number of key features which will inform the new curriculum models. These include:

• Creating a curriculum experience that will offer the opportunity for students to develop personal, learning and thinking skills by learning through projects, understanding how they learn, reflecting upon their progress and being able to contribute their own opinions and ideas. This development is considered to be key to transforming educational practice since the explicit teaching of thinking necessitates a significant shift in pedagogy which will itself significantly transform the learning.

51

• Developing a curriculum content which ensures that wherever they study, all students will have access to the full range of emerging specialised and general diplomas as they become available. Each programme will be available at a level that is appropriate to meet the needs and capability of the individual learner and advice and guidance will be in place to ensure positive progression.

• Functional Skills in Literacy, Numeracy and ICT are to be an

integral component of the new diplomas and we are currently exploring a strategy to support schools in their introduction. At the same time we are working with schools on the further development of literacy and numeracy skills as schools test model emerging approaches for Key Stage 3 and at Key Stage 2 in readiness for colonisation of the flexible learning spaces within new learning centres.

• Key Stage 3 curriculum models are being further explored and test

modelled across schools within the borough. The intention is to evaluate a number of models that schools may wish to consider as they further develop their curriculum to meet the needs of different student groups.

Knowsley is also looking to develop innovative approaches in ICT to support curriculum advances. These include Personalised Learning Environments (PLE) that will combine the use of management information, such as student assessment data, with personalised learning approaches. Such approaches will include the development of individual learning plans and the resulting blended learning programmes will become an integral component of the emergent curriculum framework and pedagogical practice. Currently this research focuses upon curriculum developments in the secondary phase and we are also in the early stages of exploring curriculum and timetabling arrangements with our post-16 providers. However, curriculum developments are also being planned within the primary sector as we prepare to respond to the opportunities presented through the forthcoming Primary Capital Programme.

4.5.3 Strategies to Support Transition A number of pilot projects had been developed to explore models to

support primary – secondary transition. This included the All Saints Primary Base; a cognitive curriculum project at Bowring School for year 7 pupils focusing upon key skills in cross curricular activities such as ICT, humanities and technologies; and additional support for pupils at Brookfield in English, Maths and Science which are delivered by the same teachers who are primary trained. All these projects detailed are now embedded in the curriculum and timetable of those schools.

52

This has contributed towards the development of a transition strategy which has developed over the last year to include:

• Ruffwood School has developed the SPARK project with the 2005 / 2006 year 7 group. This project is designed to address the learning needs of a significant cohort of children who started secondary school with below level 4 score at the end of key stage 2 by providing them with a tailored curriculum taught by primary trained teachers based at the school.

• Regular transition network meetings are held with Secondary co-

ordinators to ensure continuity of curriculum, discuss pastoral care and develop and monitor activities.

• A training programme for learning mentors and transition co-

ordinators has been on-going.

• All secondary schools are running transition activities that cover a range of subject areas across a large number of primaries including secondary teachers delivering lessons in primary schools.

• A consultation group is working on learning resource packs for year

6 pupils to include examples of pupil work, assessment and attainment in English, Maths and Science which pupils will take with them to secondary school.

The borough will now look to take forward the development of the Transition Strategy to firmly embedded transition as standard practice within the borough. This will focus upon:

• curriculum content and delivery methods across schools • support for vulnerable children • developing face-to-face relationships • ensuring a smooth transfer of pupil information • pastoral systems in each school to support every child • strategies for parental involvement

4.6 PROPOSITION 8 – CONCEPT KNOWSLEY: SCHOOLS & EXTENDED

SERVICES Principles

In developing new learning environments we will look to create establishments that act as hubs for community services and which are flexible and able to respond to the needs of local people:

• The Authority, as a corporate and multi-service body, will take the lead in commissioning extended services in schools in conjunction

53

with its strategic partnership and local communities in order to support local need and demand.

• All schools to offer extended services which reflect local demand and need

• Investment in schools should promote the lifelong learning and social opportunities of the wider community

• Reorganisation of the school system will take account of existing extended services and co-located provision

• All schools, with support, are to re-assess the extent to which they are a ‘school for the community’ and investigate further the potential for co-location and extended school concepts.

• We will not invest in extended services on school sites which are not viable.

4.6.1 Service Commissioning Knowsley Children’s Services has developed a service commissioning

strategy for neighbourhood children, young people and family services. We have identified 6 areas against which services will be commissioned:

• Parenting support • Signposting of services • Child and family health services • Parental and community consultation • Study support • Childcare

In commissioning services, focus groups will be established for each of the above areas to review and gather intelligence in order to identify strategic priorities and commission services to meet those priorities. Design groups will then be responsible for designing the services which are required. Schools will be key stakeholders in both the focus and design groups as well as being responsible for service delivery along with Children’s Centres. It is expected that the commissioning model will be adopted from September 2006, with commissioned services to begin delivery in April 2007. In the interim existing services will deliver strategic priorities.

4.6.2 A Core Offer of Extended Services The Statement of Implementation reported that many of Knowsley’s

schools had made some progress in developing extended provision. Since then the Government has introduced a core offer of extended services for children and young people which local authorities must deliver. This provides integrated service delivery for 0-19 and their families and includes:

54

• Childcare and parenting support • Study support • Community access to schools • ICT • Sports and arts • Adult education • Health and social care • A programme of activities to meet the 5 outcomes of Every Child

Matters Schools are working together collaboratively through clusters to develop extended service activity across all sites, therefore offering a wider range of services and activities to all local residents. There has been some progress to date of schools under taking this planning, with some clusters of schools additionally considering joint appointments of extended school staff. Schools have self nominated themselves into extended school clusters to support this and the LEA monitors and records these developments for the National Remodelling Team.

4.6.3 School Assessment of the extent to which they are a school for the

community There has been some progress in schools re-assessing the extent to

which they are a ‘school for the community’, and the infrastructure and policy development of this has now been put into place. Schools are now required to complete a Self Evaluation form online for OfSTED in which extended services from a school site can be used to evidence any of the outcomes from the Every Child Matters framework. Knowsley’s Extended Schools Remodelling Advisors have offered to work with individual schools to support this if required and are working with Education Change Partners to support their single conversation with schools.

4.7 PROPOSITION 9 – INCLUSION Principles

Knowsley has established an ‘Inclusion Statement’ which aims to promote the presence, participation and achievement of all pupils by identifying and removing barriers for learners especially those who may be at risk of exclusion, marginalisation or underachievement. In reorganising the school system we maintain that inclusion is a first order principle that will direct investment and change to promote the presence, participation and achievement of all children. In commissioning services we will develop appropriate and targeted services to meet the needs of all children, young people and their families. Therefore, Knowsley will look to transform the organisation and delivery of services for children with Special Education Needs by:

55

• Co-locating support services for children with SEN in and alongside

mainstream schools, supporting personalised learning and offering a ‘revolving door’ function wherever feasible and be supported by parents and the community.

• Developing an inclusive curriculum at all key stages which supports the learning needs of the whole child.

• Developing specialist dedicated facilities for those pupils with complex SEN

• Exploring and developing models of 21st Century Learning Environments to support SEN

• Commissioning services and targeting resources to better support the needs of pupils with SEN

• Promoting partnership, collaboration and federative arrangements will underpin reform in order to create a flexible continuum of provision for SEN that can respond to individual needs and to promote professional development opportunities across schools. This will see special and mainstream schools brought together at a number of levels

4.7.1 Support for Special Education Needs within Mainstream Schools The DfES sets out the principles of an inclusive education as a process by

which schools, local education authorities and others develop their cultures, policies and practices to include pupils. All children therefore should have access to an appropriate education that affords them the opportunity to achieve their personal potential. Thus with the right training, strategies and support nearly all children with SEN can be successfully included in mainstream education, whilst recognising that mainstream education will not always be right for every child all of the time. Equally, just because mainstream education may not be right at a particular stage it does not prevent a child from being included successfully at a later stage. For children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties the quality of provision needs to be improved through greater partnership working, promoting greater flexibility in the curriculum to keep young people engaged in learning and developing intensive short term interventions where the child is at risk of exclusion. The Audit Commission Report on Special Education Needs – A Mainstream Issue (2002) identified that:

• Too many children with SEN wait for their needs to be met • Children are turned away from mainstream settings and staff feel ill

equipped to meet the range of pupils’ needs • Special schools feel uncertain about their future role • Families face unacceptable variations in levels of support available

There is an expectation that the number of children in special schools will fall as more children with moderate learning difficulties and less severe

56

behavioural, emotional and social needs can access appropriate support in mainstream settings. However, the DfES acknowledges that there are occasions when a child with SEN cannot be educated in a mainstream setting but this is restricted to ‘where the child’s inclusion would be incompatible with the efficient education of other children’. Currently Knowsley has the highest proportion of pupils with moderate learning difficulties educated in special schools when benchmarked against other local authorities in the North West. This is against the principle that children with moderate learning difficulties should be able to have their needs met in a mainstream learning environment. Further, since 1999 Knowsley has consistently exceeded the national average for the percentage of pupils with statements, although we have made efforts to reduce the actual number of statements. As such Knowsley places more primary pupils with statements in special schools regionally and we are 3rd highest for placing secondary age pupils in special education provision (DfES Benchmarking Special Educational Needs in the Northwest and Merseyside, 2005).

4.7.2 21st Century Learning Environments to Support Special Education Needs

We are committed to developing world class modern education buildings

which are inclusive. This includes enhancing facilities for pupils with SEN in our learning centres as well as developing appropriate modern facilities for those with more complex educational needs. As such we will continue to explore and research national and international best practice in the provision of SEN in order to inform our model of a 21st Century learning environment. This is contained in more detailed in section 4.2.1.3.

4.7.3 Commissioning and Resource Allocation for SEN Research by the Audit Commission has raised questions over the

compatibility of the current SEN funding system with the promotion of early intervention. Whilst recognising that the statutory assessment was a costly and bureaucratic process the research found that 68% of SEN resources were focused on pupils with statements. This compounds the belief by some parents that to access specialist support can only be achieved by a statement of special educational needs. Knowsley has been successful in reducing the number of statements and has an agreement that 2.25% of the funding which schools receive for individual pupils should be used to fund SEN provision together with additional funding from the LEA. We have also introduced bands of learning difficulty in 2004 which has made decision-making about SEN funding more transparent and equitable. In addition there has been a review of the statementing criteria and targeted annual reviews to ensure that statements are appropriate to need. In line with the development of a commissioning framework (section

57

4.6.1.) we will be reviewing our process for accessing and allocating funding for SEN particularly in supporting short-term placements and a revolving door principle.

4.7.4 Partnership & Collaborative Working The DfES 5 Year Strategy for Children and Learners (2004)

acknowledges the important role that special schools have in educating children with the most complex needs and sharing their expertise with mainstream schools in supporting inclusion. This may be delivered through partnerships, federations and clusters with movement of teachers and pupils across sectors with a greater use of dual placements and transition to mainstream school. This is clearly reflected in the Knowsley SEN policy that states that special schools should ‘establish increased links with mainstream schools and ensure that they are an integral part of an inclusive education system’. The ideal being a flexible range of provision that offers appropriate expertise to support each child’s individual needs. There have been significant links between Newstead Centre (Pupil Referral Unit) and mainstream schools in addressing the needs of pupils who present with challenging behaviours. Following a borough-wide behaviour audit, several ‘high need’ schools were identified and there has been targeted input from the Newstead Centre in support of these schools. A recent monitoring visit for one such school remarked on improvements in behaviour in the school. It is anticipated that there should be increasing flexibility in links between special schools and mainstream schools to share expertise in this way. This is reflected in our proposals for special schools in section 5.11.

4.8 PROPOSITION 10 – GOVERNANCE FOR 21st CENTURY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

Principles

In developing governance for 21st Century learning environments, Knowsley will:

• Look to develop governance structures which co lead the system not just with the local authority but with its wider strategic partners – with local Further/Higher Education, with the private sector, with the voluntary sector and the local community. The expectation is that it will create a different dynamic for mutual accountability and quality assurance.

• Move to a scale of Governance that is consistent with the size and

geography of Knowsley and its communities.

58

• Establish as part of the Building Schools for the Future programme a system of governance that will create a new form of system organisation, partnership driven with Learning Centres working as ‘system organisers’.

• Across all schools, develop and formalise collaboration and

federations with inclusion ensured, 14-19 arrangements agreed, specialisms to be agreed, extended school activities organised and, in particular, school improvement strategies maintained that will support system wide improvement.

• Review the role of the local authority in the light of its new strategic

role in the context of the Education and Inspection Bill 2006

4.8.1 System Governance

We have established a Blueprint Group to research models of system

governance for our learning centres as part of the Building Schools for the Future programme. On the basis of their research we will look to enact the following :-

• We look to create a ‘Knowsley Strategic Education Partnership’ commencing with work in the secondary phase which will harness the collective resources and expertise in a system-wide structure which is fit for purpose, drawn from education and beyond. The partnership will be a learner centred, quality driven, performance orientated, self regulating body which is responsive to its users. It will aim to provide the highest standard of learning opportunities for the children and young people of the borough as well as other members of the local community by working with a range of agencies in order to be responsive to the challenges of learner choice.

• Undertake a ‘field trial’ with the support of Government (in

particular with DfES and DCLG) to further develop the ideas generated from our research under Building Schools for the Future and the learning gleaned from the Children’s Centre development. The expert advice and challenge that can be gained from this ‘field trial’ will help generate the finer detail needed to support the transition to the Knowsley Strategic Education Partnership.

• Federate the temporary governing bodies for each of the new

Learning Centres. This will facilitate a movement to scale within the system and avoid duplication of effort by key stakeholders and partners in the wider community.

• Submit expressions of interest to Government for Targeted Capital Fund aimed at supporting federations of schools with shared

59

Governance. 4.9 PROPOSITION 11 – LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT OF 21st

CENTURY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS Principles

If we are to respond to the challenges of 21st Century learning environments including, new partnership and governance arrangements, new curriculum developments and extended and integrated children’s services then we must also transform the leadership and management arrangements of our learning environments. We will:

• Explore new leadership and management models based on local, national and international best practice.

• Develop new structures, operations, roles and responsibilities 4.9.1 Exploring new leadership and management models

Knowsley’s Building Schools for the Future programme will create new

learning centres defined by new partnership arrangements with our private sector partner as well as other agencies and the community and voluntary sectors to offer a range of services for young people and communities which go beyond traditional learning boundaries. In order to manage the diversity of partners and new services, this requires us to address how we lead and manage our learning centres. Development work has begun under the Building Schools for the Future programme to explore new leadership and management models. A Blueprint Group has been established with Head Teachers to research local, national and international best practice in leadership and management across the public, private and voluntary community sectors. The group has worked to research a range of profiles, skills and competencies appropriate for the leadership and management of 21st Century learning environments. Research from the National College of School Leadership (NCSL) has identified a model of school leadership in urban environments. The challenge to manage schools in urban areas whilst overcoming legacies of neglect, alienation, and disengagement from education by some communities requires a people-centred approach by a school leadership which can read the community itself, responding to difference and provide for local needs. To achieve this it requires distributed leadership across the whole school community. To be a leader in most urban schools the NCSL suggests that this requires a character that energises and builds capacity of staff; that is optimistic and extends a vision by listening to ideas; who benchmarks improvement; and who acts as ambassador and mediator.

60

The research conducted by the group also focused on learning from experiences in the NHS, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Knowsley has as identified as a result of this research a number of qualities and attributes / skills that would be considered for the leaders of our new Learning Centres. These include: Quality Attributes / Skills

Interpersonal Skills Emotional Intelligence; Self Awareness;

Self Management; Decision Making, Supportive; Coaching; Respectful; Managing Conflict; Strong Communication; Pro-active

Strategic Leadership Visioning; Policy Development; Partnership Working; Influencing and Negotiating; Innovative; Advocacy; Political Astuteness; Change management

Operational Management Planning; Resource Deployment; Target Setting; Financial Management; Health and Safety; People Management and Human Resources

Community Leadership Community Engagement; Building Social Capital; Promoting and Harnessing Parental Engagement; Media Relations

Professionalism Accountability; Integrity; Commitment; Judgement; Equity

Instructional Leadership Curriculum management; Learning Environment; Use of Technology

The next stage in this process will be to use the evidence gathered in this research to inform the development of management structures, roles and responsibilities ahead of any recruitment processes with respect to Learning Centre leaders. Whilst we have focused upon leadership and management in our secondary phase as a result of the Building School for the Future programme, capital investment in our primaries will be accompanied by an assessment of the fitness for purpose of our primary leadership models to respond to the challenges of delivering the Every Child Matters agenda, Children’s Centres and extended neighbourhood services. We will be evolving our blueprinting process to focus upon leadership and management arrangements in our primary and special schools therefore.

School Re-organisation 5

61

5.1 METHODOLOGY Due to the progress in specific programmes such as Building Schools for

the Future and relative differences in the nature of provision and surplus in different phases of education, specific models for assessing school organisation needs have been deemed appropriate for Primary, Secondary and Special schools accordingly. Secondary and Special school provision are presented in sections 5.10 and 5.11 respectively. The preceding sections present an analysis of primary school provision on an area basis. A summary of the subsequent recommendations in section 6 follows the detailed description of each area, sector and school. In light of the continued falling numbers, financial pressures, and changing National and local policy frameworks, all primary schools are to be reviewed within an analytical framework of pre-determined criteria, formalising the case by case consideration enacted to date and allowing consistent baselines for ongoing monitoring. This gateway review will enable effective decision making which will:

• Maintain continuity of approach between criteria used in the

School’s Commission and Statements of Intent and Implementation

• Take account of new agendas and consider impact on school re-organisation

• Consider the impact of changing demands in response to changes made to date, remodelling need in response to trends affected by proposals already published.

• Take account of the findings of the mainstream formula review

• Prioritise and re-prioritise existing proposals for investment given any changing circumstances

• Identify potential new areas of concern, and areas that have stabilised in response to proposals already agreed

• Consider geographical spread of proposals identifying which communities will be served as a result of changes in respect of the neighbourhood management agenda

• Prioritise proposals to ensure areas of greatest need are identified

The review process is be informed by a series of analyses cross-referencing statutory, published information for each school and each area in addition to further considerations in the following areas –

62

• School Places – trends in numbers on roll for compulsory school age pupils

• Surplus Places – percentage of available places in schools unfilled as per DfES Net Capacity Assessment

• Performance – Contextual Value Added (CVA) measures from Key Stage One to Key Stage Two as published by the DfES in the annual Attainment & Achievement tables for academic year 2005/2006.

• Improvement – Progress in CVA over the last two years. • Cost of refurbishment – prioritising the physical state of the

buildings housing pupils and provision, based upon the survey round completed in May 2006. Stated costs are based upon the combined costs of works considered priority 1 and 2, deemed essential to the successful delivery of a quality education, on a scale of 1 to 4.

• Physical condition – in order to compare relative levels of condition of the buildings, all required works are coded type A to Type D, with D being the worst. Codes are given a value of 1-4 and an average calculated, with a threshold of 1.9 representing the average for schools with mostly Bs and Cs.

The latest available data is utilised in all cases in order to maintain currency of the process. This analysis is intended to inform the decision making process by ensuring that specific areas and schools are identified as priorities for consideration, additional criteria and considerations such as extended services and local context will then be applied to individual cases and area studies. In order to prioritise areas of need, each school will be given a priority of low, medium, and high for school places/surplus, performance and physical condition. For example, in the Huyton and Knowsley Village area, of the twenty four schools providing Key Stage Two education, eight have fewer than 210 pupils (lower quartile), whilst fourteen have a surplus of greater than 25% (DfES defined threshold); however, priority ought to lie with those four schools with fewer than 180 pupils and greater than 25% surplus:

63

Number on Roll <210 >209

12 (low priority)

4 (medium priority)

10 (medium priority)

4 (high priority)

The review process is designed to identify need in each area and sector, rather than identify schools the subsequent recommendations are based upon a much wider consideration of educational, community and external factors on a case by case basis. The results of the analytical criteria will be displayed in the following format:

Number on Roll Contextual Value

Added Condition <210 >209 +ve -ve <1.5 >1.4

<25%

12 12 +ve 12 12

<£17

K

12 12

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

12 12 Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 12 12

Cos

t

>£17

K

12 12

NB: Numbers are for demonstration purposes only

5.2 BOROUGH DESCRIPTION: PRIMARY PROVISION 5.2.1 Knowsley Primary Description of Provision The area is currently served by 59 primary schools providing for 13,414

pupils of compulsory school age, of which 2 are Infant schools (Inf), 2 are Junior schools (Jnr), and 55 are Junior Mixed Infant schools (JMI). Of these, 28 schools serve the Community sector (6,415 pupils), 6 the CofE

S

urpl

us P

lace

s

>25%

<25%

64

sector (1,396 pupils), and 25 the Catholic sector (5,603 pupils).

School Population Trends As reported in the Statement of Implementation (SOI) October 2004, pupil

numbers in primary schools have fallen consistently over the last ten years. Between September 2000 and September 2005 numbers of compulsory school age primary pupils in the mainstream sector fell from 15,652 to 13,414; a drop of 2,238 or 14%. The decline has continued to affect all areas of the borough and all sectors of mainstream schooling with falls of 17% in the Community sector and 10% in the Catholic sector over the last five years. Current provision across the borough has capacity for 18,484 pupils, a surplus of 5041 places, whilst current proposals that have reached the School Organisation Committee for decisions will remove only 748 places. The borough’s 54 remaining primary schools (counting split Infant and Junior schools as one 5-11 provision) consist of five schools with 3 or more forms of entry, twenty one with 1.5 to 2 forms of entry and 28 with 1 form of entry or less, meaning approximately 52% of provision is in smaller schools with continued low levels of demand ensuring that the delivery of primary education within the borough is increasingly dependent upon smaller schools with increased pressures on financial and curriculum viability.

5.2.1.1 Primary Review

Number on Roll Contextual Value Added Condition

<210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

14 (low)

12 (medium) +v

e 20 (low) 3

(medium) <£10

0K

30 (low) 15

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

14 (medium) 17

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 17

(medium) 17 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

6 (medium) 6

(High)

65

5.2.1.2 Catholic Primary

Number on Roll Contextual Value Added Condition

<210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

5 (low)

8 (medium) +v

e 8 (low) 1

(medium) <£10

0K

14 (low) 5

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

3 (medium) 7

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 8

(medium) 6 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

1 (medium) 3

(High)

With current provision of 23 schools the sector has capacity for 7,198 pupils with a surplus of 1,595 places, whilst current proposals that have reached the School Organisation Committee for decisions, will remove only 80 places. The sector’s primary schools (counting split Infant and Junior schools as one 5-11 provision) consists of 1 school with 3 or more forms of entry, 7 with 1.5 to 2 forms of entry and 15 with 1 form of entry or less, meaning approximately 70% of provision is in smaller schools.

5.2.1.3 Community and Church of England Primary

Number on Roll Contextual Value Added Condition

<210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

9 (low)

4 (medium) +v

e 12 (low) 2

(medium) <£10

0K

16 (low) 11

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

11 (medium) 10

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 9

(medium) 11 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

5 (medium) 2

(High)

With current provision of 34 schools the sector has capacity for 11,219 pupils, a surplus of 3,408 places, whilst current proposals that have reached the School Organisation Committee for decisions, will remove 1,314 places. The sector’s 30 remaining primary schools (counting split Infant and Junior schools as one 5-11 provision) consist of 1 school with 3 or more forms of entry, 11 with 1.5 to 2 forms of entry and 18 with 1 form of entry or less, meaning approximately 60% of provision is in smaller schools.

66

The following sections outline specific recommendations and anticipated impact of proposed changes to the schools sector on an area-by-area basis. This allows the impact on the wider school system to be represented on an area basis as the requirements for school re-organisation vary in different parts of the borough, with different pupil number trends and varying sector demands. Proposals are grouped in accordance with Knowsley’s traditional townships to allow changes in, and impact on, individual areas to be seen at a glance. This is for statistical purposes only and does not reflect admissions or area partnership arrangements.

67

5.3 KIRKBY Map of Existing School Provision

5.3.1 Description of Provision The area is served by 14 primary schools providing for 3,498 pupils of

compulsory school age, of which all are Junior Mixed Infant schools (JMI). Of these, 8 schools serve the Community sector (1,862 pupils), 1 the C of E sector (237 pupils), and 5 the Catholic sector (1,399 pupils). Between September 2000 and September 2005 numbers of compulsory school age primary pupils in the mainstream sector fell from 3,973 to 3,498; a drop of 475, or 12%. The decline has continued to affect all sectors of mainstream schooling with falls of 12% in the Community sector and 11% in the Catholic sector over the last five years.

68

Current provision across the area has capacity for 4,810 pupils, a surplus of 1,312 places, whilst current proposals that have reached the School Organisation Committee for decisions, will remove only 361 places. The areas 13 remaining primary schools (counting split Infant and Junior schools as one 5-11 provision) consist of 5 schools with 1.5 to 2 forms of entry and 8 with 1 form of entry or less, meaning approximately 60% of provision is in smaller schools with continued low levels of demand ensuring that the delivery of primary education within the borough is increasingly dependent upon smaller schools with increased pressures on financial and curriculum viability.

5.3.1.1 Primary Review

Number on Roll Contextual Value Added Condition

<210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

4 (low)

1 (medium) +v

e 4 (low) 2

(medium) <£10

0K

7 (low) 5

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

6 (medium) 3

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 4

(medium) 4 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

1 (medium) 1

(High)

School Places Performance Condition Eastcroft Low Low Medium Overdale Medium Medium Medium Park Brow Medium Low Medium Ravenscroft Medium Medium Low Simonswood High High Low St Laurence's Low Medium High St Marie's High Low Low Sts Peter & Pauls Low Medium Low Cherryfield Medium High Low Holy Angels' Medium Medium Medium Kirkby CE Low Medium Medium Millbrook Medium Low Medium St Joseph the Worker High High Low Westvale Medium High Low

NB. ‘Low’, ‘medium’ or ‘high’ refer to priority for action.

69

Key Indicators – 2005/6

Number of Schools 14Number on Roll 3,498Net Capacity 4,810Surplus (No) 1,312Surplus (%) 27.3%Indicated Admission Limit 645

5.3.1.2 Catholic Primary

Number on Roll Contextual Value Added Condition

<210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

2 (low)

0 (medium) +v

e 1 (low) 1

(medium) <£10

0K

3 (low) 1

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

1 (medium) 2

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 2

(medium) 1 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

0 (medium) 1

(High)

Key Indicators – 2005/6

Number of Schools 5Number on Roll 1,399Net Capacity 1,888Surplus (No) 489Surplus (%) 25.9%Indicated Admission Limit 253

Description of Provision

The Kirkby Catholic Primary sector is served by 5 primary schools

providing for 1,399 pupils of compulsory school age. 4 schools provide nursery provision for 222 pupils.

70

5.3.1.3 Community and Church of England Primary

Number on Roll Contextual Value Added Condition

<210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

2 (low)

1 (medium) +v

e 3 (low) 1

(medium) <£10

0K

4 (low) 4

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

5 (medium) 1

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 2

(medium) 3 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

1 (medium) 0

(High) Key Indicators – 2005/6

Number of Schools 9Number on Roll 2,099Net Capacity 2,922Surplus (No) 823Surplus (%) 28.2%Indicated Admission Limit 392

Description of Provision The area/sector is served by 9 primary schools providing for 2,099 pupils

of compulsory school age. 8 schools provide nursery provision for 358 pupils.

5.3.2 Individual school analysis and recommendations 5.3.2.1 Kirkby CE Primary The school currently provides education for 237 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 35 pupils in 2005. This compares to 238 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 35. With capacity for 240 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 3 places, or 1.3%.

Proposal In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-

71

organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004. The Authority will continue to monitor numbers at the school and assist in building upon progress already made towards collaboration with neighbouring schools.

5.3.2.2 Cherryfield Community Primary The school currently provides education for 236 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 31 pupils in 2005. This compares to 273 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 23. With capacity for 391 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 155 places, or 39.6%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

To adopt Option 1 of the Statement of Intent, that is to:- Retain the school on current site as 1 FE. Work with Park Brow school to develop appropriate co-location

opportunities in the context of the removal of surplus accommodation examine the wider implications for each school emerging out of the

impact of the Building Schools for the Future programme in South Kirkby

invest where appropriate in the fabric of each school where appropriate

The Council will continue to monitor numbers at the school and assist in building upon progress already made towards collaboration with neighbouring schools on roll and attainment at each school and reserves the right to return to Option 2, amalgamation with Park Brow Primary School, in the longer term should circumstances point to a further review.

Progress As the position in respect of pupil numbers has not improved, and given

the problems of the poor condition of the Park Brow building, the Authority is minded to return to option 2 in the Statement of Intent.

72

Further Options Please refer the detailed recommendations at section 6.1.1.

5.3.2.3 Park Brow Community Primary The school currently provides education for 265 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 30 pupils in 2005. This compares to 327 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 44. With capacity for 450 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 185 places, or 41.1%.

Proposals As per Cherryfield 5.3.2.2.

Progress As per Cherryfield 5.3.2.2.

Further Options Please refer to detailed recommendations in section 6.1.1. 5.3.2.4 Simonswood Community Primary The school currently provides education for 191 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 24 pupils in 2005. This compares to 191 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 22. With capacity for 259 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 68 places, or 26%.

Proposals • That the Council implements option 1 of the Statement of Intent, that

is to amalgamate Simonswood and Overdale Primary schools on the site of a rebuilt Northwood Learning and Community Campus in place of Ruffwood School in Northwood.

• The new amalgamated primary school will incorporate the services

currently provided by Northern Primary Support Centre and a Children’s Centre. The site will be ‘next door’ to a rebuilt North Kirkby Learning Centre, sharing the same campus. The Council will continue to explore the potential to locate other services and facilities on the wider campus.

• In the unlikely event that the Building Schools for the Future

programme presents obstacles to establish a campus arrangement then the Council will return to option 2 of the Statement of Intent, that is to amalgamate Simonswood and Overdale Primary schools on the site of the Overdale school. Such an approach would also

73

incorporate the services currently provided by Northern Primary Support Centre and a Children’s Centre

• Option 3 of the Statement of Intent, to close Overdale and re-site

Simonswood on the site of the new Ruffwood campus, is not adopted on the groups that consultation suggests that amalgamation is preferred to closure.

• The schools should undergo federation now with a view to the future

amalgamation, to be managed by a single head teacher in the very near future at a time to be agreed by both schools

• As part of the process of amalgamation, a co-leadership approach

will be adopted between the local authority and Simonswood School in respect of standards. While the detail of such an approach would require further exploration it is felt that the record of high attainment of Simonswood School needs to be taken forward within the new amalgamation

• Similarly, a co leadership approach will be adopted between the local

authority and Overdale School in respect of its expertise as an extended School.

• This process might be ably supported by fellow Head teachers in the

context of local collaborative arrangements. • The proposal is allocated a ‘Priority for Investment ‘ranking.

Progress A bid for Targeted Capital Fund has been approved by Government. The

requirement is that the money is deployed and a new school is established. The intention is to implement the project in the context of Building Schools for the Community. The details of this will become clearer on the appointment of a preferred Building Schools for the Future partner expected in late summer or early Autumn 2006. Timescales for implementation are set out in section 7.

5.3.2.5 Westvale Community Primary The school currently provides education for 250 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 22 pupils in 2005. This compares to 322 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 36. With capacity for 420 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 170 places, or 41%.

Proposal In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

74

Rebuilt as a 1 form entry (thirty pupils) school on its present site, in place of the current 2 forms of entry (60 pupils).

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004.

Further Options Please refer to section 3.1.8 with regard to the school’s status in the

Council’s priorities for investment. 5.3.2.6 Millbrook Community Primary The school currently provides education for 246 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 32 pupils in 2005. This compares to 252 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 32. With capacity for 330 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 84 places, or 26%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004. The Authority will continue to monitor numbers at the school and assist in building upon progress already made towards collaboration with neighbouring schools.

5.3.2.7 Overdale Community Primary The school currently provides education for 230 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 37 pupils in 2005. This compares to 274 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 26. With capacity for 330 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 100 places, or 30%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

75

As per Simonswood 5.3.2.4.

Progress As per Simonswood 5.3.2.4 Further Options As per Simonswood 5.3.2.4.

5.3.2.8 Ravenscroft Community Primary The school currently provides education for 203 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 30 pupils in 2005. This compares to 220 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 22. With capacity for 224 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 21 places, or 9%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general. The development of health facilities and integration of other co-located community services should be seen as a model of best practice.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004. The Authority will continue to monitor numbers at the school and assist in building upon progress already made towards collaboration with neighbouring schools.

5.3.2.9 Eastcroft Park Community Primary The school currently provides education for 241 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 29 pupils in 2005. This compares to 298 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 44. With capacity for 278 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 37 places, or 13%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

76

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004. The Authority will continue to monitor numbers at the school and assist in building upon progress already made towards collaboration with neighbouring schools.

5.3.2.10 St Laurence’s Catholic Primary The school currently provides education for 349 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 48 pupils in 2005. This compares to 345 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 51. With capacity for 330 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 0 places.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004. The Authority will continue to monitor numbers at the school and assist in building upon progress already made towards collaboration with neighbouring schools.

5.3.2.11 Holy Angels Catholic Primary The school currently provides education for 403 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 52 pupils in 2005. This compares to 490 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 59. With capacity for 600 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 197 places, or 33%, although this is expected to be reduced significantly during the next DfES net capacity assessment, due to decommissioning of currently unused space.

77

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004. Work is ongoing to develop a new building on the school site in line with earlier recommendations. It is expected to be open and fully operational by September 2007.

5.3.2.12 St Marie’s Catholic Primary The school currently provides education for 181 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 24 pupils in 2005. This compares to 249 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 36. With capacity for 280 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 99 places, or 35%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

To reduce intake from 1.5 forms of entry (forty pupils) to 1 form of entry (thirty pupils) by Sept 06.

Progress The number of admissions places available has been reduced to 40 for

2006 the school are currently consulting on an admissions number of 40 for 2007/08.

Further Options The authority will continue to monitor numbers at the school and assist in

building upon progress already made towards collaboration with neighbouring schools and await impact of new North Kirkby Campus primary provision. The school should look to reduce admissions further as more than one form of entry could threaten the viability of neighbouring schools.

78

5.3.2.13 Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Primary The school currently provides education for 273 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 34 pupils in 2005. This compares to 265 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 30. With capacity for 357 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 84 places, or 24%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

That the school reduce intake from 1.5 forms of entry (forty-five pupils) to 1 form of entry (thirty pupils) by Sept 2007.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004.

Further Options The school should look to reduce admissions further as more than one

form of entry could threaten the viability of neighbouring schools.

5.3.2.14 St Joseph the Worker Catholic Primary The school currently provides education for 193 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 28 pupils in 2005. This compares to 229 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 30. With capacity for 321 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 128 places, or 40%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

That the school reduce intake from 1.5 forms of entry (forty pupils) to 1 form of entry (30 pupils) by Sept 2006.

Progress The number of admissions places available has been reduced to 30. Pupil

numbers continue to remain low and anticipated admissions may not reach one form of entry.

Further Options The Authority will continue to closely monitor numbers at the school and

assist in building upon progress already made towards collaboration with neighbouring schools.

79

5.3.3 Impact of proposed changes The proposed changes to the area’s primary schools and subsequent

planned refurbishment and re-designation of school buildings will prevent surplus places from reaching approximately 1,300 in the 2009/2010 academic year.

Proposals will see the number of schools reduced by one Community school; removing two forms of entry from the Catholic sector and three forms of entry from the Community sector where the significant majority of the current surplus is located.

Reorganisation will effectively reduce the potential intake at reception from approximately 22 forms of entry to 17 forms of entry. Across the area and within each of the school sectors it is apparent that this reduction in available admissions would still meet current demand of approximately 16 forms of entry.

No on Roll

Admissions Capacity

Intake Kirkby Primary

Sector No of Schools

Capacity

No F/E No F/E RC 5 1888 1399 253 8.5 190 6.3CY 8 2682 1862 358 12 235 7.8CE 1 240 237 34 1.1 35 1.2

Current Provision/Demand (2006)

All 14 4810 3498 645 21.5 460 15.3RC 5 1773 1163 200 6.7 200 6CY 7 2436 1467 260 8.7 247 8.2CE 1 240 204 34 1.1 34 1.1

Anticipated Provision/Demand (2010)

All 13 4449 2834 494 16.5 481 16

RC – Roman Catholic

CY – Community CE – Church of England

80

Map of New Proposed School Provision

81

5.4 NORTH HUYTON Map of Existing School Provision

5.4.1 Description of Provision The area is served by 13 primary schools providing for 2,820 pupils of

compulsory school age, of which 11 are Joint Mixed Infants (JMI), 1 a Catholic Infant School, 1 a Catholic Junior school. Of these, 7 schools serve the Community sector (1,459 pupils), and 6 the Catholic sector (1,361pupils). Between September 2000 and September 2005 numbers of compulsory school age primary pupils in the mainstream sector fell from 3609 to 2,820; a drop of 789 or 22%. The decline has continued to affect all sectors of mainstream schooling with falls of 28% in the Community sector and 15% in the Catholic sector over the last five years. Current provision across the area has capacity for 4,120 pupils, a surplus of 1,300 places, whilst current proposals that have reached the School Organisation Committee for decisions, will remove only 411 places. The areas 12 remaining primary schools (counting split Infant and Junior

82

schools as one 5-11 provision) consists of no schools with 3 or more forms of entry, 4 with 1.5 to 2 forms of entry and 8 with 1 form of entry or less, meaning approximately 67% of provision is in smaller schools with continued low levels of demand ensuring that the delivery of primary education within the borough is increasingly dependent upon smaller schools with increased pressures on financial and curriculum viability.

5.4.1.1 Primary Review

Number on Roll Contextual Value

Added Condition <210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

1 (low)

3 (medium) +v

e 7 (low) 0

(medium) <£10

0K

6 (low) 5

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

4 (medium) 5

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 1

(medium) 5 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

1 (medium) 1

(High)

NB. ‘Low’, ‘medium’ or ‘high’ refer to priority for action.

School Places Performance ConditionBeechwood High High MediumBrookside High Low MediumHuyton St Joseph's RC Medium High LowLongview Medium High MediumMosscroft High Medium HighNine Tree Medium Low MediumPark View Medium High MediumRoby Park Medium Low LowSt Aidan's High Low LowSt Albert's High Low LowSt Brigid's Medium Low LowSt Columba's Medium Low MediumSt Dominic's Low High Low

83

Key Indicators – 2005/6

Number of Schools 13Number on Roll 2,820Net Capacity 4120Surplus (No) 1300Surplus (%) 32%Indicated Admission Limit 564

5.4.1.2 Catholic Primary

Number on Roll Contextual Value Added Condition

<210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

1 (low)

2 (medium) +v

e 4 (low) 0

(medium) <£10

0K

5 (low) 1

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

1 (medium) 2

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 0

(medium) 2 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

0 (medium) 0

(High)

Key Indicators – 2005/6

Number of Schools 6Number on Roll 1,361Net Capacity 1,752Surplus (No) 391Surplus (%) 22%Indicated Admission Limit 249

Description of Provision The area/sector is served by 6 primary schools providing for 1,361 pupils

of compulsory school age, of which 4 are Junior Mixed Infant schools (JMI), 1 Infants and 1 Junior school.

84

5.4.1.3 Community and Church of England Primary

Number on Roll Contextual Value Added Condition

<210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

0 (low)

1 (medium) +v

e 3 (low) 0

(medium) <£10

0K

1 (low) 4

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

3 (medium) 3

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 1

(medium) 3 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

1 (medium) 1

(High)

Key Indicators – 2005/6

Number of Schools 7Number on Roll 1459Net Capacity 2368Surplus (No) 909Surplus (%) 38%Indicated Admission Limit 315

Description of Provision The area/sector is served by 7 primary schools providing for 1,459 pupils

of compulsory school age, of which all are Junior Mixed Infant schools (JMI).

5.4.2 Individual school analysis and recommendations 5.4.2.1 Roby Park Community Primary The school currently provides education for 260 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 40 pupils in 2005. This compares to 325 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 42. With capacity for 349 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 89 places, or 26%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

That the school reduce intake from 1.5 forms of entry (fifty pupils) to 1 form of entry (thirty pupils).

85

Progress An admission number of 30 has been set for September 2006 intake, at

the time of publication no pupil has been refused a place.

5.4.2.2 Park View Primary School The school currently provides education for 328 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 37 pupils in 2005. This compares to 488 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 57. With capacity for 584 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 256 places, or 44%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

To reduce intake from 2.5 forms of entry (eighty pupils) to 1.5 form of entry (45 pupils).

Progress The school governing body has reduced the admission number to 60

places for September 2006.

Further Options The school should look to reduce admissions further as more than 1.5

forms of entry could threaten the viability of neighbouring schools, and alternative Community school provision within the area is adequate to meet anticipated demand. In common with those local schools contributing to high surplus places (St Aloysius; Longview; Park View and St Columba’s) the authority is minded to monitor numbers on roll and vigorously promote further collaborative working between these schools via the North Huyton Learning Collaborative.

5.4.2.3 Longview Community Primary The school currently provides education for 264 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 25 pupils in 2005. This compares to 336 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 58. With capacity for 354 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 90 places, or 25%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

That the school reduce intake from 1.5 forms of entry (fifty pupils) to 1

86

form of entry (thirty pupils).

Progress Having set the admission limit for the school at 30 for September 2006,

the governing body may submit a subsequent request to increase to 60 following the closure of Beechwood and re-designation of pupils to Longview.

Further Options In common with those local schools contributing to high surplus places (St

Aloysius; Longview; Park View and St Columba’s) the authority is minded to monitor numbers on roll and vigorously promote further collaborative working between these schools via the North Huyton Learning Collaborative.

5.4.2.4 Beechwood Community Primary The school currently provides education for 111 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 12 pupils in 2005. This compares to 182 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 24. With capacity for 298 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 187 places, or 63%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

• Close Beechwood Primary and distribute pupils to other schools in

the area subject to parental choice. It is felt that Longview, Brookside and Park View schools are the most likely recipients based upon the current residence of existing pupils.

• The Council will work with New Deal for Communities to establish complementary services for children in the area in the context of the development of Children’s Centres, but not on the current school site. It will be for New Deal for Communities working alongside agencies in the area to determine as per its plan.

• Brookside Primary retains the community primary presence in the NDC area until relocated to Stockbridge Village

Progress The recommendations have been successfully taken through the

appropriate consultation and committee procedures, and the school will close on 31st August 2006.

5.4.2.5 Mosscroft Community Primary The school currently provides education for 175 compulsory school aged

87

children, with an intake of 25 pupils in 2005. This compares to 253 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 34. With capacity for 273 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 98 places, or 36%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

That Option 2 of the Statement of Intent is adopted, that Mosscroft school pursues a form of federation with St Gabriel’s. This should be subject to the agreement of Mosscroft School and would require further detailed discussions This federation is characterised by the further development of Mosscroft as a site for co-located facilities in the context of wider changes to the delivery of services to children and families

Progress There has been no significant progress towards the proposal in respect of

federation.

Further Options The Authority will continue to monitor numbers at the school and assist in

building upon progress already made towards collaboration with neighbouring schools.

5.4.2.6 Nine Tree Primary School The school currently provides education for 116 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 10 pupils in 2005. This compares to 117 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 16. With capacity for 150 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 34 places, or 23%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

• Amalgamate Brookside Primary School and Nine Tree Primary

School on the Brookside site at the earliest suitable time • Undertake a technical analysis of the Brookside site to determine

its suitability to accommodate pupils and the need for short term investment

• Develop a new Children’s Centre on the Brookside site • The process goes ahead within the context of the North Huyton

Learning collaborative • The Council continues to work to identify both the resources and

available and to build a new community primary school in

88

Stockbridge Village as set out in the Statement of Intent.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004.

Further Options Please refer to the detailed recommendations at section 6.2.3 5.4.2.7 Brookside Community Primary The school currently provides education for 205 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 26 pupils in 2005. This compares to 315 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 41. With capacity for 360 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 155 places, or 43%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

As per Nine Tree 5.4.2.6

Progress As per Nine Tree 5.4.2.6

Further Options Please refer to the detailed recommendations at section 6.2.3

5.4.2.8 St Dominic’s Catholic Infants and Juniors The schools currently provide education for 350 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 48 pupils in 2005. This compares to 54 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 407. With capacity for 420 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 70 places, or 17%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

• The schools are already hard federated under a single Governing

body and Head teacher and that this arrangement continue • That a new school is built subject to the availability of capital

resources • The schools are formally amalgamated at that time • That the new school is likely to be sited at Horn Smithies in North

89

Huyton in line with New Deal for Communities proposals, the potential to co-locate with other services to children and families, the proximity to both St Dominic’s Church and the proposed joint Christian secondary school.

Progress The two schools have successfully federated Further Options Please refer to the detailed recommendations at section 6.2.

5.4.2.9 St Aidan’s Catholic Primary The school currently provides education for 178 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 22 pupils in 2005. This compares to 250 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 31. With capacity for 270 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 92 places, or 34%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004

5.4.2.10 St Albert’s Catholic Primary The school currently provides education for 192 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 15 pupils in 2005. This compares to 244 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 35. With capacity for 270 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 78 places, or 29%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

• To adopt Option 1 in the Statement of Intent – amalgamation on

the St Brigid’s site following the approach set out below.

90

• Undertake a technical analysis of the St Brigid’s site to determine suitability with a view to both schools amalgamating on that site as a 2 form entry Catholic Primary School serving Catholic families in and around Stockbridge Village (50 pupils per year group)

• Undergo federation now with a view to future amalgamation, with both schools to be managed by a single Head teacher, in the near future at a time to be agreed by both schools

• New management and Governance arrangements to be developed to support new arrangements

• The process goes ahead within the context of the North Huyton Learning collaborative

• The developing Space for Sport and the Arts facility supports the school’s out of hours and community provision

• Further work is undertaken as to how an expanded and modernised site could house additional co-located services to support the local community

• Should the amalgamation progress, nursery provision currently at St Albert’s would relocate to St Brigid’s, subject to the suitability of the building.

Progress There has been no significant progress against proposals. The admission

number at St Albert’s for 2007/08 has been reduced to 30 (previously 35).

Further Options Please refer the detailed recommendations at section 6.2.2

5.4.2.11 St Brigid’s Catholic Primary The school currently provides education for 203 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 29 pupils in 2005. This compares to 201 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 28. With capacity for 209 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 6 places, or 3%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

As per St Albert’s 5.4.2.10

Progress There has been no significant progress against proposals.

Further Options Please refer to the detailed recommendations at section 6.2.2

91

5.4.2.12 St Columba’s Catholic Primary The school currently provides education for 234 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 29 pupils in 2005. This compares to 270 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 45. With capacity for 343 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 109 pupils, or 32%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

That the school reduce the admissions number from 1.5 forms of entry to one form of entry.

Progress The admission number for September 2006 has been reduced to one

form of entry (30 places)

Further Options In common with those local schools contributing to high surplus places (St

Aloysius; Longview; Park View and St Columba’s) the authority is minded to monitor numbers on roll and vigorously promote further collaborative working between these schools via the North Huyton Learning Collaborative.

5.4.2.13 Huyton St Joseph’s Catholic Primary The school currently provides education for 204 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 24 pupils in 2005. This compares to 221 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 30. With capacity for 240 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 36 places, or 15%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

92

of Implementation 2004.

5.4.3 Impact of Proposed Changes The proposed changes to the area’s primary schools and subsequent

planned refurbishment and re-designation of school buildings will prevent surplus places from reaching approximately 50% in the 2009/2010 academic year. Proposals will see the number of schools reduced by one Community school; removing no forms of entry from the Catholic sector and three and a half forms of entry from the Community sector where the significant majority of the current surplus is located. Re-organisation will effectively reduce the potential intake at reception from approximately 19 forms of entry to 15 forms of entry. Across the area and within each of the school sectors it is apparent that this reduction in available admissions would still meet current demand of approximately 12 forms of entry.

No on Roll

Admissions Capacity

Intake North Huyton Primary

Sector No of Schools

Capacity

No F/E No F/E RC 6 1752 1361 249 8.3 167 5.6CY 7 2368 1459 315 10.5 175 5.8CE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Current Provision/Demand (2006)

All 13 4120 2820 564 18.8 342 11.4RC 6 1712 976 245 8.2 151 5CY 6 1997 1066 206 6.9 164 5.5CE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Anticipated Provision/Demand (2010)

All 12 3709 2042 451 15 315 10.5

RC – Roman Catholic CY – Community CE – Church of England

93

Map of New Proposed School Provision

94

5.5 KNOWSLEY VILLAGE Map of Existing School Provision

5.5.1 Description of Provision The area is served by 2 primary schools providing for 281 pupils of

compulsory school age, of which both are Junior Mixed Infant schools (JMI). Of these, 1 schools serves the Community sector (132 pupils), and 1 the Catholic sector (149 pupils). Between September 2000 and September 2005 numbers of compulsory school age primary pupils in the mainstream sector fell from 337 to 281; a drop of 56 or 17%. The decline has continued to affect all sectors of mainstream schooling with falls of 27% in the Community sector and 4% in the Catholic sector over the last five years. Current provision across the area has capacity for 354 pupils, a surplus of 73 places. The area’s 2 primary schools both have less than 1 form of entry, meaning 100% of provision is in smaller schools with continued low levels of demand ensuring that the delivery of primary education within the borough is increasingly dependent upon smaller schools with

95

increased pressures on financial and curriculum viability. In the next five years anticipated demand is expected to be 40 pupils, with a total number on roll of 233.

5.5.1.1 Primary Review

Number on Roll Contextual Value Added Condition

<210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

0 (low)

1 (medium) +v

e 1 (low) 0

(medium) <£10

0K

1 (low) 1

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

0 (medium) 1

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 0

(medium) 1 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

0 (medium) 0

(High)

NB. ‘Low’, ‘medium’ or ‘high’ refer to priority for action.

Key Indicators – 2005/6

Number of Schools 2Number on Roll 281Net Capacity 354Surplus (No) 73Surplus (%) 20.6%Indicated Admission Limit 50

5.5.2 Individual School analysis and recommendations 5.5.2.1 Knowsley Village Primary The school currently provides education for 132 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 21 pupils in 2005. This compares to182 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 27. With capacity for 210 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 78 pupils, or 37%.

School Places Performance ConditionKnowsley Village High High LowSt John Fisher Medium Low Medium

96

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004.

Further Options As per St John Fisher 5.5.2.2

5.5.2.2 St John Fisher Catholic Primary School The school currently provides education for 149 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 19 pupils in 2005. This compares to 155 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 26. With capacity for 144 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 0 places.

Proposal In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004.

Further Options Considering that numbers are expected to fall to one form entry between

the two schools the two schools should look to develop joining arrangements that is supported by all parties. The Borough has made significant progress in developing new models of collaboration between

97

community and voluntary aided schools and there is potential here to take this work forward.

RC – Roman Catholic

CY – Community CE – Church of England

Map of New Proposed School Provision

No on Roll

Admissions Capacity

Intake Knowsley Village Primary

Sector No of Schools

Capacity

No F/E No F/E RC 1 144 149 30 1 19 0.7CY 1 210 132 20 0.7 21 0.7CE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Current Provision/Demand (2006)

All 2 354 281 50 1.7 40 1.3RC 1 144 126 30 1 20 0.7CY 1 210 107 20 0.7 20 0.7CE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Anticipated Provision/Demand (2010)

All 2 354 233 50 1.7 40 1.3

98

5,6 SOUTH HUYTON Map of Existing School Provision

5.6.1 Description of Provision The area is served by 10 primary schools providing for 2,911 pupils of

compulsory school age, of which 1 is an Infant school (Inf), 1 is a Junior school (Jnr), and 8 are Junior Mixed Infant schools (JMI). Of these, 3 schools serve the Community sector (859 pupils), 2 the C of E sector (607 pupils), and 4 the Catholic sector (1,445pupils). Between September 2000 and September 2005 numbers of compulsory school age primary pupils in the mainstream sector fell from 3,329 to 2,911; a drop of 418 or 13%. The decline has continued to affect all sectors of mainstream schooling with falls of 20% in the Community sector and 8% in the Catholic sector over the last five years. Current provision across the area has capacity for 3,754 pupils, a surplus of 843 places, whilst current proposals that have reached the School Organisation Committee for decisions, will remove only 230 places. The areas 9 primary schools (counting split Infant and Junior schools as one 5-11 provision) consist of 1 schools with 3 or more forms of entry, 4 with 1.5 to 2 forms of entry and 4 with 1 form of entry or less, meaning approximately 44% of provision is in smaller schools with continued low levels of demand ensuring that the delivery of primary education within the borough is increasingly dependent upon smaller schools with increased pressures on financial and curriculum viability.

99

5.6.1.1 Primary Review

Number on Roll Contextual Value Added Condition

<210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

2 (low)

4 (medium) +v

e 3 (low) 1

(medium) <£10

0K

6 (low) 2

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

3 (medium) 0

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 2

(medium) 3 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

1 (medium) 0

(High)

NB. ‘Low’, ‘medium’ or ‘high’ refer to priority for action.

Key Indicators – 2005/6

Number of Schools 9Number on Roll 2,911Net Capacity 3,754Surplus (No) 843Surplus (%) 32%Indicated Admission Limit 493

School Places Performance ConditionBlacklow Brow Medium Medium LowHuyton-with-Roby Low Low LowMalvern Medium Medium LowSt Agnes Medium High LowSt Aloysius Medium Low LowSt Anne's Medium Medium MediumSt Gabriel's Medium High LowSt Margaret Mary's Low High MediumThe Sylvester Medium Low Medium

100

5.6.1.2 Catholic Primary

Number on Roll Contextual Value Added Condition

<210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

1 (low)

2 (medium) +v

e 1 (low) 0

(medium) <£10

0K

2 (low) 1

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

1 (medium) 0

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 1

(medium) 2 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

1 (medium) 0

(High)

Key Indicators – 2005/6

Number of Schools 4Number on Roll 1,445Net Capacity 1,841Surplus (No) 396Surplus (%) 22%Indicated Admission Limit 240

Description of provision The area/sector is served by 4 primary schools providing for 1445 pupils of

compulsory school age, of which 1 are Infant schools (Inf), 1 are Junior schools (Jnr), and 2 are Junior Mixed Infant schools (JMI).

5.6.1.3 Community and Church of England Primary

Number on Roll Contextual Value Added Condition

<210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

1 (low)

2 (medium) +v

e 2 (low) 1

(medium) <£10

0K

4 (low) 1

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

2 (medium) 0

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 1

(medium) 1 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

0 (medium) 0

(High)

101

Key Indicators – 2005/6

Number of Schools 5Number on Roll 1466Net Capacity 1913Surplus (No) 447Surplus (%) 23%Indicated Admission Limit 253

Description of provision The area/sector is served by 5 primary schools providing for 1466 pupils of

compulsory school age, of which all are Junior Mixed Infant schools (JMI).

5.6.2 Individual School analysis and recommendations

5.6.2.1 Huyton-with-Roby CE Primary The school currently provides education for 425 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 60 pupils in 2005. This compares to 430 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 60. With capacity for 420 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 0 places.

Proposals

In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed: Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004.

5.6.2.2 St Gabriel’s CE Primary The school currently provides education for 182 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 27 pupils in 2005. This compares to 205 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 27. With capacity for 210 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 28 places, or 13%.

102

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

• That Option 2 of the Statement of Intent is adopted, that St

Gabriel’s stays on its existing site and pursues a form of federation with Mosscroft School. This should be subject to the agreement of Mosscroft School and would require further detailed discussions

• This federation is characterised by the further development of Mosscroft as a site for co-located facilities in the context of wider changes to the delivery of services to children and families

A review of traffic and health and safety issues at St Gabriel’s is undertaken to address ways in which the existing site may be improved

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004.

Further Options The authority will continue to monitor numbers at the school and assist in

building upon progress already made towards collaboration.

5.6.2.3 The Sylvester Community Primary The school currently provides education for 305 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 32 pupils in 2005. This compares to 414 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 61. With capacity for 507 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 202 places, or 40%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

• Sylvester Community Primary School is rebuilt as a 1 Form Entry (30

pupils per year group) • It is given a ‘Priority for Investment ‘ ranking. • A Children’s Centre is established on the site

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004.

103

Further Options Please refer to section 3.1.8 with regard to the school’s status in the

Council’s priorities for investment.

5.6.2.4 Malvern Community Primary The school currently provides education for 354 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 54 pupils in 2005. This compares to 501 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 66. With capacity for 566 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 212 places, or 38%.

Proposals

In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed: Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004.

Further Options The authority will continue to monitor numbers at the school and assist in

building upon progress already made towards collaboration.

5.6.2.5 Blacklow Brow Community Primary The school currently provides education for 200 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 31 pupils in 2005. This compares to 209 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 30. With capacity for 210 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 10 places, or 5%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

104

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004.

5.6.2.6 St Agnes Catholic Primary The school currently provides education for 159 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 16 pupils in 2005. This compares to 187 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 26. With capacity for 210 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 51 places, or 24%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

That Option 2 is adopted, that the school is retained as 1 form entry school but continue to monitor numbers.

Progress Since accepting option 2, numbers on roll in the area have continued to

fall, and current and anticipated combined intakes of St Agnes and St Anne’s are no higher than 1.5 forms of entry.

Further Options Please to refer the detailed recommendations at section 6.3.1

5.6.2.7 St Anne’s Catholic Primary School The school currently provides education for 206 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 30 pupils in 2005. This compares to 203 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 27. With capacity for 247 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 41 places, or 17%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed –

That Option 2 is adopted, that the school is retained as a 1 form entry school but continue to monitor numbers.

Progress As per St Agnes 5.6.2.6

105

Further Options Please refer the detailed recommendations at section 6.3.1

5.6.2.8 St Margaret Mary's Catholic Infants and Juniors The schools currently provide education for 814 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 110 pupils in 2005. This compares to 851 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 120. With capacity for 910 pupils, the schools currently have a surplus of 96 places, or 11%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed –

Although the schools were largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004.

Further Options The authority will continue to monitor numbers at the school and assist in

building upon progress already made towards collaboration as the schools explore closer partnership arrangements.

5.6.2.9 St Aloysius Catholic Primary The school currently provides education for 266 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 48 pupils in 2005. This compares to 329 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 44. With capacity for 474 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 208 pupils, or 44%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed –

That the school should reduce intake from 2 forms of entry (sixty pupils) to 1 form of entry (thirty pupils).

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

106

of Implementation 2004.

Further Options The school should look to reduce admissions further as more than 1 forms

of entry could threaten the viability of neighbouring schools, and alternative school provision within the area is adequate to meet anticipated demand. In common with those local schools contributing to high surplus places (St Aloysius; Longview; Park View and St Columba’s) the authority is minded to monitor numbers on roll and vigorously promote further collaborative working between these schools via the North Huyton Learning Collaborative.

5.6.3 Impact of proposed changes

The proposed changes to the area’s primary schools and subsequent

planned refurbishment and re-designation of school buildings will prevent surplus places from reaching approximately 40% in the 2009/2010 academic year. Re-organisation will effectively reduce the potential intake at reception from approximately 17 forms of entry to 14 forms of entry. Across the area and within each of the school sectors it is apparent that this reduction in available admissions would still meet current demand of approximately 14 forms of entry.

No on Roll

Admissions Capacity

Intake South Huyton Primary

Sector No of Schools

Capacity

No F/E No F/E RC 4 1841 1445 240 8 204 6.8CY 3 1283 859 163 5.4 117 3.9CE 2 630 607 90 3 87 2.9

Current Provision/Demand (2006)

All 9 3754 2911 493 16.4 408 13.6RC 4 1750 1146 210 7 182 6.1CY 3 1144 631 120 4 96 3.2CE 2 630 491 90 3 78 2.6

Anticipated Provision/Demand (2010)

All 9 3524 2268 420 14 356 11.9

RC – Roman Catholic CY – Community CE – Church of England

107

Map of New Proposed School Provision

108

5.7 PRESCOT AND WHISTON Map of Current School Provision

5.7.1 Description of Provision The area is served by 9 primary schools providing for 2,007 pupils of

compulsory school age, of which all are Junior Mixed Infant schools (JMI). Of these, 5 schools serve the Community sector (1,364 pupils), 1 the C of E sector (118 pupils), and 3 the Catholic sector (525 pupils). Between September 2000 and September 2005 numbers of compulsory school age primary pupils in the mainstream sector fell from 2,130 to 2,007; a drop of 123 or 5%. The decline has continued to affect all sectors of mainstream schooling with falls of 5% in the Community sector and 7% in the Catholic sector over the last five years. Current provision across the borough has capacity for 2,710 pupils, a surplus of 703 places, whilst current proposals that have reached the School Organisation Committee for decisions, will remove only 395 places. The areas 8 remaining primary schools consist of no schools with

109

3 or more forms of entry, 4 with 1.5 to 2 forms of entry and 4 with 1 form of entry or less, meaning 50% of provision is in smaller schools with continued low levels of demand ensuring that the delivery of primary education within the borough is increasingly dependent upon smaller schools with increased pressures on financial and curriculum viability.

5.7.1.1 Primary Review

Number on Roll Contextual Value Added Condition

<210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

3 (low)

1 (medium) +v

e 2 (low) 0

(medium) <£10

0K

5 (low) 2

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

1 (medium) 4

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 4

(medium) 3 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

1 (medium) 1

(High)

NB. ‘Low’, ‘Medium’ or ‘High’ refers to priority for action.

Key Indicators – 2005/6

Number of Schools 9Number on Roll 2,007Net Capacity 2,710Surplus (No) 703Surplus (%) 25.9%Indicated Admission Limit 359

School Places Performance ConditionEvelyn Low Low MediumHalsnead Low High LowOur Lady's Medium Medium LowPrescot Low Medium LowSouthmead High High MediumSt Leo's High Low HighSt Luke's High Medium LowSt Mary's & St Paul's High Medium MediumWhiston Willis Medium High Low

110

5.7.1.2 Catholic Primary

Number on Roll Contextual Value

Added Condition <210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

0 (low)

1 (medium) +v

e 1 (low) 0

(medium) <£10

0K

2 (low) 0

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

0 (medium) 2

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 2

(medium) 0 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

0 (medium) 1

(High)

Key Indicators – 2005/6

Number of Schools 3Number on Roll 525Net Capacity 750Surplus (No) 225Surplus (%) 30.0%Indicated Admission Limit 84

Description of provision The area/sector is served by 3 primary schools providing for 525 pupils of

compulsory school age.

5.7.1.3 Community and Church of England Primary

Number on Roll Contextual Value Added Condition

<210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

3 (low)

0 (medium) +v

e 1 (low) 0

(medium) <£10

0K

3 (low) 2

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

1 (medium) 2

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 2

(medium) 3 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

1 (medium) 0

(High)

111

Key Indicators – 2005/6

Number of Schools 6Number on Roll 1,482Net Capacity 1,960Surplus (No) 478Surplus (%) 24.4%Indicated Admission Limit 275

Description of provision

The area/sector is served by 6 primary schools providing for 1482 pupils

5.7.2 Individual School analysis and recommendations 5.7.2.1 St Mary & St Paul’s CE Primary The school currently provides education for 118 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 21 pupils in 2005. This compares to 143 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 24. With capacity 210 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 92 places, or 44%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

That if, in September 2005, there are no indications that the school has increased its reception intake to 1 form of entry (30 pupils per year group), the school be proposed for closure and existing co-located services be relocated at the same time or Option 2, amalgamation with St Luke’s Catholic Primary as a joint Christian School.

Progress The school continues to retain a high proportion of surplus places despite

significant levels of investment.

Further Options The position of the school remains precarious. The local authority is

mindful of the view of its Anglican partners and will continue to monitor numbers for a further year in the context of numbers on roll across the local community.

5.7.2.2 Prescot Primary The school currently provides education for 355 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 56 pupils in 2005. This compares to 369 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 50. With capacity for 445 pupils, the school

112

currently has a surplus of 90 places, or 20%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004. The authority will continue to monitor numbers at the school and assist in building upon progress already made towards collaboration as the schools explore closer partnership arrangements.

5.7.2.3 Halsnead Community Primary The school currently provides education for 398 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 53 pupils in 2005. This compares to 386 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 59. With capacity for 430 places, the school currently has a surplus of 30 places, or 7%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004. The authority will continue to monitor numbers at the school and assist in building upon progress already made towards collaboration as the schools explore closer partnership arrangements.

113

5.7.2.4 Whiston Willis Community Primary The school currently provides education for 301 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 39 pupils in 2005. This compares to 310 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 40. With capacity for 420 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 119 places, or 28%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004. The authority will continue to monitor numbers at the school and assist in building upon progress already made towards collaboration as the schools explore closer partnership arrangements.

5.7.2.5 Southmead Community Primary The school currently provides education for 72 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 8 pupils in 2005. This compares to 122 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 21. With capacity for 210 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 138 places, or 66%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

That Option 1 of the Statement of Intent is pursued in the following way:-

• Close both existing schools and establish a new brand new

Catholic School for the Community on a site that is agreeable to all parties

• The new school is characterised by the Learning environments of the 21st Century as described in the Statement of Intent

• That the new school has guaranteed Governor representation for the community of Lickers Lane

• Undergo federation now with a view to future amalgamation,

114

with both schools to be managed by a single Head teacher, in the near future at a time to be agreed by both schools

• Given the issues outlined in this and previous reports, the proposal of the Council is to attach a ‘ Priority for Investment ‘ ranking

• The Council will work with its partners in the Archdiocese on the wider issue of its contribution to the capital cost

• The new school is designated an extended school and includes a Children’s Centre and explores opportunities for co-located services in areas such as health

Progress The two schools have successfully federated under a single Head

Teacher, with pupils on the site of St Leo’s, and following consultation and subject to ratification by Cabinet, Southmead will close on 31/08/2006. St Leo’s will remain a Catholic School with provision for the community, and current Southmead pupils have been re-designated to St Leo’s. Admissions for 2007/08 have been set at 40 to accommodate any increase. The school’s Foundation stage pupils will be relocated to the Southmead Children’s Centre developed on the current Southmead site, with additional extended services reducing current surplus.

5,7,2,6 Evelyn Community Primary The school currently provides education for 238 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 31 pupils in 2005. This compares to 234 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 33. With capacity for 245 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 7 places, or 3%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004.

5.7.2.7 Our Lady’s Catholic Primary The school currently provides education for 194 compulsory school aged

115

children, with an intake of 26 pupils in 2005. This compares to 191 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 24. With capacity for 177 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 0 places.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004.

5.7.2.8 St Luke’s Catholic Primary The school currently provides education for 193 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 23 pupils in 2005. This compares to 226 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 24. With capacity for 359 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 166 pupils, or 46%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004. The authority will continue to monitor numbers at the school and assist in building upon progress already made towards collaboration as the schools explore closer partnership arrangements.

5.7.2.9 St Leo’s Catholic Primary The school currently provides education for 138 compulsory school aged

116

children, with an intake of 16 pupils in 2005. This compares to 149 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 17. With capacity for 214 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 76 pupils, or 46%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

As per Southmead 5.7.2.5

Progress As per Southmead 5.7.2.5 5.7.3 Impact of proposed changes The proposed changes to the area’s primary schools and subsequent

planned refurbishment and re-designation of school buildings will prevent surplus places from reaching approximately 40% in the 2009/2010 academic year.

Proposals will see the number of schools reduced by one Community school; removing 1.5 forms of entry from the community sector where the significant majority of the current surplus is located. Reorganisation will effectively reduce the potential intake at reception from approximately 12 forms of entry to 11 forms of entry. Across the area and within each of the school sectors it is apparent that this reduction in available admissions would still meet current demand of approximately 9.5 forms of entry.

No on Roll

Admissions Capacity

Intake Prescot & Whiston Primary

Sector No of Schools

Capacity

No F/E No F/ERC 3 750 525 84 2.8 72 2.4CY 5 1750 1364 245 8.2 196 6.5CE 1 210 118 30 1 21 0.7

Current Provision/Demand (2006)

All 9 2710 2007 359 12 289 9.6RC 3 600 478 100 3.3 79 2.6CY 4 1505 1022 205 6.8 169 5.6CE 1 210 122 30 1 20 0.7

Anticipated Provision/Demand (2010)

All 8 2315 1622 335 11.2 268 8.9

RC – Roman Catholic CY – Community CE – Church of England

117

Map of New Proposed School Provision

118

5.8 CRONTON Map of Existing School Provision

5.8.1 Description of Provision The area is served by 2 primary schools providing for 404 pupils of

compulsory school age, of which all are Junior Mixed Infant schools (JMI). Of these, 1 school serves the CofE sector (210 pupils), and 1 the Catholic sector (194 pupils). Between September 2000 and September 2005 numbers of compulsory school age primary pupils in the mainstream sector rose from 363 to 404.

119

5.8.1.1 Primary Review

Number on Roll Contextual Value

Added Condition <210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

1 (low)

1 (medium) +v

e 0 (low) 0

(medium) <£10

0K

1 (low) 1

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

0 (medium) 0

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 2

(medium) 0 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

0 (medium) 0

(High)

NB. ‘Low’, ‘Medium’ or ‘High’ refer to priority for action.

Key Indicators – 2005/6

Number of Schools 2Number on Roll 404Net Capacity 372Surplus (No) -32Surplus (%) 0%Indicated Admission Limit 60

5.8.2 Individual school analysis and recommendations

5.8.2.1 Cronton CE Primary

The school currently provides education for 210 compulsory school aged children, with an intake of 30 pupils in 2005. This compares to 196 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 30. With capacity for 209 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 0 places.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

School Places Performance ConditionCronton CE Low Medium LowHoly Family - Cronton Medium Medium Medium

120

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004.

5.8.2.2 Holy Family Catholic Primary (Cronton) The school currently provides education for 194 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 30 pupils in 2005. This compares to 167 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 20. With capacity for 163 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 0 places.

Proposals

In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed: Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004.

No on Roll

Admissions Capacity

Intake Cronton Primary

Sector No of Schools

Capacity

No F/E No F/ERC 1 163 194 30 1 30 1CY 0 0 0 0 0 0 0CE 1 209 210 30 1 29 1

Current Provision/Demand (2006)

All 2 372 404 60 2 59 2RC 1 163 175 30 1 29 1CY 0 0 0 0 0 0 0CE 1 209 177 30 1 29 1

Anticipated Provision/Demand (2010)

All 2 372 352 60 2 58 2

121

RC – Roman Catholic CY – Community CE – Church of England

Map of New Proposed School Provision

122

5.9 HALEWOOD Map of Existing School Provision

5.9.1 Description of Provision The area is served by 8 primary schools providing for 1,493 pupils of

compulsory school age, of which all are Junior Mixed Infant schools (JMI). Of these, 4 schools serve the Community sector (739 pupils), 1 the CofE sector (224 pupils), and 3 the Catholic sector (530 pupils). Between September 2000 and September 2005 numbers of compulsory school age primary pupils in the mainstream sector fell from 1,911 to 1,493; a drop of 418 or 22%. The decline has continued to affect all sectors of mainstream schooling with falls of 26% in the Community sector and 12% in the Catholic sector over the last five years. Current provision across the area has capacity for 2,297 pupils, a surplus of 804 places, whilst current proposals that have reached the School Organisation Committee for decisions, will remove only 442 places. The areas 6 remaining primary schools consist 1 schools with 3 or more forms of entry, 3 with 1.5 to 2 forms of entry and 2 with 1 form of entry or less,

123

meaning approximately 33% of provision is in smaller schools with continued low levels of demand ensuring that the delivery of primary education within the borough is increasingly dependent upon smaller schools with increased pressures on financial and curriculum viability.

5.9.1.1 Primary Review

Number on Roll Contextual Value Added Condition

<210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

3 (low)

1 (medium) +v

e 3 (low) 0

(medium) <£10

0K

5 (low) 1

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

0 (medium) 4

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 4

(medium) 1 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

1 (medium) 1

(High)

NB. ‘Low’, ‘Medium’ or ‘High’ refer to priority for action.

Key Indicators – 2005/6

Number of Schools 8Number on Roll 1,493Net Capacity 2,297Surplus (No) 804Surplus (%) 35.0%Indicated Admission Limit 312

School Places Performance ConditionHalewood CE Low Low MediumHoly Family - Halewood Low Medium HighMackets High Low MediumNew Hutte High Low LowPlantation Low Medium LowRoseheath High Medium LowSt Andrew Medium High LowSt Mark's High Medium Low

124

5.9.1.2 Catholic Primary

Number on Roll Contextual Value Added Condition

<210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

1 (low)

1 (medium) +v

e 0 (low) 0

(medium) <£10

0K

2 (low) 0

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

0 (medium) 1

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 2

(medium) 1 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

0 (medium) 1

(High)

Key Indicators – 2005/6

Number of Schools 3Number on Roll 530Net Capacity 660Surplus (No) 130Surplus (%) 19.7%Indicated Admission Limit 90

Description of provision The area/sector is served by 3 primary schools providing for 530 pupils of

compulsory school age, of which all are Junior Mixed Infant schools (JMI).

5.9.1.3 Community and Church of England Primary

Number on Roll Contextual Value Added Condition

<210 >209 +ve -ve <1.9 >1.8

<25%

2 (low)

0 (medium) +v

e 3 (low) 0

(medium) <£10

0K

3 (low) 1

(medium)

Surp

lus

Plac

es

>24%

0 (medium) 3

(High) Impr

ovem

ent

-ve 2

(medium) 0 (High)

Cos

t

>£10

0K

1 (medium) 0

(High)

125

Key Indicators – 2005/6

Number of Schools 5Number on Roll 963Net Capacity 1,637Surplus (No) 674Surplus (%) 41.2%Indicated Admission Limit 222

Description of provision The area/sector is served by 5 primary schools providing for 963 pupils of

compulsory school age, of which all are Junior Mixed Infant schools (JMI).

5.9.2 Individual school analysis and recommendations

5.9.2.1 Halewood CE Primary The school currently provides education for 224 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 38 pupils in 2005. This compares to 268 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 36. With capacity for 257 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 33 places, or 13%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

Although the school was largely unaffected by this stage of school re-organisation, numbers on roll will continue to be monitored closely for any downwards trend in intake, whilst all schools, irrespective of their place in this programme, will be actively encouraged to explore the feasibility of extended school roles, community use, and effective collaboration with selected schools and the wider school community in general.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004.

5.9.2.2 Mackets Community Primary The school currently provides education for 56 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 6 pupils in 2005. This compares to 181 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 24. With capacity for 210 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 154 places, or 73%.

126

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

• Mackets Community Primary closes and its children are redirected to

Holy Family or a community school in the Halewood area • The Council will bring forward School Organisation Committee

proposals in the near future • That the new school has guaranteed Governor representation for the

local community The Mackets site is maintained as part of the process to house a new Children’s Centre, foundation stage and neighbourhood nursery as part of the process to consolidate both sites. This consolidation might assess further opportunities to co-locate other local services

Progress The original proposals have been successfully submitted to consultation

and the School Organisation Committee, the school is due to close as of 31/08/2006. Mackets pupils have been re-directed to Holy Family Catholic Primary on the understanding that it operates as a Catholic School for the Community.

5.9.2.3 Roseheath Community Primary The school currently provides education for 108 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 11 pupils in 2005. This compares to 197 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 21. With capacity for 300 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 192 places, or 64%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

• New Hutte and Roseheath Community Primary schools should

be amalgamated on the Roseheath site • The Council will bring forward School Organisation Committee

proposals in the near future • The site will be designated as a Children’s Centre • The existing school on the Roseheath site is rebuilt on that site

ideally planned to fit in with the rebuilt Halewood Learning Centre and Ravenscourt developments as resources allow

• That Southern Primary Support is relocated on to this site as part of its rebuild subject to agreed changes in Special School provision

• That the Council attach a ‘ Priority for Investment ‘ ranking • That the wider issue of public facilities on the Torrington Drive

estate is considered as part of a wider Council approach

127

• That traffic management arrangements around Higher Road be reviewed in light of the amalgamation

Progress The original proposals have been successfully submitted to consultation

and the School Organisation Committee, the school is due to close as of 31/08/2006. A new school will be established on the former Roseheath site named Green Gates Community Primary School, As detailed in section 3.1.8 the Council has submitted an expression of interest to Government to become a pilot for delivery of the Primary Capital Programme locally. If successful this will potentially secure an additional £4 – 5million for capital investment to support the development of a new build for Greengates school. This will also incorporate the services of the Southern Primary Support Centre as a model of integration for children and their families. We expect Government to announce those successful authorities in the autumn.

5.9.2.4 Plantation Community Primary The school currently provides education for 493 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 57 pupils in 2005. This compares to 484 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 69. With capacity for 630 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 137 places, or 22%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

That the school consider reducing the intake from 3 forms of entry (ninety pupils) to 2 form of entry (sixty pupils) in 2007/8 subject to the interim impact of other proposals on the wider Halewood area.

Progress No significant changes have occurred since publication of the Statement

of Implementation 2004.

Further Options The local authority will continue to monitor numbers at the school in the

context of the impact of wider changes to primary schools in the area.

5.9.2.5 New Hutte Community Primary The school currently provides education for 82 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 9 pupils in 2005. This compares to 179 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 21. With capacity for 240 pupils, the school

128

currently has a surplus of 158 places, or 66%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

As per Roseheath 5.9.2.3

Progress As per Roseheath 5.9.2.3

Further Options As per Roseheath 5.9.2.3

5.9.2.6 Holy Family Catholic Primary (Halewood) The school currently provides education for 210 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 26 pupils in 2005. This compares to 202 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 32. With capacity for 240 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 30 places, or 13%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed

– • Holy Family becomes a 1.5FE Catholic School for the Community • Mackets Community Primary closes and its children are redirected to

Holy Family or a community school in the Halewood area • The Council will bring forward School Organisation Committee

proposals in the near future • That the new school has guaranteed Governor representation for the

local community • The Mackets site is maintained as part of process to house a new

Children’s Centre, foundation stage and neighbourhood nursery as part of the process to consolidate both sites. This consolidation might assess further opportunities to co-locate other local services.

Progress As per Mackets 5.9.2.2

5.9.2.7 St Mark’s Catholic Primary The school currently provides education for 125 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 13 pupils in 2005. This compares to 182 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 16. With capacity for 210 pupils, the school

129

currently has a surplus of 85 places, or 41%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

The Liverpool Catholic Archdiocese will give consideration to the future of St Mark’s and St Andrew’s in the light of the falling pupil numbers and the responses of both schools to the Statement of Intent.

Progress There have been some discussions with between the schools and

governors regarding the possibility of moving towards a federation. Admissions number for 2006: St Marks (30) and St Andrews (30). Expected intake Sept 06: St Marks (16) and St Andrews (27).

Further Options The schools are to continue to explore partnership working, however,

given the continued fall in admissions we would look to monitor numbers and reassess in the short term on the basis of wider changes in the area with particular reference to the Mackets/Holy Family proposals.

5.9.2.8 St Andrew The Apostle Catholic Primary The school currently provides education for 195 compulsory school aged

children, with an intake of 27 pupils in 2005. This compares to 218 pupils in 2000, with an intake of 27. With capacity for 210 pupils, the school currently has a surplus of 15 places, or 7%.

Proposals In the Statement of Implementation, October 2004, the Council proposed:

As per St Mark’s 5.9.2.7

Progress As per St Mark’s 5.9.2.7

Further Options As per St Mark’s 5.9.2.7

5.9.3 Impact of proposed changes The proposed changes to the area’s primary schools and subsequent

planned refurbishment and re-designation of school buildings will prevent

130

surplus places from reaching approximately 50% in the 2009/2010 academic year. Proposals will see the number of schools reduced by two Community schools; removing no forms of entry from the Catholic sector and three forms of entry from the Community sector. Reorganisation will effectively reduce the potential intake at reception from approximately 10 forms of entry to 7 forms of entry. Across the area and within each of the school sectors it is apparent that this reduction in available admissions would still meet current demand of approximately 6 forms of entry.

No on Roll

Admissions Capacity

Intake Halewood Primary

Sector No of Schools

Capacity

No F/E No F/ERC 3 660 530 90 3 68 2.3CY 4 1380 739 187 6.2 84 2.8CE 1 257 224 35 1.2 39 1.3

Current Provision/Demand (2006)

All 8 2297 1493 312 10.4 191 6.4RC 3 700 441 90 3 76 2.5CY 2 910 506 100 3.3 78 2.6CE 1 245 191 30 1 32 1

Anticipated Provision/Demand (2010)

All 6 1855 1138 220 7.3 196 6.5

RC – Roman Catholic CY – Community CE – Church of England

131

Map of New Proposed School Provision

132

5.10 SECONDARY PROVISION 5.10.1 Proposals to Date: Statement of Implementation – October 2004 Since 2004 the secondary phase of education in Knowsley has been

dominated by Building Schools for the Future. The Statement of Implementation placed the Building Schools for the Future programme in the context of system wide reform and set out clearly the ambitions of Knowsley to create new forms of partnership at the strategic level involving the private sector; new forms of campus arrangements with co-location of primary, SEN and other services; reformed leadership and management and governance arrangements; and learning environments that are designed to meet the needs of learners in the 21st Century. As such, we proposed to create up to eight new learning centres across the borough from the eleven secondary schools that currently exist that will enable us to provide opportunities to all Knowsley residents in state of the art learning environments.

Progress

The following are the key milestones of the Building Schools for the Future Programme. Those in the past are matter of fact, those in the future are indicative.

• Government approved our Strategic Business Case for eight new learning centres over the months of September to December 2004.

• Government approved our subsequent Outline Business Case on March 2005 and November 2005 (revisions).

• The Council advertised its proposals in the Official Journal of the European Community as is required in contract law on 6th June 2005.

• Pre-qualification Questionnaires and Request for Further Information documentation were received from interested parties in July 2006.

• Responses were assessed and a shortlist of bidders was agreed by Council on 14th September 2006.

• During the Spring through to the Autumn of 2005 significant work was undertaken at Council and school level to develop the specification for the design of new learning environments

• This work was fed into what is known as the ‘Invitation to Negotiate’ - the key Council legal, financial and technical documentation - which was issued to short-listed bidders on December 16th 2005.

• From December 2005 through to March 2006 Bidders, stakeholders and the wider authority engaged to inform bidders’ design concepts

• School Organisation Committee met on the 27th March to agree proposals to close all existing Secondary schools and establish 8 new Learning Centres

133

• Bidders submitted their detailed proposals and designs to the Council on 27th April 2006.

• From April 2006 onward the bids are formally evaluated with the view to recommend a preferred bidder to the Council late August or early September 2006

• Work on the establishment of Temporary Governing bodies is ongoing with the intention to establish them formally by September 2006. The new learning centres are yet to be named and we will work with new temporary Governing bodies and wider stakeholders to establish formal titles, using statutory processes where applicable

• Work is ongoing in relation to models of leadership and management with options intended to go to new temporary Governing bodies by Autumn 2006

• Financial close is expected to be reached with our preferred bidder by January/February 2007 with work commencing on site soon after.

Methodology It is clear that the plans for Building Schools of the Future are required to

be consistent with the local authority’s wider intentions around school place planning and asset management strategy. In the following section we assess the most recent information on numbers on roll at secondary, extrapolate future predictions based on tried and tested methodologies and relate them to our investment proposals under Building Schools for the Future.

134

Map of Existing School Provision

135

5.10.2 KIRKBY Description Current provision in the area constitutes of two Community

Comprehensive Secondary schools with a compulsory school age population of 1,641, and an intake in 2005 of 311 pupils, or 10.4 forms of entry. This compares to 1,994 pupils and an intake of 371 in 2001; and one Catholic High School with a pupil population of 1,202 and an intake in 2005 of 229 pupils, or 7.6 forms of entry. This compares to 1,164 pupils and an intake of 211 in 2001. There is current capacity for 2,481 pupils in the community sector, resulting in a surplus of 840 places, or 30%. Capacity in the Catholic sector is 1,558, resulting in a surplus of 356 places, or 20%, although this provides capacity for the school’s Sixth Form provision.

Agreed Building Schools for the Future Proposals • The Kirkby Campus sited in the Northwood area of Kirkby, which

will deliver education provision for eleven to sixteen year old pupils, through five forms of entry, with the potential to establish a 2FE primary and specialist provision amalgamating the existing Simonswood, Overdale and Northern Primary Support schools. This is subject to approval of an investment plan by Government and the School Organisation Committee.

• Kirkby Catholic Learning Centre, which will provide education for young people between the ages of eleven and eighteen, with six forms of entry. It will be sited in the Southdene area of Kirkby. The learning centre will be based adjacent to the new Kirkby Leisure Centre and there will be physical and operational linkages between the new learning centre and the new leisure centre, which will provide co-located sports and leisure facilities on the site.

• Kirkby Community Learning Centre, which will provide education for

young people between the ages of eleven and sixteen, with four forms of entry. It will be sited in the Southdene area of Kirkby. The centre will provide future opportunities for the investigation of further services on the learning centre site, which may also include co-located services, primary education or the development of SEN provision.

136

Impact

No on Roll

Admissions Capacity

Intake Kirkby Secondary

Sector No of Schools

Capacity

No F/E No F/E RC 1 1558 1202 250 8.3 229 7.6CY 2 2481 1641 468 15.6 311 10.4

Current Provision/Demand (2006) All 3 4039 2843 718 24 540 18

RC 1 - 1040 180 6 200 7CY 2 - 1300 270 9 240 8

Anticipated Provision/Demand (2012) All 3 - 2340 450 15 440 15

Analysis The Kirkby area as a whole has a relatively high primary to secondary

school retention rate of more than 92%.The greater proportion of falling rolls is a reflection of an underlying fall in birth rates and the relative size of cohorts in the primary sector over the last ten years. The latest projected figures have seen little change in overall numbers. The geographical spread of Kirkby secondary intake shows all three schools attracting pupils from across the area, with a bias towards Brookfield Community Comprehensive in the community sector, as a larger proportion of North Kirkby resident pupils attend this school than South Kirkby pupils attend Ruffwood. Analysis shows that All Saints Catholic High School attracts pupils evenly from across the area. It is also attracting increasing numbers of pupils from the community sector. Our Outline Business Case for Building Schools for the Future anticipated 15 FE for the secondary phase in Kirkby in 2010. Our 2012 predictions maintain overall demand at the same level.

Recommendation Given the above analysis of lack of growth and distribution of pupil

numbers, it is recommended that a further review of the viability of the current proposals under Building Schools for the Future is undertaken in the context of a wider review of the area’s needs before the final stages of Building Schools of the Future procurement are completed to ensure that issues of affordability are fully addressed in the context of pupil number trends.

137

5.10.3 CENTRAL KNOWSLEY Description Consisting of schools in Huyton, Prescot and Whiston, current provision in

the area constitutes four Community Comprehensive Secondary schools with a compulsory school age population of 3,309, and an intake in 2005 of 626 pupils, or 21 forms of entry. This compares to 3,398 pupils and an intake of 705 in 2001; and three Catholic High Schools with a pupil population of 1,760 and an intake in 2005 of 294 pupils, or 10 forms of entry. This compares to 2,100 pupils and an intake of 442 in 2001. There is current capacity for 3,914 pupils in the community sector, resulting in a surplus of 605 places, or 15.5%; capacity in the Catholic sector is 2,559, resulting in a surplus of 799 places, or 31.3%.

Agreed Building Schools for the Future Proposals • North Huyton Joint Catholic and Anglican Learning Centre, which

will provide education for young people between the ages of eleven and sixteen. This will be delivered through six forms of entry, with three forms of entry for Catholic provision and three forms of entry for Church of England/community provision. The learning centre will be based on a new site at the heart of the NDC area, on or close to the existing St Edmund of Canterbury site. This will be located close to a possible site for the development of a new primary school which will be developed if sufficient funds can be sourced in line with the proposals made elsewhere in this document. This proposal has also been subject to a feasibility study with a view to becoming an Academy. Progress against this issue is outlined below.

• South Huyton Community Learning Centre, which will provide education for young people between the ages of eleven and sixteen, with eight forms of entry. It will be sited in the south Huyton area close to Huyton town centre. The new learning centre that will provide high quality education for young people and will also carry potential for the development of additional facilities for the wider community. The central location proposed and the size of the site available will allow us to continue to investigate opportunities for the co-location of a range of services on the learning centre site and for the potential to consider other educational provision in the future, such as SEN provision.

• Knowsley Central Community Learning Centre, which will provide education for young people between the ages of eleven and sixteen, with eight forms of entry. It will be sited in Prescot and will also serve the community of Whiston. The learning centre will

138

promote and expand upon existing specialist provision in the area.

• Knowsley Catholic Learning Centre, which will provide education for young people between the ages of eleven and sixteen, with six forms of entry. It will be sited in Whiston and will provide places for young people wishing to access Catholic provision across the central area of the borough. The new Learning Centre will provide high quality facilities for use by the whole of the Prescot and Whiston community and will host the Whiston City Learning Centre.

Progress The Knowsley Academy

In 2005 Knowsley agreed to undertake a feasibility study to establish whether an Academy in the North Huyton part of the Borough should be established. The agreed sponsors would be the Liverpool Catholic Archdiocese and the Anglican Diocese of Liverpool. An expression of Interest was submitted to Government in March 2005, signed by the Catholic Archdiocese, Anglican Diocese, Knowsley Council and the Governors of St Edmund of Canterbury school Governors, with approval to move to feasibility approved by Ministers in July 2005. During the course of this development Government announced that the development and management of its Academies would be integrated with the Building Schools for the Future programme under Partnership for Schools. The Knowsley Academy was anticipated to be the first Academy procured as part of the BSF process. The process of integration demonstrated clear difficulties. As the Knowsley Academy was a pilot for this integration, critical guidance was often absent or in development. The burden on the Building Schools of the Future programme increased as a result. It was clear that Government was not succeeding in blending Academy process with Building School for the Future process. These difficulties were starkly illustrated in the differing approaches to education vision and, in particular, the inability of the education vision for an Academy to adapt to a locally agreed education vision that in itself had been approved by Government as part of the Building Schools for the Future programme (and lauded in the Schools White Paper: Higher Standards: Better Schools for All). From the outset, the feasibility process was also dogged by the issue of sponsorship and the view of sponsors that guidance from the Academies Unit lacked clarity. As the process progressed the absence of an agreement of sponsorship became a worry for all parties. It had been hoped that clarity would have been achieved in advance of the meeting of the School Organisation Committee to assess the proposals for the wider

139

Building Schools of the Future programme as part of a systemic approach. Unfortunately this was not the case and a number of provisos had to be included. On the 3rd April all parties wrote to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools expressing concerns over progress. Following a period of intense discussion between Government and all local parties said parties wrote again to the Secretary of State on 8th May requesting that the Academy Project is abandoned and the initial proposal in our Strategic Business Case of a Joint Catholic and Anglican Learning Centre is reinstated. On 12th June this option was confirmed in principle by Government. Further context to this issue is set out at section 6.2.1 in respect of proposals for St Dominic’s Catholic Infant and Junior schools in North Huyton.

Impact

* after removal of St Edmund of Canterbury ** including 1 Joint RC/CofE Secondary Learning Centre *** including 3 forms of entry in the RC/CofE North Huyton Learning Centre/Academy

Analysis The pupil predictions outlined above are consistent with the case made as

part of the Building Schools for the Future programme

Recommendations No further revision is considered necessary to the existing Building

Schools for the Future proposals in respect of the number or designation. In line with the issues set out above in respect of the failure of the feasibility study into a Knowsley Academy in North Huyton, it is recommended that proposals are submitted to the School Organisation

No on

Roll

Admissions Capacity

Intake Central Secondary

Sector No of Schools

Capacity

No F/E No F/E RC 2* 2559 1760 326 10.9 294 10 CY 4 3914 3309 560 18.7 626 21

Current Provision/Demand (2006) All 6 6473 5069 1066 35.5 920 31

RC 2** - 1350 270 9 251 8.4 CY 2 - 2750 570 19*** 533 17.7

Anticipated Provision/Demand (2012) All 4 - 4100 840 28 783 26

140

Committee establishing a Joint Catholic and Anglican Learning Centre in North Huyton consistent with the initial proposals in the Building Schools of the Future Strategic and Outline Business Cases. It is also recommended that this is undertaken in time to support the appointment of preferred bidder under the Building Schools for the Future Programme.

141

5.10.4 HALEWOOD Description Current provision in the area constitutes one Community Comprehensive

Secondary school with a compulsory school age population of 1,275, and an intake in 2005 of 243 pupils, or 8 forms of entry, this compares to 1,260 pupils and an intake of271 in 1997; there is no Catholic secondary provision within the area. There is current capacity for 1,433 pupils in the community sector, resulting in a surplus of 158 places, or 11%, although this provides capacity for the school’s sixth form provision.

Agreed Building Schools for the Future Proposals • Halewood Community Learning Centre will provide education for

young people between the ages of eleven and eighteen, with eight forms of entry and will promote and expand upon existing specialist arts provision in Halewood.

Impact

No on Roll

Admissions Capacity

Intake Halewood Secondary

Sector No of Schools

Capacity

No F/E No F/ERC - - - - - - - CY 1 1433 1275 250 8.3 243 8.1

Current Provision/Demand (2006) All 1 1433 1275 250 8.3 243 8.1

RC - - - - - - - CY 1 1200 1000 240 8 190 7

Anticipated Provision/Demand (2012) All 1 1200 1000 240 8 190 7

Analysis The most recent pupil predictions have suggested a reduction in

anticipated intake from 8 forms of entry to 7 or 6. Although this reflects the decline in Knowsley primary school admissions, Halewood College currently has a significant intake from Liverpool schools and further investigation of the impact of potential changes to out of borough admissions should be undertaken before reflecting the changes in the planned learning centre.

Recommendations At this stage no further revision is considered necessary to the existing

Building School for the Future proposals.

142

5.11 SPECIAL SCHOOLS The Statement of Implementation made reference to a series of proposals

submitted by the Governors and Head teachers of Special Schools. The Council had not at that stage published any formal proposals relating to changes to Special School provision. It was felt that to include Special Schools in the remit of the Schools’ Commission would have been to complicate an already challenging issue. However, in light of the proposals from the Schools themselves, the Council made some initial recommendations for the future of Special Schools and these were qualified by the need to undertake significant further work in respect of their feasibility It was clear in October 2004 that the context for Special Schools had changed. Since then we have worked to develop further our approach to inclusion and special educational needs. As such we have now developed formally a set of principles by which we will undertake reform in the mainstream and specialist sectors in order to support the needs of all children. These build on the initial recommendations of the Statement of Implementation, and are set in the context of Integrated Children’s Services and the Building Schools for the Future programme. In September 2005, the Council developed a new direction for Integrating Specialist Provision in Knowsley. This is set out in proposition 8 in section 4.7. These principles have been used to inform the development of a series of proposals for the reorganisation of Specials Schools.

The recommendations of the Council are that, subject to consultation, the following proposals are implemented:

5.11.1 Northern Primary Support Centre

The Northern Primary Support centre is to incorporate its services in the amalgamated Simonswood and Overdale Primary Schools as part of the mainstream North Kirkby Learning campus. It will no longer be designated a special school but will offer personalised learning, transition support and provide integrated outreach support to schools in the Northern area partnership. Funding has been secured through Government to establish this.

5.11.2 Central Primary Support Centre

The Central Primary Support Centre is to be re-designated and will offer personalised learning, transition support and integrated outreach support to schools in central Huyton. At present it will remain on it its current site. However, we will continue to explore possible alternative locations should

143

funding become available.

5.11.3 Southern Primary Support Centre

The services of Southern Primary Support Centre are to be integrated on the site of the new Greengates Schools and will be part of a mainstream campus offering offer personalised learning, transition support and integrated outreach support to schools in the Southern Area Partnership. This is subject to the success of the Primary Capital Programme proposal for pilot status as set out in sections 3.1.8 and 5.9.2.3.

5.11.4 Alt Bridge Secondary Support Centre

All Learning Centres developed under Building Schools for the Future will provide for secondary age children with moderate learning and behavioural difficulties on site. The services currently offered at Alt Bridge will be deployed to support the mainstream Learning Centres.

5.11.5 Highfield School

The school will continue to offer specialist support for secondary age pupils with significant emotional, social and behavioural difficulties. It will also develop further integrated service provision and will further enhance its transition role offering support for key Stage 2 pupils.

5.11.6 Newstead Pupil Referral Unit

Whilst Newstead Pupil Referral Unit is not designated as a special school it provides support for pupils excluded from school at year 9 and key stage 4. The unit will continue to provide for such pupils, however it will develop further its transition function and continue its work with the 14-19 Collegiate offering vocational opportunities for pupils needing significant support.

5.11.7 The Elms and Springfield Schools

The two schools are to begin to develop closer working through federative arrangements from 2006 with a view to future amalgamation in order to develop integrated provision for those children and young people with complex physical and learning needs when a dedicated resource centre will be built. We are actively seeking funding to secure this new facility.

144

5.12 CHILDREN’S CENTRES In 2004 we published a Children’s Centre Plan which set out proposals for

the development of 13 Children’s Centres. Plans adopted a campus model approach for Children’s Centres with one school site acting as a ‘hub ‘ site with other partner organisation and schools also contributing to a ‘core offer’. Children’s Centres identified included:

Ward School

Cherryfield St Joseph the Worker Primary school Halewood South Roseheath Primary school Halewood West Mackets Primary school and Holy Family RC Primary

school Northwood Overdale Primary school Page Moss Beechwood Educare Park North Ravenscroft Primary school Park South Westvale Primary school Prescot St Mary and St Paul’s CE Primary school St Bartholomew St Aloysius Catholic Primary school St Michaels Mosscroft Primary school Whiston North Whiston Willis Primary school Whiston South St Leo’ RC and Southmead Primary school Whitefield Kirkby CE Primary school

Work has been ongoing since October 2004 to undertake the necessary

building works to ensure that sites are suitable to accommodate Children’s Centre activities. The first centres will be opened in September 2006 with the remaining to follow by January 2007. Due to the closure of Beechwood School, the centre identified at Beechwood Educare will now be developed on the Longview School site.

The Government intends that by 2010 each community should have a Children’s Centre. We are working towards achieving this. Below sets out our proposals for the development of further Children’s Centres.

The Central Area has been selected for the development of an additional 2 Children’s Centres. This area has a significant under 5s population which under existing plans is currently only catered for by 3 Children’s Centres. This provision is not reflected elsewhere in the borough, whereby both the North and South areas are served by 5 Children’s Centres each.

The criteria for identifying suitable sites was taken from the Children’s Centres guidance issued by Sure Start and also incorporated additional local criteria to reflect local circumstances. As such any proposed Children’s Centre must:

145

• Serve the most 30% disadvantaged wards • Be accessible • Not overlap within the reach of current Children’s Centres • Must serve an area of at least 800 0-5 year olds • A single Children’s Centre can be multi-sited but with integrated

management • Potential sites should already offer some elements of the core offer

and act as a service hub • A qualified teacher is employed on a half time basis • Must address local childcare issues and a good quality nursery /

childcare provision should currently be available on site, as defined by OfSTED and Knowsley’s Quality Assurance kite mark

• Potential sites should not be implicated in proposals for school reorganisation

• Sites should be sustainable and in a good state of repair suitable for refurbishment

• Sites should have suitable capacity to deliver the core offer and accommodate additional services.

The Council will assess all potential sites within the Central Area against

the above criteria. Proposals to establish additional Children’s Centres will be identified shortly.

Specific Proposals for School Reorganisation6

146

The following recommendations for individual schools emerge out of the review of primary school provision across the borough and look to achieve two objectives. Firstly, they look to conclude debates and proposals that commenced under the Schools’ Commission and continued through the Statements of Intent and Implementation. Secondly, they look to complete outstanding issues in the primary estate in advance of the introduction of the Primary Capital Programme. It is expected that its introduction will require a further, substantial assessment of the primary estate and its fitness for Government investment in the context of Children’s Services. Detailed findings for all schools and areas are to be found in the preceding section 5.

6.1 KIRKBY 6.1.1 Cherryfield and Park Brow In 2004 the Council recommended the retention of both schools as one

form entry primaries, with the right reserved to return to option two, to amalgamate as a two form entry school, dependent upon subsequent admission numbers. The authority has chosen to return to the second of the options tabled in 2004 for the following reasons.

• Neither school has seen their intake numbers improve. Cherryfield has 236 pupils compared to 273 in 2000 and Parkbrow has 265 pupils compared to 327 pupils in 2005.

• Consequently surplus places have risen to around 40% on both sites. While it is not disputed that both schools make excellent use of the surplus space it does not deflect from the fact that this is compensatory.

• Both schools require extensive works with a combined repair bill approaching £400,000.

• Both schools serve the Southdene community and while the communities from which the schools draw are distinct in some ways, there is significant overlap.

• The early indications of the Government’s Primary Capital Programme is that investment will only follow a stringent policy of taking out surplus places in such a geographical context. Failure to act in this instance might condemn both schools to a future of low investment, crumbling infrastructure, high surplus places and declining pupil numbers. Pre-emptive action at this stage would constitute a strong case for future investment.

Consequently the following options are proposed:

147

Option 1

• The two schools are amalgamated as a 2 form entry community

primary school on the Cherryfield site subject to a detailed analysis of the site

• The Cherryfield site proposed as it is situated central to the combined communities which the schools serve and will result in the least disadvantage to any current pupils.

• Short term investment is identified to enable the existing Cherryfield school to enable the building to be fit for interim purpose

• The process will entail a detailed reassessment of standards to ensure the quality of education for current pupils.

• A new build school on the same site should be considered as a priority for investment under Primary Capital Programme.

Option 2 The two schools agree to hard federate under a single governing body and single management team on condition that formal amalgamation will take place at the time of investment, in a new build, 2 form entry school on the Cherryfield site.

This option will raise the following issues • It will avoid the need for temporary accommodation, as the current

cohorts will not fit in Cherryfield until larger cohorts in the upper year groups have passed through the schools.

• It will address immediate concerns over standards and ensure the

quality of education for current pupils.

6.2 NORTH HUYTON AND STOCKBRIDGE VILLAGE From the Schools’ Commission through the Statement of Intent and the

Statement of Implementation, the complexities of the North Huyton and Stockbridge Village areas in respect of schooling have been explored in some detail. Both areas suffer from rapidly falling pupil rolls and the need to find solutions grows increasingly urgent. The agreement under the Building Schools for the Future programme to establish a brand new Catholic and Anglican Learning Centre for the whole of the community is critical. The priority given to the local community to the Anglican places is a boost for pupils in North Huyton and Stockbridge Village who would otherwise have to travel to receive secondary education.

148

The challenge is to balance the needs of faith and local community in the primary sector in the same way and to allow much needed investment to follow in the path of local agreement. It is considered that the following proposals will enable all local parties to make further progress and set the context for future investment.

6.2.1 St Dominic’s Catholic Infants and Juniors School

It is a long held ambition of the New Deal for Community regeneration programme in North Huyton to establish a learning and community campus on the site of the existing St Edmund of Canterbury Catholic Comprehensive school including primary provision accessible to the wider community. The Statement of Implementation recommended that a new St Dominic’s Catholic Infant and Primary School be built on the Horn Smithies site in North Huyton and the potential be explored to co-locate with other services for children and families. This was subject to the availability of capital resources and that the schools be formally amalgamated at that time Both schools had confirmed their support of these recommendations. In taking this forward an application for Targeted Capital Funding from the DfES was submitted. This was unsuccessful. A second application was resubmitted by the Archdiocese in 2005. This was once again unsuccessful. The lack of available funding has meant that there has been no progress against these initial recommendations. Since 2004 the situation regarding pupil numbers indicates falling numbers on roll with an intake of 48 pupils in 2005 compared with 54 in 2000. North Huyton New Deal New Future has made available up to £5million regeneration monies to support the development of new primary provision in the New Deal area. However, Government regulations dictate that these monies must be deployed to benefit the community as a whole and not on a denominational basis. The authority is aware of the recent positive discussions between the school governors, representatives of the Catholic Archdiocese, the Anglican Diocese and representatives of the North Huyton New Deal for Communities programme. Consequently the following is proposed:

• The establishment of a new two form entry joint Catholic and Anglican Primary school on the site of the North Huyton Catholic and Anglican Learning Centre as part of a learning and community

149

campus at a point to be agreed that is consistent with the context of Building Schools for the Future, meets the terms and conditions of the funding source and is consistent with the wider New Deal for Communities programme.

• One form of entry is designated as Anglican and is prioritised to North Huyton community in the first instance.

• All implicated parties establish a local working group to liaise with the regional Government Office and the DfES to ensure that the complex funding and legal processes are expedited in line with the interests of all

• The project, along with agreed proposals for primary investment in the Northwood area of Kirkby, is identified as a local pathfinder project to establish world class primary facilities that will inform the deployment of investment in advance of the implementation of Primary Capital Programme. This has been included as part of Knowsley’s expression of interest to Government for pilot status to deliver the Primary Capital Programme locally. Successful authorities will be notified in the autumn.

• The project works closely with existing Joint Catholic and Anglican schools in the Liverpool Catholic Archdiocese and the Anglican Catholic Diocese of Liverpool.

• The existing St Dominic’s Infant and Junior Schools will close upon completion of the new Joint Catholic and Anglican primary school. Pupils will be directed to the new school.

• The proposal is implemented mindful of the wider context of the New Deal for Communities Programme in North Huyton and the ongoing work of the North Huyton Learning Collaborative

The relocation and expansion of provision within the area will have an

impact upon proposals for Stockbridge village, as the close proximity of additional places could threaten the viability of neighbouring schools. These issues are considered in the following two recommendations.

6.2.2 St Albert’s Catholic Primary School and St Brigid’s Primary School

In 2004 the Statement of Implementation proposed the amalgamation of the schools on the St Brigid’s site subject to pupil numbers and the appropriateness of the St Brigids’ site. While site investigations highlighted limits to capacity on this site itself there has been no progress against the wider proposal of amalgamation. The Stockbridge Village area has a clear need for 1.5 forms of entry in the Catholic sector and since 2004 St Albert’s intake has continued to fall to 15 pupils. The proposal for St Dominic’s Infants and Junior Schools set out above also provides critical context as it will extend provision a short distance to the south. The current school community areas of St Albert’s and St

150

Brigid’s do overlap but also have areas which are discrete. It is considered that the case for rationalisation and amalgamation is overwhelming and that this has been the case for some time. Consequently the following is proposed:

• The schools are amalgamated as a 1.5 FE Catholic Primary school on the site of the existing St Albert’s school subject to an appraisal of the sites suitability

• Amalgamation on the St Albert’s site is preferred as it is:

• Of sufficient size to accommodate 1.5 FE • Deemed to have be minimal impact on pupils in respect of

geography and distances travelled from across Stockbridge Village

• Is distanced from the proposed development of St Dominic’s (above).

• Short term investment is identified to enable the existing St Albert’s

site to enable the building to be fit for interim purpose • The rationalisation of surplus places in the area supports the

opportunity for further investment and it is recommended that the site of the amalgamated school is considered as a priority for investment under Primary Capital Programme

• The proposal is implemented mindful of the ongoing work of the North Huyton Learning Collaborative

6.2.3 Ninetree Primary School and Brookside Community Primary School The Statement of Implementation in 2004 recommended amalgamation

on the Brookside site subject to an assessment of the capacity of the Brookside site. The prohibitive costs of this option caused it to be postponed. The above proposals for St Dominic’s, St Albert’s and St Brigid’s schools clearly provide a new context. It has been stated previously that both Brookside and Nintree primary schools primarily serve Stockbridge Village. The school community areas overlap significantly. Both schools have responded positively and responsibly to previous attempts to develop solutions to the problems of falling pupil numbers. However, pupil numbers have continued to give cause for concern and combined intakes have remained below 1.5 forms of entry. The issue of a suitable site is critical. In particular the expectation that the proposed new joint Catholic and Anglican primary and secondary

151

provision on the new Learning Centre campus requires that a solution to community provision in Stockbridge Village to be found. The situation of existing schools at opposite ends of Stockbridge Village presents a problem. However, the proposed vacation of the current St Brigid’s school site presents a clear opportunity. Consequently the following is proposed:

• The schools are amalgamated as a 1.5FE community primary school to serve the Stockbridge Village community

• Subject to the outcome of the proposal to amalgamate St Brigid’s and St Albert’s Catholic primary schools on the site of the existing St Albert’s school, that the amalgamated new community primary school is located on the site of the existing St Brigid’s school site.

• The proposal is subject to detailed analysis of the suitability of the St Brigid’s school site.

• This proposal would locate community provision close to the midpoint between the two Brookside and Nine Tree school communities.

• Investment is identified to enable the existing St Brigid’s school site to enable the building to be fit for new purpose as the school currently does not provide nursery education

• That authority disposes of the current Brookside and Nine Tree sites

• The proposal is implemented mindful of the wider context of the New Deal for Communities regeneration programme in North Huyton and the ongoing work of the North Huyton Learning Collaborative

• The timing of an amalgamation and relocation should be considered carefully, as a significant number of former Beechwood Primary school pupils may be at the school from September 2006 and an early move would constitute significant disruption to this cohort.

• As a result of this and the preceding recommendation, Children’s Centres ought to be reviewed and the childcare provision currently located at Nine Tree will need to be relocated

6.3 SOUTH HUYTON 6.3.1 St Agnes RC Primary School The Schools’ Commission report and both Statements of Intent and

Implementation each identified the issues in the community around falling rolls over provision. A number of solutions have been put forward, each looking to resolve this particular challenge. The option put forward in 2004, to amalgamate St Anne’s and St Agnes’ Catholic schools as a two form entry school was rejected. Since 2004, numbers on roll in the area have continued to fall, and with current and anticipated combined intakes

152

no higher than 1.5 forms of entry. The impact of falling rolls has had the most significant impact on St Agnes’ primary school. The school’s intake in 2005 stands at 16 pupils. At the outset of this process it was made clear in the report of the Schools’ Commission that unless action was taken in areas where supply was set to outstrip demand , then individual schools would decline to the point to which they were no longer sustainable. This point has now been reached in this area and St Agnes Catholic School is no longer considered viable. Consequently the following is recommended:

• The Authority recommends the closure of St Agnes’ School and re-designation of pupils to St Anne’s

• Consideration is given to parents who would prefer to have their children educated in their local community and nearby schools are consulted on this proposal

• The proposal is to subject to a detailed assessment of the suitability of St Anne’s school site to receive additional pupils

• Short term investment is identified to enable the existing St Anne’s school site to enable it to be fit for new purpose.

Timetable for Change 2006 -2008 7

153

Knowsley has set out on a journey to transform and reform education provision. This journey is one which will have many phases and stages. The Statement of Implementation set out a series of proposals for school reorganisation. We have implemented a number of these as set out in section 1.2. This document has set out our intentions to take forward further reform and reorganisation in order to achieve system wide transformation and create 21st Century learning environments. In sections 5 and 6 we have provided details of a series of further proposals for school reorganisation and capital investment in the primary phase. These will be carried out in 2006 – 2008. At the time of writing the current method for bringing forward proposals for changes to schools is through the School Organisation Committee (SOC). However the Education and Inspections Bill 2006 proposes that these powers will transfer to local authorities although at this stage the statutory framework in which local authorities will make decisions is not clear. We expect Government to issue guidelines in due course. In implementing these proposals Knowsley will continue to follow the SOC process (which is set out in detail in Annex A), until such a time as when these process is replaced by a new framework within which the proposals will be enacted. Subject to approval by the Council’s Cabinet, the following sets out a proposed timetable for implementation for our primary proposals reorganisation:

School

Timescale

Simonswood and Overdale Schools and Knowsley Northern Primary Support Centre, Kirkby To amalgamate Simonswood and Overdale primary schools on the site of a rebuilt North Kirkby Learning Campus in place of Ruffwood School in Northwood. The new primary school will incorporate the services of Knowsley Northern Primary Support Centre. Funding has been secured to support this new build.

We will bring forwards proposals to taken SOC in the 2006 / 2007 academic year. Implementation will be scheduled to coincide with the opening of the new build of the primary provision on the site of the North Kirkby Learning Centre campus estimated to be in the academic year 2008 / 09

154

Cherryfield and Park Brow Schools, Kirkby Option 1: The two schools are amalgamated as a 2 form entry community primary school on the Cherryfield site subject to a detailed analysis of the site. Option 2: The two schools agree to hard federate on condition that formal amalgamation will take place at the time of investment in a new build, 2 form entry school on the Cherryfield site.

If option 1 is preferred following consultation with both schools we will bring forward proposals to SOC in 2006 / 2007 academic year, with implementation by August 2008. If option 2 is preferred, federation will be enacted by August 2007.

St Brigid’s and St Albert’s Catholic Primary, Stockbridge Village The schools are amalgamated as a 1.5 form entry Catholic Primary school on the site of the existing St Albert’s school subject to an appraisal of the site’s suitability.

We will bring forwards proposals to taken SOC in the 2006 / 2007 academic year with amalgamation effective from August 2008 subject to site suitability.

Brookside and Nine Tree Community Primary Schools, Stockbridge Village The schools are amalgamated as a 1.5 form of entry community primary school Subject to the outcome of the proposal to amalgamate St Brigid’s and St Albert’s site on the St Albert’s site that a new community primary school is located on the site existing St Brigid’s site.

We will bring forwards proposals to taken SOC in the 2006 / 2007 academic year with amalgamation effective from August 2008 subject to site suitability.

155

St Dominic’s Infants and Juniors Schools, North Huyton

The establishment of a new two form entry Joint Catholic and Anglican primary school on the site of the North Huyton Catholic / Anglican Learning Centre as part of the learning and community campus.

We will bring forwards proposals to taken SOC in the 2006 / 2007 academic year subject to the following conditions:

• Secure funding through the North Huyton New Deal for Communities Regeneration Programme

• New build is hoped to take place in 2008 / 2009 in line with the scheduled build for the proposed North Huyton Joint Catholic and Anglican Learning Centre

St Agnes Catholic Primary, South Huyton The closure of St Agnes’ School and re-designation of pupils to a St Anne’s school.

We will bring forward proposals to SOC in the 2006 / 2007 academic year with closure effective from 31st August 2007

We have not set out timescales for the implementation of our

recommendations for special schools due to the complex nature of service delivery. We will now work with special schools and their communities to develop detailed plans to implement these proposals.

Priorities for Investment 2006 – 2008 The Council has continued to explore sources of investment to support

those proposals which take forward our propositions for reform in

156

transforming education and creating 21st Century learning environments. The Council has identified the following as priorities for capital investment in 2006 – 2008:

Priority

Investment

A new 2 form of entry primary school incorporating the services of Knowsley Northern Primary Support Centre on the site of the North Kirkby Learning Campus. This will see the amalgamation of the existing Simonswood and Overdale Schools.

A £6million Targeted Capital Fund grant from the DfES was secured in 2005.

A new 2 form entry Joint Catholic / Anglican Primary provision on the site of the North Huyton Catholic / Anglican Learning Centre as part of the learning and community campus.

The Council will support partners in conjunction with North Huyton New Deal to secure up to £5million North Huyton New Deal to support the proposal.

A new build Greengates School (the amalgamated New Hutte and Roseheath Schools) in Halewood, incorporating the services of Southern Primary Support Centre.

The Council has submitted an expression of interest to Government to secure funding as part of the piloting of the Primary Capital Programme. Funding will be available from 2008.. Successful authorities will be notified in the autumn.

The Council will continue to explore capital investment opportunities for

our primary and special schools as outlined in section 3.1.8. In identifying schools for investment, the Council will look to rank the results of the gateway process set out in section 5 and then consider how they best meet our propositions for reform.

157

ANNEX

158

Annex A Proposers Guidance: Mainstream Schools DfES Proposers Guidance for Local Education Authorities and Governing Bodies: Statutory Proposals for Changes to Mainstream Schools PROPOSERS GUIDANCE – FOR LEAS AND GOVERNING BODIES -STATUTORY PROPOSALS FOR CHANGES TO MAINSTREAM SCHOOLS Introduction 1. This guidance is for LEAs and Governing Bodies who wish to make

changes to mainstream schools. Separate guidance is available for proposals for a change to the category of the school – see Proposers’ Guidance – Statutory Proposals for Change of Category. The Department has also issued guidance on the procedures for publishing statutory proposals - School Organisation - Making Changes to Maintained Schools which includes information on when proposals are required and who may publish proposals. Those bringing forward proposals (i.e. proposers) should read both sets of guidance.

2. Proposers are also strongly advised to read the guidance, issued by the

Secretary of State, to which the local School Organisation Committee (SOC) and Schools Adjudicator must have regard in considering proposals - Guidance for Decision Makers.

3. All guidance is available on www.dfes.gov.uk/schoolorg Consultation 4. The SOC and schools adjudicator (if proposals are passed to them) will

consider first whether adequate consultation has been carried out in accordance with legislation. The consultation process should take place well in advance of the actual publication. It is vital that proposers consult all interested parties.

4 It may be appropriate for a number of options to be considered before a

final decision is made, but proposers should ensure that in the course of the consultation the emerging choice is sufficiently identified to enable those being consulted to focus on it. Where an entirely new option emerges from the consultation process the Secretary of State generally expects proposers to broaden the consultations to take account of that option.

6. In order that proposals are informed by up-to-date feedback, the Secretary

of State would normally expect consultation to have taken place not longer than 12 months before the proposals are published.

159

Availability of Capital Funding 7. The SOC and schools adjudicator will need to be satisfied that the

proposals can be implemented. In particular, they are required to satisfy themselves that any capital funding required to implement the proposals will be available before they approve proposals. Before publishing statutory proposals, the proposers will therefore need to make as accurate an assessment as possible of the capital required to implement the proposals and secure an allocation of funds. If a new site is needed for a voluntary aided school, the cost should be included in the overall assessment of costs. The District Valuer (DV) will be able to help, and the DV’s estimate will be essential if grant is to be paid following the decision by the SOC or the schools adjudicator.

8. Proposers will be expected to provide written confirmation from the body

or bodies concerned that any external capital funding on which the promoters rely will be available at the level required and at the right time.

9. Capital may come from one or more of a number of sources: grant or credit

approvals from central Government; private investment supported by PFI credits; private investment for a financially free-standing project; capital receipts; and donations and other fund-raising.

Capital Funding from the Department 10. Where proposals rely on capital grant or credit approvals issued by the

DfES, proposers should establish whether credit approvals or grant will be available at the level required. Proposers should, generally, seek the advice of their Local Education Authority, and bids for capital resources should be routed through the LEA. In some cases it will be appropriate for the promoters of new voluntary aided schools to make a direct approach to the Department to seek advice. There can be no assumption that the approval of proposals will trigger the release of capital funds from the Department unless the Department has confirmed in writing that such resources will be available; nor that any allocation agreed “in principle” can be increased.

VA Governors’ Grant - Current Arrangements 11. Capital grant is usually paid at the rate of 90% of those costs which are

the responsibility of the VA school governing body. Where VA governors requires grant support to implement proposals, they should consider whether this can be met in full or in part from the school’s Devolved Formula Capital allocation. If not they should discuss with the LEA whether an allocation can be made from the annual LEA Co-ordinated VA Programme (LCVAP). If this is not possible, then they may need to bid for Targeted Capital Funding through the bidding exercise which is generally conducted in the late summer/early autumn of each year. Any allocation

160

would be withdrawn if proposals were not published by 31 May of the relevant financial year and would only be made “in principle” and subject to the statutory proposals being approved by November of that year. More details of the arrangements can be obtained from the LEA, local diocesan authority (for church schools) or direct from the Department.

Expansion of Popular and Successful Schools 12. LEAs and schools may apply for funding of statutory proposals, published

after 1 September 2003, to enlarge any popular and successful secondary schools. If the proposals are approved they will receive a fixed sum of £500,000 to support the expansion if they have a sixth form, and of £400,000 if they have not. This funding will not be available where a school is expanding to meet growth in the local pupil population which is being funded through other programmes – for example the growth element of Basic Need, or through the Building Schools for the Future programme. Detailed guidance on how funding can be obtained is available on www.teachernet.gov.uk/schoolscapital (for community, foundation and voluntary controlled schools) and www.teachernet.gov.uk/voluntary aided schools (for VA schools).

Publication of Statutory Notice 13. If proposers decide to press ahead with publication they must publish a

statutory notice. The Department’s School Organisation Website includes a Forum where proposers can register and gain access to a facility that will enable them to draft a statutory notice – www.dfes.gov.uk/schoolorg. The Forum also provides a discussion board where proposers and decision makers can raise questions with other colleagues and a regular “Ask the Expert” feature.

14. The Education (School Organisation Proposals) (England) Regulations

1999 (as amended) specify the information which must be included in all notices. This includes: • The name of the persons or body publishing the proposals; • The date of implementation and if implementation is to be in stages the

date on which each stage is to be implemented; and • A statement explaining the procedure for making representations,

including the date by which representations should be submitted. Also the name and address of the body to which comments and objections should be sent – this will be the Local Education Authority (in the case of proposals published by the LEA) or to the SOC (in all other cases).

15. Depending on the type of proposal, the following additional information

should be included in notices:

161

Establishing a New School

• The location of the site of the new school (including, where appropriate, the postal address).

• The number and age range of pupils. • The category into which the proposed school will fall (it should be

noted that a community school cannot have a religious character). • Information on whether the new school will admit pupils of both sexes

or whether it will admit pupils of one sex only, • If the new school is to have a religious character, information about

such religious character. • What the school will deliver in terms of community cohesion. • Details of any proposals for the school to be federated with one or

more schools. • The proposed arrangement for transport of pupils to the new school. • The number of pupils to be admitted to the new school in each relevant

age group in the first school year in which the proposals have been implemented or, where it is intended that the proposals should be implemented in stages, the number of pupils to be admitted to the new school in the first school year in which each stage has been implemented.

Where the proposed school is to be established on the site which is occupied by a school which has been identified as failing and which it is intended to discontinue, a statement as to how the curriculum, staffing and (if relevant) the buildings of the proposed school will differ from those of the school proposed to be discontinued. It will also be helpful if the statement is able to set out clearly:

• the rationale behind the decision to establish a new school on the site

of a school identified as failing and intended to be discontinued; • the individual proposals designed to ensure that the new school will

provide a significantly higher standard of education to its pupils than the school proposed to be discontinued;

• the full details of the necessary expenditure related to the establishment of the new school, including capital, management and administration, salaries and other staffing costs, and how the costs will be met; and

• that where the school to be formally discontinued has surplus places, consideration has been given to whether such places are really needed.

• A statement as to whether the governing body of the proposed school or Local Education Authority will be the admission authority.

• Where the proposals are to establish a new voluntary controlled or foundation school, a statement as to whether the proposals are to be implemented by the Local Education Authority or the promoters, and, if the proposals are to be implemented by both, a statement as to the extent to which they are to be implemented by each body.

162

Making an Alteration to a School

• A description of the proposed alteration. • Where the alteration consists of an enlargement of the premises of the

school, a statement of the number of pupils at the school at the time of publication of the proposals, the capacity of the school and the proposed capacity of the school after the enlargement.

• The number of pupils to be admitted to the school in each relevant age group in the first school year in which the proposals have been implemented or, where it is intended that the proposals should be implemented in stages, the number of pupils to be admitted to the school in the first school year in which each stage has been implemented.

• Where the proposals relate to a foundation or voluntary controlled school, a statement as to whether the proposals are to be implemented by the Local Education Authority or the governing body, and, if the proposals are to be implemented by both, a statement as to the extent to which they are to be implemented by each body.

Closing a School

• Details of the schools which pupils who are at the school to be closed may attend including any interim arrangements for pupils.

• Details of any other measures proposed to be taken to increase the number of school places available in consequence of the proposed closure.

Closing a School 16. The Act sets no maximum limit on the time between the publication of a

proposal and its date of implementation but circumstances may change significantly if too long a period elapses. In general, therefore - with the possible exception of proposals for major authority-wide reorganisation which may have to be phased in over a period - the implementation date for proposals should be within 3 years of their publication. Proposers will be expected to show good reason if they propose a longer timescale.

17. If the full effect of the proposals is not apparent to the general public from

the published notice, it may be supplemented by an explanatory note or background statement, but this should be clearly distinguishable from the formal proposals.

18. Where proposals concern two or more separate changes, e.g. a change

of age range and a change of admission arrangements by reference to sex or ability, the changes may be the subject of a single notice but should be identified and described separately. Where related proposals are to be implemented over a period of several years, proposers are encouraged to publish these together in a single notice.

163

19. In accordance with The Education (School Organisation Proposals) (England) Regulations 1999 (as amended), notices must be published:

• by being posted in a conspicuous place in the area served by the

school and the area proposed to be served by the school; • in at least one newspaper circulating in the areas referred to above;

and • by being posted at or near the main entrance to the school, or, if there

is more than one main entrance, all of them.

It is open to proposers to circulate a notice more widely in order to ensure that all those substantially affected have the opportunity to comment. 20. Where the LEA and the governors will both have responsibility for some element of the implementation of the proposals, the statutory notice must make it clear which elements fall to the LEA and which to the governors. It may also be appropriate, where proposals for community and voluntary schools are closely linked (as for instance where an entire area is to be reorganised) for combined proposals to be made by the LEA and governors provided these are signed by all concerned and make clear who is making each. Invalid Notice 21. Where a published notice has not been properly formulated in accordance

with the statutory requirements, the notice is invalid and may not therefore be determined by the LEA, or considered by the SOC or schools adjudicator. It would then be open to the proposers to publish a revised notice, in which case the statutory period for representations would run from the publication date of the revised notice.

Representations 22. The regulations require that a period of six weeks is allowed after the date

of publication of notices for objections and comments to be made (one month in the case of proposals which relate to a school which is subject to special measures, has serious weaknesses, or is subject to a warning notice by the LEA under section 15 of the Act). For this purpose the publication date is taken as the date on which the notices have been published in all the forms required. Ideally, notices should therefore be posted before, but as close as possible to, the date of publication in a newspaper, to avoid confusion.

Comments on Representations 23. Objections and comments on proposals published by the LEA should be

sent to the LEA concerned. At the end of the representation period, the LEA must forward all representations, which have not been withdrawn in writing, together with their comments on them, to the SOC within one month. This period is shortened to two weeks where the proposals relate

164

to a school which is subject to special measures, has serious weaknesses, or is subject to a warning notice by the LEA under section 15 of the Act.

24. Where the proposals are made by the governing body objections and

comments will be submitted direct to the SOC. The SOC will invite proposers to comment on any representations that are relevant to their consideration. Whilst there is no statutory timescale by which proposers must respond the SOC may set a deadline in line with the requirement on LEAs to submit their proposals, representations and responses (i.e. one month).

Submission of Proposals to the SOC 25. A copy of the published notice should be sent to the SOC on or

immediately after the date of publication together with the “prescribed information”. As explained in paragraph 23 above the LEA must also submit the representations and their response to these within one month of the end of the representation period.

Determination by LEA 26. The LEA may be able to determine the proposals themselves where there

are no objections and the proposals are not linked to proposals that must be decided by the SOC, and not related to proposals published by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) (i.e. that will be determined by the Secretary of State). Paragraph 4(3) of Schedule 6 to the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 requires that the LEA must have regard to any guidance provided by the Secretary of State when deciding whether proposals are related - this is set out in Decision Makers Guidance - Section 3 paragraphs 5 to 7. Where it is clear that the LEA cannot determine their proposals they must pass the proposals to the SOC.

27. Any determination by the LEA must be made within the period of four

months beginning with the date of publication of the proposals. If the LEA fails to make a determination within this time-scale the proposals will require the approval of the SOC. Once proposals have been determined by the LEA they must notify the SOC and the Secretary of State – School Organisation Unit, DfES, Mowden Hall, Darlington, Co Durham DL3 9BG.

Consideration by the SOC 28. The SOC must reach a unanimous decision on proposals. Where the

SOC cannot reach a unanimous decision the proposal must be passed to the schools adjudicator to decide.

29. The proposals must also pass to the schools adjudicator at the request of

the proposers if the SOC fail to reach a decision within two months of receiving objections forwarded by the LEA (or, in the case of non-LEA proposals, two months from the end of the representation period) or, if

165

later, two months from the date on which the SOC receive the prescribed information.

30. The SOC must send the proposals to the Adjudicator within two weeks of

failing to reach a unanimous decision or of receiving a request from the proposers.

Reference to Adjudicator 31. The adjudicator will look at the papers afresh, having regard to the

guidance from the Secretary of State and the school organisation plan. Any of the parties in the proposal may be then asked for further information, and the adjudicator may also seek evidence from other sources. Any information received will be forwarded to the relevant parties for comment. The adjudicator may decide to visit the school(s) and/or convene a meeting. He or she may also decide to hold a local meeting in order to obtain more information.

Duty to Implement 32. The LEA or governors are under a statutory duty under section 5 of

Schedule 6 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 to implement all statutory proposals which an LEA has determined to implement or which have been approved by the SOC or schools adjudicator. A SOC, or the Schools Adjudicator, may also approve a modification to the proposals (e.g. the implementation date) at the request of the proposers.

33. If the approval granted was subject to a condition being met by a specified

date – promoters must ensure that they meet this. Some examples of the types of condition are: the granting of planning permission, the acquisition of a site or playing fields, the entering into of a private finance transaction, the making of a charity scheme, the formation of a federation, the making of an agreement for the establishment of an Academy or agreement to change any admission arrangements. If it looks as though it might not be possible to meet the condition by the specified date, the SOC or adjudicator may also modify the date on which the condition is to be met.

Revocation 34. The LEA or governors may seek to be relieved of their duty to implement

statutory proposals by publishing further proposals to this effect under paragraph 5(4) of Schedule 6 to the 1998 Act. Such proposals will be referred to the SOC for a determination. If the SOC are satisfied either that implementation of the proposals would be unreasonably difficult, or that circumstances have so altered since the proposals were approved that their implementation would be inappropriate, the SOC may determine that the LEA or the governors may be relieved of their duty to implement.

166

Annex B - Glossary of Terms Term Definition Area Governor Forums Regular area forums( North, Central

and South) for Governors of individual schools to meet and discuss common issues.

Area Partnerships Grouping of public agencies and schools in three areas across the Borough that co-ordinates the support of children’s services .

Beacon Schools Schools that have been identified as an example of best practice for other schools to learn from.

Building Schools for the Future/ Strategic Renewal Fund

Government funding programme to spend £5.5 bn per annum on building new schools.

Children’s Centre A one stop shop for the delivery of services to children and families.

City Learning Centres Hi-tec learning centres based on school sites for dual use by the pupils and the wider community.

Community Area Forums Regular forums across Knowsley where the public and public agencies meet to discuss issues in the local area.

Comprehensive Performance Assessment

Assessment of the performance of Local Authorities by the Audit Commission.

Condition rating

Physical condition of a building.

Educare Centre Initial model for integrated childcare and education.

Education Block Grant The money provided by Government to local Councils to fund schools.

Excellence in Cities A Government programme that directs additional money to schools in deprived areas.

GCSE General Certificate of Secondary Education - Examinations to assess attainment of children at the age of 16.

Joint Faith school A school that accommodates two distinct forms of religious observation.

Joint Christian School A school that accommodates children of various Christian faiths.

Key Stages 1, 2, 3 and 4 Stages of Education children progress

167

through at the ages of 7,11,14 and 16. Kirkby Sports Strategy The Council strategy for improving

sports facilities in the Kirkby area. Learning and Skills Council The Government body that provides

funding for education and training from age 16 onwards.

LIFT Local Initiative Finance Trust, a private finance based initiative designed to rebuild local health centres and surgeries.

Neighbourhood Nursery Model for integrated childcare and education evolved from the Educare model through the development of training and family support. Template for emerging Children’s Centres.

New Deal for Communities North Huyton (NDC)

A £55m regeneration programme local to North Huyton covering the areas of Fincham, Finch House, Woolfall Heath, Hillside and Primalt.

New Identity Schools A term coined by the Schools’ Commission to describe an amalgamation between a community schools and a Church of England or Catholic school.

New Opportunities Fund A major source of Lottery money available to schools for sports, arts and developmental projects.

Number on roll The total number of pupils at a school.

Objective 1 A status assigned by the European Commission to a region or sub region (in this case Merseyside) linked to low levels of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that triggers large scale financial support for regeneration.

Ofsted Government inspectors of schools, colleges and Local Education Authorities.

One Form of Entry

A year group of 30 children.

Primary Care Trust The public authority with responsibility for the organisation and delivery of local health care.

Private Finance Initiative A Government sponsored method of investing private money in the building and maintenance of facilities delivering services, such as education and health, to the public.

Reception Intake Number of children entering a school at infant reception class.

168

School Improvement Measure A Government indicator, a sum of individual pupil results at Key Stages 2 and 3, of individual school progress.

School Organisation Committee Multi partner body that takes the formal decisions on school organisation issues.

School Organisation Plan Statutory plan required by Government of Local Education Authorities that forms the basis for exisiting and anticipated numbers in local schools.

Service level agreements Contracts by which one public body (such as a school) provides services to another.

Single Regeneration Budget A Government programme of regeneration funding targeted at deprived areas.

Specialist Schools Secondary Schools that specialise in areas such as arts, sports and languages.

Stakeholders A collective term for those who are perceived to have a ‘stake’ in a certain issue.

Suitability rating

Suitability of a school building for the purpose it is put to – access for pupils, delivery of the curriculum etc.

Surplus Capacity The difference between the numbers of children a school could accommodate and the actual numbers of children currently in attendance.

Unitary Development Plan Statutory document published by each local authority setting out the local planning context for wider development.

14-19 A catch all title for describing new approaches to make the ages 14-19 a coherent phase of education.

169

Bibliography

14-19 Education and Skills Implementation Plan, DfES (2005) http://www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/14-19implementationplan/docs/14-19%20Implementation.pdf 14-19 Education and Skills White Paper, DfES (2005) http://www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/14-19educationandskills/pdfs/14-19WhitePaper.pdf Benchmarking SEN in the North West and Merseyside, DfES (2005) BSF Governance Project Report, Knowsley KMBC (2006) Childcare Act, DfES (2006) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmbills/080/06080.50-54.html Citizen Enjoyment and Public Services: Why Neighbourhoods Matter, Department for Communities and Local Government (2005) http://www.odpm.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1163148 Education and Inspections Bill, DfES (2006) http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmbills/134/2006134.pdf Every Child Matter - National outcomes framework http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/aims/outcomes/?asset=document&id=16682 Every Child Matters: Primary Capital Programme, DfES (2006) http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/schoolscapital Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners, DfES (2004) http://www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/5yearstrategy/ Knowsley Children and Young Person's Strategic Plan 2006/7, Knowsley Borough Council (2006) Knowsley Review of SEN, Knowsley MBC (2003) Options for Change: Future Schooling in Knowsley - A Joint Statement of Intent, Knowsley Borough Council ( (2003) http://www.knowsley.gov.uk/resources/179739/options_for_change_statement.pdf Removing Barrier to Achievement: The Government's Strategy for SEN, DfES (2004) http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/sen/senstrategy/

170

Schools' Commission, Knowsley Education Department (2002) Schools White Paper: Higher Standard: Better Schools for All, DfES (2005) http://www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/schoolswhitepaper/pdfs/DfES-Schools%20White%20Paper.pdf SEN Code of Practice http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction=productdetails&PageMode=publications&ProductId=DfES+0581+2001& Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001, HMSO http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2001/20010010.htm Special Educational Needs: a mainstream issue, Audit Commission (2002) http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk/reports/NATIONAL-REPORT.asp?CategoryID=&ProdID=D3265D20-FD7D-11d6-B211-0060085F8572 Statement of Implementation, Knowsley Borough Council (2004) Youth Matters - Next Steps, DfES (2006) http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/_files/4578C3BD934BF38A66830CF4EA12E8A4.pdf Youth Matters - Youth Green Paper, DfES (2005)

Designed by Knowsley Communications. Copyright © 2006 Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley

You can also get this information in other formats.Please phone Customer Services on 0151 443 4031,or email customerservices@knowsley.gov.uk