The council is responsible for a school estate, valued at over £130m.  With changes to traditional funding mechanisms it is important that the council develops a strategic approach to investment.  The committee will receive a presentation outlining the context and will be asked for their views on how to take the work forward, including the development of a set of principles.

The Head of Educational Development gave a presentation on the Education Capital Investment Strategy.  The principal points of the presentation and related discussion are summarised under the slide headings below.

 

Herefordshire’s Education Strategy

 

1.       Part of the strategy was ‘establishing a coherent case for capital investment from whichever funding source’.

 

2.       A breakdown was provided of the different types of educational establishments and pupil numbers.

 

3.       Questions within the presentation included:

 

•        With more autonomous schools how is renewal coordinated?

•        Are school buildings supporting improved outcomes?

•        What evidence / documentation have we to support requests for more capital resources?

•        Has the Local Authority (LA) got the places in the right place so parents can exercise choice?

•        How does the LA show it is fulfilling the statutory duty to provide sufficient school places?

•        How can ‘another Colwall’ be avoided?

 

What is the Education Capital Investment Strategy trying to achieve?

 

4.       It was intended to be a clear strategy to set out, over the next 5-20 years and beyond, how the council:

 

•        Supports the delivery of the best outcomes for children and young people

•        Fulfils its duty to supply enough high quality schools places

•        Ensures its schools are fit for purpose and energy efficient

•        Offers funding models

•        Supports/suggests the approach to managing change/development

 

5.       It was emphasised that it would not be a blueprint but it would provide a framework and set of criteria, reflecting shared understanding and respecting local situations.

 

Support of high quality places

 

6.       The following points were identified:

 

•        Most parents/carers get their first choice

•        Population not set to change significantly

•        Need to plan for housing development and when it gets built

•        Academies can admit more than their planned admission numbers

•        Currently have surplus places overall but some schools are under pressure and others have space

 

Fit for purpose and energy efficient

 

7.       Considerations included:

 

•        Suitability - number and size of classrooms and hall, overall plot size

•        Repair or replacement - toilets/roof/heating/windows/brickwork

•        Disability access

•        Energy efficiency

•        Location proximity to a population centre

 

8.       It was commented that, for various reasons, the authority wanted to move towards a more modern estate.

 

School Education Capital Investment July 2015

 

9.       It was noted that a range of stakeholders would be engaged to inform the strategy and to move forward collectively for the purposes of: improved outcomes; opportunities to lever in external funding; and efficient and effective use of resources.

 

Some tricky issues

 

10.     These were identified as: managing change; funding; school size - quality of learning and viability; expansion of high quality popular schools; and future technology implications.

 

11.     In response to a question from the Chairman, the Head of Educational Development advised that every LA maintained school had a school condition survey and, as part of the strategy, officers were looking closely at management information; it was noted that any change needed to be based on accurate and detailed information and there should be consensus.

 

12.     In response to a further question from the Chairman, the circumstances in relation to the damp problem at Colwall CE Primary School were explained.

 

13.     A committee member expressed concern that this item was not been supported by a written report and the presentation had not been made available to members before the meeting, thereby putting the committee at a disadvantage in terms of making comments and suitable recommendations.  In response, the Cabinet Member Young People and Children’s Wellbeing advised that the Strategic Plan for Herefordshire had been considered by Cabinet on 13 November 2014 (minute 39 refers) and this presentation sought to update the committee on progress to date in relation to the estates element.  The Governance Services Manager acknowledged that officers should ensure that their items were supported by appropriate documents but noted that members would be provided with an opportunity to consider the draft strategy in the next municipal year.  The Assistant Director Commissioning and Education emphasised that this was the start of the process and the presentation was also being delivered to school governors and head teachers to ensure broad involvement from an early stage.

 

Tricky issue 1 - Managing the change

 

14.     The related questions included: what are the triggers?; who is best placed to influence and shape change?; and how do we support and facilitate?

 

15.     It was recognised that managing the change was crucial, as well as managing expectations, particularly in terms of timescales and funding.  It was also noted that some people would have sentimental attachments that would need to be handled appropriately.  Therefore, it was important to engage with everyone that might wish to be involved in the process.

 

Tricky issue 2 - Funding

 

16.     An overview was provided of the following:

 

•        Options for funding:

º        Use of DfE grants

º        Recycling funding (e.g. Aylestone/Broadlands)

º        Dedicated schools grant (DSG)

º        School revenue

º        Academies fund

º        CIL and Section 106

º        Business sponsorship/investment

º        Corporate borrowing

In addition, dioceses might be another source of investment.

•        A clear agreed plan provides opportunity to lever in external/additional funding

•        Combined approaches

 

17.     The Head of Educational Development said that it was likely that there would be a mixture of different funding streams and it was considered that an agreed plan would enhance opportunities to access external funding.

 

Tricky issue 3 - School size - quality of learning and viability

 

18.     Questions within the presentation included:

 

•        Curriculum offer?

•        Financial viability/pupil numbers?

•        Rurality/transport?

•        Leadership/figurehead?

•        Value for money?

•        Local authority no longer runs some schools

•        Does size matter?

 

19.     It was noted that there was a wide spectrum of schools in Herefordshire, many with small roll numbers, and consideration needed to be given to curriculum implications, economies of scale, and leadership approaches.

 

Tricky Issues 4 - Expansion of high quality popular schools?

 

20.     Considerations included:

 

•        Presumption in current system

•        Market forces approach?

•        Better outcomes for children and young people?

•        Pleases parents/carers (vs communities surrounding schools)?

•        Schools affected negatively feel it’s unfair?

•        Fortunes/perceptions change

 

21.     It was noted that there was a presumption that parents had a degree of choice, reflecting a market forces approach.  However, this could have an impact on local provision; it was reported that, on average, only 50% of pupils in Herefordshire went to their local catchment school.

 

Tricky issue 5 - Technology

 

22.     Questions within the presentation included: will school buildings be serving the same functions 10 years from now?; and will there be more home learning?

 

23.     It was noted that the use of mobile devices within classrooms had made some dedicated IT suites redundant, reflecting the need for flexibility going forward.

 

Draft Principles

 

24.     The following points were identified:

 

i.        High quality learning environments are more likely to deliver the best outcomes for all children and young people

ii.       All schools need to be:

•        in good condition with clear improvement programme

•        suitable / compliant

•        Class and hall sizes, toilets, permanent buildings, accessible for disability

iii.      High quality popular schools will be supported to expand

•        Ofsted judgment is outstanding/good

•        3 year trend of outcomes is good

•        Parental preference is in excess of published admission number over time

iv.      Across Herefordshire there will be a mix of size of school but there is no specific size which would consider closure.  However

•        Schools with less than 105 on roll should have a plan for sustainability into the future (shared leadership, merger, succession planning) (33 schools - 19 standalone)

v.       If a community wants a school it should be prepared to support it financially.

 

25.     The Head of Educational Development said that some principles were fundamental, whereas others were open to debate.  In particular, attention was drawn to the need for smaller schools to plan for the future and for schools to be in the right places within, and properly supported by, the community.

 

Timeline

 

26.     The following timeline was given:

 

•        November/December 2014 - Set up and overview

•        December/January 2015 - Data collation and consultation on principles

•        February/March 2015 - Confirmation of accuracy of school data re condition, suitability, popularity etc

•        March 2015 - Analysis of data and discussion about ideas for moving forward

•        June 2015 - Report preparation

•        July 2015 - Report to Council

 

27.     The Head of Educational Development anticipated that by July 2015 the authority would have a more sophisticated view about the issues and how it could engage with people about certain proposals and reforms.  He emphasised the need for dialogue about future options and the need to think further ahead.  He added that officers would be talking to schools about the accuracy of data and about the draft principles.

 

28.     In response to a comment by the Chairman, the Cabinet Member Young People and Children’s Wellbeing noted that this presentation provided a position statement and it was important that all councillors were involved, including this overview and scrutiny committee.

 

29.     A committee member welcomed the overview provided and the general approach being taken.  However, in view of the imminent local elections, the committee member considered the proposed timing unfortunate, particularly as new councillors might not have enough time to understand the complexities or have the opportunities to engage with their communities in a meaningful way.  It was suggested that, whilst officers could continue to develop the draft strategy, the schedule should be pushed back if possible.  The Chairman said that he would discuss this further with the Cabinet Member and officers.

 

30.     A committee member noted the extent of neighbourhood and parish planning processes that were being undertaken in the county and suggested that these could be valuable conduits to explore the issues raised in the presentation and to address some of the tricky issues identified.

 

31.     In response to questions, the Head of Educational Development explained some of the demographic and trend data used in the presentation slides.

 

32.     Referring to draft principle v. above and the relationship with the Core Strategy, a committee member commented on the need for engagement to be less top-down, as this could increase resistance within communities to housing and other development.

 

33.     Mr. Sell made a number of points, including:

 

•        The National Society of the Church of England had commissioned a review of small schools and, informed by this, diocese across the country were producing small schools strategies and exploring alternative models of leadership and partnership, with encouraging results

•        For many people, there was inherent value in historic buildings and maintaining a continuum of education.

•        It would be erroneous to identify church schools as council assets; an overview was given of different trustee arrangements and examples were provided of problems experienced in the past with the local authority incorrectly registering such assets.

 

34.     The Assistant Director Commissioning and Education noted the complexities involved and re-iterated the need to engage with a wide range of stakeholders and achieve a collective way forward for Herefordshire.

 

35.     Mr. Burbidge concurred that the council should not make assumptions about assets and said that it needed to avoid the mistakes of the past.   He added that councillors not only had responsibilities to their constituents but also had responsibilities for education provision across the county and for the delivery of quality education for all children and young people.

 

36.     A committee member commented that the scope of the project now appeared broader than a school estate strategy, particularly given linkages to strategic planning processes which were still evolving.

 

The Chairman noted the need to consider the issues during the next administration.

 

RESOLVED:      That the presentation be noted and a further report be provided to the committee during the next municipal year.