Cabinet considered the report regarding additional school places at Windsor Girls School.

The Chairman reported that the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Children Services, Health and Mental Health was not able to present the report due to Government commitments.

The Chairman reported that the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead had carried out public consultation on a proposal to expand Windsor Girls’ School from 208 to 230 places per year group from September 2022. This report sets out the positive response to that consultation.  There had also been a petition relating to school provision in Windsor; Mr Swann, lead petitioner, was not able to attend the meeting but he had sent in a video that had been circulated to Cabinet and all RBWM members along with its transcript that had also been placed on the RBWM website. 

The Executive Director for Children’s Services informed that there would be a shortfall in places for Windsor and that we had a statutory provision to supply them.   it's one of those situations where we have to make sure that there isnot one too few but we can have a few More hence rounding it up and by rounding it and by rounding up to 230 we give the girls school the best chance to run an economic class size of best use of public money to pay for their teachers and their resources so we are proposing following our  consultation we're proposing to support wings or girls schools with six further classrooms and some extensions to their pitches and their parking to enable the site to work.

The petitioner Mr Swann noted that the Windsor system had limited co education options.  Windsor Boys and Girls were both part of the Windsor Learning Trust and they provide a range of services for young people of all sorts of needs. The petitioner made notes about how we might deal with young people who are unsure about their gender but the director was very confident having spoken to the Chief Executive of the trust that the schools made great provision today for those young people but do recognize that it is an emerging issue something we perhaps should consider.

The petitioner also made the point about the use of Church Mead School and how it was a distance to travel and did not go with a three teer system.  It was clear to buils another school in Windsor that's co-educational we would have to be adding another 200 places a year and we do not have the need or capital funding.  The new school would also be short of revenue funding without pupil need. 

The Executive Director could see the general pros and cons for co-education education and individual gender and it's a conversation we're happy to engage in going forward but for tonight if we don't make a decision to extend the Windsor Girls school for next year we will fall short of our statutory duty to ensure there are sufficient places, this report then sets out the details for those Numbers and sets out the basis on which we would move forward.

Cllr Tisi mentioned that she was pleased to see the expansion of the school but mentioned the consultation had raised concerns about traffic and congestions and she asked if anything would be done prior the expansion.  She was informed that the school had agreed a small expansion prior to this reports recommendation and they would be looking at their school travel plans. 

Resolved Unanimously:  that Cabinet notes the report and:

i) Recommends the budget estimate set out in Appendix F (Part II) to Council for approval and, subject to that being given, authorises the Executive Director of Children’s Services to undertake procurement and enter into contracts to deliver the expansion of Windsor Girls’ School.

ii) Authorises the Executive Director of Children’s Services to agree and sign a Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the proposed expansion of Windsor Girls’ School.