Cabinet considered the borough’s strategy to meet the likely impact of the emerging Borough Local Plan on the demand for school places in the borough.

Councillor Bicknell assumed the Chair for the item.

Councillor N. Airey explained that the report set out the educational infrastructure that would be needed for the 14,000 extra homes described in the emerging Borough Local Plan by 2032/33. The paper set out the council’s analysis of and approach to meet that demand. Modelling, set out in the report, suggested that there could be a need for a total of 8,900 places over the next 15 years, with the first places needed in September 2019, 2020 and 2021.  This equated to 20-22 new classes in each year group from the youngest in Reception year to post 16 capacity. The analysis was based on the housing trajectory within the BLP and updated pupil yields based on the current population of the borough.  Table 1 in the report set out the resulting expected shortfall of school capacity. The modelling based on historically high levels of birth rate and 86% of schools judged Good or Outstanding suggested the council could lower the surplus place policy from 10% to 5%.

Members noted that meeting this level of demand would require the development of new schools in addition to the expansion of existing schools. A desktop exercise had been carried out to assess the capacity of the existing school estate and an initial version of this was published in the borough’s Infrastructure Delivery Plan in May 2017. Five new school sites had been identified in the BLP and it was assumed that these sites would be home to new Free Schools in line with government policy.

The report indicated a budget cost of £277m to deliver the places and a 5% surplus, a new SEND school, some early years capacity and the existing £33m investment in secondary school expansions. Funding came from various sources:  Free school funding, government Basic Need Grant, CIL/S106 and other capital receipts.  This was modelled in future financial planning projections.

The council now needed to move forward and plan to meet with any school interested in expansion or new site options and were earmarking £1.3m of the capital cost to support early feasibility work so that credible and financially viable options could be established ready to be brought forward once the housing developments set out in the BLP came about.

The council was also setting out a policy of requiring all parties to sign a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) clearly setting out the terms of any school expansions.  This would ensure clarity and transparency across all negotiations while allowing council officers to explore any options and ideas that were generated to meet the likely need.

The report provided the latest projections, with action needed in the Windsor middle schools, where consultation was already underway, and potentially Maidenhead primary for September 2020. It was proposed that options for providing those places were investigated and reported to Cabinet in August 2018.

The borough had the aspiration for 100% of schools to be Good or Outstanding therefore no school would be disqualified from discussions about expansion.

The Principal Member for Ascot Regeneration commented that in his area residents asked about what would be done about school places linked to the BLP. He was pleased to be able to say the council had spent £1.2m on expanding a local primary school and a further £4.3m on a maths block at Charters School. The council was spending now, not just in the future.

The Lead Member for Maidenhead Regeneration and Maidenhead commented that investment was going to all areas of the borough. This was a huge step change in investment and he commended officers for their hard work.

The Lead Member explained that year on year the borough would need to match demand from new housing therefore Cabinet would receive a report every September to address the latest data.

The Principal Member for Affordable Housing and Communications commented that he was pleased that the council would be willing to discuss expansion options with all schools. The Lead Member confirmed this was the case even if expansion proposals had previously been rejected.  She highlighted that one of the criteria would be the demand for places in the area.

The Lead Member for Finance commended the Lead Member for clear horizon planning. Good quality risk management would set the trajectory for a strategic response.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Cabinet notes the report and:

i)          Approves the school place planning strategy as described in the report and specifically:

a.    Approves the policy of seeking 5% surplus places, so that there are 5% more places than required to meet demand at intake (Years R, 5, 7 and 9).

b.    Approves a policy requiring all parties to a school expansion (partially or fully funded by the borough) to sign a Memorandum of Understanding setting out the terms of that expansion.

c.    Requests an annual report on school place planning, to include the latest pupil projections and any actions required to meet the resulting demand.  This will be considered by Cabinet annually, following submission of the pupil projections to the Department for Education in late July

ii)         Requests an options assessment and feasibility works in relation to:

a.    New primary school places in Maidenhead for September 2020.

b.    New school places arising from the emerging Borough Local Plan.

(Councillor Dudley remained in the room but took no part in the discussion or voting).