To note the contents of the report.

The Director of Children’s Services informed Members that although 88 per cent of first school preferences had been allocated for secondary school admissions in September 2018, issues had been raised about girls who currently attend Oldfield Primary School being unable to get into Newlands Girls’ School. Members were told that this report had been published to look at the work that was being done to resolve these problems in order to be transparent.

The Director of Children’s Services informed Members that complaints about the admission arrangements had been made and these were being assessed by the Office of the Schools Adjudicator. Members were told that the Council was willing to accept alternative solutions that may be put forward by the Adjudicator, as it was felt that the solutions currently being put forward would only serve to move disadvantage from families in Oldfield to other wards.

A feasibility study looking at potentially expanding Newlands School had been carried out. Members were told that Sport England would likely object to any expansion as this would take up what was left of the surrounding green space. Extending the school upwards into more storeys was not being recommended as an option as any expansion work in this form would mean each school place was worth £60-70,000, far beyond the recommended £15-18,000 per place. However Members were warned that this may end up being the only viable solution when the Borough Local Plan was taken into consideration, despite the lack of value for money. Other options that had been explored included sharing sports facilities between multiple schools.

Members were informed that a four hectare site had been identified for a new school on the Maidenhead Golf Club development. However the best option for the site was undecided. Options included relocating Newlands School to the site; creating a new mixed comprehensive school; creating a new single-sex school; or creation of a Free School. The Director of Children’s Services said that a trend was starting to emerge in certain communities of favouring a single sex secondary school; however creating a new single sex school had the potential to create a gender imbalance at the existing co-ed schools.

The Panel was told that the report had been circulated to the governors at Newlands School and they were in agreement with its contents. The Panel was also told that there was no desire to change the school’s admissions criteria, as it was felt that doing so would cause greater disadvantage to residents of the Royal Borough. The issues of parental choice of school, growth of basic need, and limited school capacity were having to be considered when trying to come up with a workable solution.

The Director of Children’s Services informed Members that the next stage would come after the 2017/18 birth figures were known in September, as this would allow Officers to start forecasting possible school trends. However it was unlikely that a solution to the issues highlighted in the report would be made by then.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Panel noted the report and awaited the outcome of the Office of the Schools Adjudicator and feasibility work.