Agenda item

School Places Demand Projections

Report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services.

Minutes:

Members considered a report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services regarding School Places Demand Projections and the following points were made.

 

·         The Director of Community and Children’s Services introduced the report and highlighted variations in ward-by-ward data. In response to a question, he replied that variations in Hackney wards were being dealt with using bulge classes.

 

·         In response to a question regarding the effect of Brexit on pupil numbers in London the Director of Community and Children’s Services replied that it was too early to tell what impact Brexit would have on ward demographics.

 

·         A Member welcomed the report and noted that he would welcome a broader discussion, once school place demand in relevant wards around City Schools was better understood, regarding how the City could best respond to emerging demographics. For example, how to make best judgement on when to expand the City’s academy offer in a particular borough. Future papers should inform how the City demonstrated leadership in education provision in London.

 

·         In response to a question from a Member regarding the risk of City academies being undersubscribed, the Chief Executive Officer of the City of London Academies Trust noted that the City’s reputation as an academy sponsor would be key to ensuring all City academies were fully subscribed.

 

·         A Member noted that any approach to school place demand had to be more holistic that simply looking at pupil numbers. For example, a focus on improving primary provision was arguably a key aim.

 

·         In response to a question from a Member, the Strategic Education, Skills and Culture Director noted that planning the City’s approach to school place demand in a socio-economic context was complicated by the fact that outstanding schools were often victims of their own success – for example, an outstanding school was often a driver for gentrification which in turn reduced the number of pupils eligible for pupil premium which in turn had an impact on school budgets.

 

·         The Chairman requested that a School Places Demand Projections paper be submitted to Members on an annual basis with borough specific commentary. The paper should also address the role of feeder schools for any COLAT academies and whether neighbouring schools were under/oversubscribed.

 

RESOLVED, that the report be received.

Supporting documents: