Agenda item

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

Members considered an update report of the Director of Community and Children’s Services on the Sir John Cass’s Foundation Primary School Expansion. The Director provided further background on the recent decision by the Sir John Cass Foundation to withdraw their support from the proposed expansion.

The Director noted that the proposed expansion had been the topic of discussion of the Foundation; the school’s governing body; and the City of London Corporation, since 2013. All indications and feedback from the tripartite meetings had suggested that the Foundation was content with the proposed expansion, and that the Foundation’s subsequent refusal to support the expansion at the ‘11^th hour’ after two years’ of negotiations - without providing any reasoning for its decision - had very serious and profound implications for the City of London given it meant the school would not have the capacity to provide places to match demand.

The Director noted that, at present, in his capacity as statutory Director responsible for education, he was being obliged to approach partner boroughs to request that they enrol primary-aged City children in their schools. Whilst this option was feasible in the short term, it was not sustainable in the long term given demographic pressures in both the City and its neighbouring boroughs.

Members shared the Director’s concern and noted that the Foundation, in acting in the way in which it was described, was seemingly acting contrary to its objectives. The Board resolved to register its concerns with the Community and Children’s Services Committee and also requested the Director to consider longer term worst case contingency options should the Foundation maintain its position.

RESOLVED, that

·         The current situation concerning the proposed expansion of the Sir John Cass Foundation Primary School be noted, and

·         The concerns of the Education Board regarding the impact and nature of the decision made by the Sir John Cass Foundation on the City of London Corporation’s ability to provide statutory primary education to City children be referred also to the Community and Children’s Services Committee.