·         Provision of sufficient school places in Merton

·         The changing national landscape for education and Merton’s work with schools in the borough

1.    Provision of sufficient school places in Merton:

Paul Ballatt, Assistant Director for Commissioning, Strategy and Performance, introduced the item; provision of sufficient school places is one of the council’s key statutory duties and currently the council is operating in the context of demographic growth.  An appropriate increase in primary places has been achieved with expansion now focused on secondary and special school places.

In response to member questions, officers clarified:

·         Brexit may have a future impact on demand for school places in Merton.  Currently, it is hard to know what this might be but it may have an affect on Merton’s child population as well as labour costs for school development.  There was agreement that it will be important for the department to continue to consider Brexit and its implication on school place provision;

·         The council’s preference is to provide additional school places itself.  However, requirements mean that any new school has to be either an Academy or a Free School.  Parents want choice in school type.  The department has a good relationship with Harris and it provides a strong brand and focus on science and arts.  The borough already has other Academy providers and one school is now in a Multi Academy Trust.  In the future, decisions about Academy providers will focus on provision of a mixed economy of school types;

·         Electoral Commission constituency boundary changes will not affect the geographical boundaries of the borough and therefore have no affect on consideration of school place provision;

·         Harris Wimbledon will be its own admissions authority.  Its policy isn’t yet confirmed but it will be determined by distance from the school with some nodal points to the west of Wimbledon;

·         The projected increase in surplus primary places in excess of the level advised by the Audit Commission is now being revised downwards as birth rate projections are again increasing.  This demonstrates the complexities of school place forecasting.  Planning for further increases in school places is in place but not yet realised reflecting on-going changes to forecasts.  This has resulted in a reduced call on the council’s capital programme;

·         The Free School programme is focused on diversity of provision as opposed to school place demand.  There is therefore a risk that a new Free School in Merton would result in excess school places destabilising school provision.  However, there is some comfort in there being little or no land available in the borough to feasibly provide any additional schools, especially over and above the planned Harris Wimbledon school - this has been demonstrated by the difficulties encountered finding a location for Harris Wimbledon;

·         The Education Funding Authority is undertaking to fund the majority of the cost of Harris Wimbledon including the on-costs of relocating those services currently occupying the required site and also the development of the temporary site at Whatley Avenue.  The council has to make some contribution to the costs because the school is fulfilling some of the council’s ‘basic need’ provision.  However, the EFA’s commitment means the costs to the council have decreased considerably down from around £30m (if the council had to fully fund a school) to around £8 – 10m which represents good value for money for the council.  Merton’s commitment will be met through the capital programme, spread over a number of years; and

·         Harris Federation does provide some SEN provision in Merton (including SEN primary ARP).The benefit of the recent school expansion programme is that developments have all focused on inclusion and making schools more accessible.

2.    The changing national landscape for education and Merton’s work with schools in the borough:

Jane McSherry, Assistant Director of Education, introduced this item: the department will be working with the Merton family of schools over the next 12 months to explore maintaining the role of the council in providing school improvement services, (whilst forced Academisation is no longer the policy this is still the direction of travel).  Schools are being encouraged to formalise their relationships and models for maintaining the involvement of the council in school improvement are being researched.  The commitment is to support all and not leave any school/children behind.  A steering group has been established on which heads and chairs of governing boards sit.

In response to member questions, officers clarified:

·         Whilst the council will be able to maintain its support for school improvement over the next two to three years, the worry is what happens in five to ten.  There is a need to be realistic that funding for school improvement is diminishing and there will be less ability to support schools where needed.  Schools are being encouraged to work together to develop resilience.  It is hoped partnerships and structures can be further developed now that will maintain the family of schools ethos across Merton;

·         A local authority can only comprise 20% of a multi academy trust.  This would mean excluding some schools.  This is therefore being explored by the steering group;

·         The Government’s policy is still evolving and it isn’t clear how it will be delivered.  It’s important that the department continues to research the options; and

·         The role of the Regional School Commissions is focused on approving academies including multi academy trusts and stepping in where any academy is failing.  They don’t have a remit around school improvement.  Inner and outer London is covered by a number of Commissioners.  Merton falls into the remit of the Commissioner for South East England and South London.

Colin Powell, co-opted representative and Director of Education at The Diocese of Southwark, highlighted the importance of the forthcoming consultation on the fair school funding formula.  He expressed his concern that fair funding would ultimately mean less funding for London boroughs including Merton which would undermine the success of the Merton family of schools.

RESOLVED: To accept the two reports.