Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations.

Councillor Aaron Shotton introduced the report for reconsideration following the call-in by the Education and Youth Overview & Scrutiny Committee of Cabinet’s previous decision on John Summers High School. 

The Chief Officer (Education and Youth) detailed the background to the report and spoke of the challenges due to low pupil numbers and budget reductions.  He spoke of the increasing costs for schools for 2015/16 and 2016/17 and said that John Summers High School received funding per pupil of £5,180 which was £1,285 more than the £3,895 per pupil at Castell Alun High School.  As funding reduced, the Council would not be able to sustain this level of funding for John Summers High School without lowering the funding for other schools.  Using the existing funding formula the school could face a 16% reduction in funding over the next four years which would equate to the need to reduce teaching posts by at least 6.5 or 20% which was unsustainable.  By 2019/20 this would result in a reduction of 8.7 full time equivalent posts, or 26% of staff, if a further loss of 10% of pupil numbers based on current allocation was applied, which again was unsustainable.  The Chief Officer said that this would lead to higher pupil teacher ratios and teachers providing lessons in multiple subjects. 

On 6 August 2015, Cabinet agreed to proceed to the next stage to close John Summers High School and refer the decision to the Welsh Government (WG) Minister.  The call-in had been initiated over concerns about transition plans for pupils, transport to and from alternative schools and its cost, and the need for assurance about the future use of the site.  The issues relating to transition and transport arrangements would be resolved through a detailed planning process.  However, he added that many of the pupils from John Summers High School would be eligible for free transport under the Council’s policy and a report on this would be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee, possibly in November 2015.  The Chief Officer explained that work was being undertaken on the transition plans to develop a future model for the high schools at John Summers, Saltney, Hawarden and Connah’s Quay.  Discussions had also been undertaken with GwE, the Regional School Improvement Service, and they were in agreement with the proposal to build on collaborative working and the provision of enhanced option choices.  Transition plans had also been positively viewed by Estyn in their response to the consultation. 

The Chief Officer drew Members’ attention to paragraphs 1.17 to 1.22 which set out the key principles in relation to the Council’s responsibility to support individual vulnerable learners through a period of change and transition.  The principle of support needed to be extended to all learners at John Summers High School through the period of change and a commitment had been given to undertake this. 

The Chief Executive commented that two of the three issues that had been raised at the call-in had been addressed (transition plans and transport)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65