Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Deputy Leader of the Council & Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education.

In January 2022 St Mary’s RC Primary School, Heaton Norris received an inadequate judgement from OFSTED and was placed into special measures. As a consequence of being placed into special measures the Diocese of Salford were issued an Academy Order under paragraph 10, schedule 1 of the Academies Act 2010.

The Diocese of Salford have notified Stockport Council (Appendix 1) that they believe St Mary’s RC Primary School, Heaton Norris, to be unviable and as such have requested to work with the Council to start the statutory proceedings to close the school.

Stockport Council has a statutory duty to ensure there are sufficient primary and secondary school places and is committed to working in close partnership with schools, academy trusts, diocesan leads, and key partners to ensure that the supply of school places across Stockport is in the right location, is of sufficient size, is viable and of good quality.

Despite this being a voluntary aided school it is the Council who is the responsible body for initiating proceedings to close the school. It is recommended that proceedings start without delay to engage and consult with the community and other critical stakeholders.

The Cabinet is recommended to:-

(1) Commit to public engagement and consultation over whether the Council should publish a statutory proposal to formally close the school

(2) Delegate authority to the Council’s Chief Executive, Corporate Director for People, and Director of Education to determine whether the Council should proceed to stage 2 and 3 of the Statutory process (as described in Section 8.2), ‘Publication’ and ‘Representation’.

Officer contact: Christopher Harland on 0161 521 1707 or email: christopher.harland@stockport.gov.uk

The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education (Councillor Wendy Meikle) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) noting that in January 2022 St Mary’s RC Primary School, Heaton Norris received an inadequate judgement from OFSTED and was placed into special measures.

It was further noted that as a consequence of being placed into special measures, the Diocese of Salford were issued an Academy Order under the Academies Act 2010.  Subsequently, the Diocese of Salford notified Stockport Council that they believed St Mary’s RC Primary School, Heaton Norris, to be unviable and as such had requested to work with the Council to start the statutory proceedings to close the school.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         It was stated that the proposal to close St Mary’s RC Primary School had come from the Diocese of Salford, however the council had the statutory responsibility for initiating proceedings to close the school.

·         It was noted that pupil numbers at the school were relatively low and significantly below capacity.

·         Approximately 23% of pupils at the school were catholic.

RESOLVED - (1) That approval be given to the undertaking of public engagement and consultation over whether the Council should publish a statutory proposal to formally close the school.

(2) That authority be delegated to the Council’s Chief Executive, Corporate Director for People, and Director of Education to determine whether the Council should proceed to stage 2 and 3 of the Statutory process (as described in Section 8.2 of the report), ‘Publication’ and ‘Representation’.

To consider a report of the Director of Children’s Services.

The report provides details relating to the St Mary’s RC Primary School, Heaton Norris that received an inadequate judgement from OFSTED and was placed into special measures in January 2022. As a consequence of being placed into special measures the Diocese of Salford were issued an Academy Order under paragraph 10, schedule 1 of the Academies Act 2010.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to: -

a)    Comment on and note the report; and

b)    Commit to public engagement and consultation over whether the Council should publish a statutory proposal to formally close the school.

Officer contact: Christopher Harland, 0161 521 1707 or email christopher.harland@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Children’s Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing details relating to the St Mary’s RC Primary School, Heaton Norris that received an inadequate judgement from OFSTED and was placed into special measures in January 2022. As a consequence of being placed into special measures the Diocese of Salford were issued an Academy Order under paragraph 10, schedule 1 of the Academies Act 2010.

The Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education (Councillor Wendy Meikle) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

The Director of Children’s Services informed the Committee that there were a few errors in the report identified by St Mary’s School which would be corrected prior to the report being submitted to Cabinet as follows: -

·       The PAN is actually 168 rather than 210 as stated in the report.

·       The finances referred to in the report would be reviewed in advance of submission to Cabinet.

·       The percentages that follow the PAN in the report will also need to be corrected prior to submission to Cabinet.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·       Clarification was sought regarding the role of a voluntary aided school. In response, it was stated that a voluntary aided school in which a foundation or trust contribute to the building cost and has an influence in the running of the school.

·       Members enquired about future planning and how decisions would be taken to avoid these situations. In response, it was stated that the Government guidance advises it to become an Academy, but the Diocese don’t want it to become an Academy.

·       It was stated that the planning area of St Mary’s has a surplus of places of about 13% in the area.

·       Clarification was sought regarding the 23% of the current population of St Mary’s were catholic and were the choices of parents being protected. In response, through the consultation process it would be to listen to those parents and manage the admission process and their parental preferences.

·       Questions were asked about the consultation process and how wide it would be across the Town Centre. In response, it was stated that the consultation would be conducted across the St Mary’s planning area which includes the Town Centre.

·       Members enquired about the timescales involved. In response, it was noted that the final decision would be taken at the March 2023 Cabinet meeting.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) The Director of Children’s Services be asked to review the report and make the following amendments before submission to the next Cabinet meeting: -

(i)              The PAN is 168 and not 210 as stated in the report.

(ii)             The finances to be reviewed and any errors to be amended

(iii)           The percentages that relate to the PAN need to be reviewed.