Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for People.

The report presents data for the Department of Education (DFE) statistical return that illustrates how the significantly larger cohorts of children currently in primary phase will advance into secondary provision. The report also presents information on a longer local analysis of numbers that is a departure from the DfE statistical modelling but one that illustrates the situation for 2021-2028.

The Scrutiny Committee are invited to consider and comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Stephen Bell on Tel: 474 3846 or email: stephen.bell@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for People submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) explaining how the significantly larger cohorts of children currently in primary phase education will advance into secondary provision in the immediate years ahead. The report also provides a longer range local analysis of numbers that is a departure from the DfE statistical modelling but one that illustrates the situation for 2021-2028.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Councillors noted that over the course of the past five years, the primary school population had increased rapidly. From a low of 22,000 in 2008 when the incoming Reception cohort was 2,800 the expected Reception cohort in September 2015 was 3,550. This increase was not divided equally across the borough with large numbers in the Heatons and across Cheadle and Cheadle Hulme.

·         As the larger primary numbers roll forward into the secondary sector there will be increased pressure on schools and Stockport will quickly have no capacity.

·         The large cohorts in the forthcoming years expected in Manchester may also place added pressure on secondary numbers in Stockport. Those schools on the Stockport/Manchester border – Kingsway, Priestnall, Reddish Vale, St Anne’s RC High may come under significant pressure.

·         Councillors commented that the ambition to create at least 7,000 new homes in Stockport over forthcoming years would further exacerbate the problem especially as at this moment it time it would not possible to predict where those homes would be built.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.