Agenda item

The Cabinet Member for Education and Skills explained that the Regional Schools Commissioner had allowed Pershore High School to take year 7 pupils from September 2021 with an intake of 90, while continuing with a year 8 intake for the majority of pupils. The County Council agreed, in principle, to a change of age range within the Pershore Pyramid, to a two-tier system. The schools and Multi-Academy Trusts within the Pyramid supported the consultation in order to move to a consistent education system in the area. 78% of respondents to the consultation agreed with the proposal to move to a two-tier system. It was clarified that the County Council supported the change in age range and would fund changes to LA maintained schools, subject to relevant funding for expanding Pershore High School being identified.

A Cabinet Member who was also a Local Member for part of the Pershore Area Pyramid, explained that although there were still sufficient places in Middle Schools, standards were at risk of falling as parents were showing a preference for their children to be schooled in a two-tier system leading to difficulties for those schools in retaining teachers.

A member from outside the Cabinet queried whether it was normal practice to start a consultation regarding changes which did not have funding agreed. In response it was explained that consultation was an important step in the process to gauge support for proposals and to help develop ideas. It was pointed out that if funding was always in place for projects before consultation occurred, the Council could be accused of pre-determination. The Cabinet was assured that the process had been carried out properly and the change was requested by the schools themselves.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

(a)    noted the findings of the pre-publication Consultation undertaken in October – November 2021 as outlined in paragraphs 27 – 29 of the agenda report;

(b)    agreed a commitment in principle to support a collective change of age range to align schools in the Pershore Education Planning Area (EPA) to a single, two-tier (primary and secondary) system of education subject to funding being fully secured; 

(c)    recommended officers to continue to work with all partners including schools, Multi-Academy Trusts and the Department for Education to identify a collective solution to fund the changes required;

(d)    agreed that until a collective solution for funding the whole pyramid age range changes is identified, Cabinet cannot take proposals for LA Maintained schools forward; and

(e)    agreed that the critical milestones (see paragraphs 62 & 63 of the agenda report) for changes from September 2024 are not going to be viable unless funding is identified by September 2022 and changes are likely to be made from September 2025 at the earliest subject to funding.