Agenda item

Outcomes of Consultation on Proposals for the Coquet Partnership

This report sets out the analysis of feedback from consultation on proposals for schools in the Coquet Partnership to reorganise to a 2-tier (primary/secondary) system of education. It also sets out an analysis of the feedback on the proposal to provide additional specialist SEND places to meet the growing need for places for children and young people diagnosed with a primary need of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs (SEMH) within the Coquet Partnership area.

Cabinet approved consultation in the light of both the feedback received from the Governing Bodies in the Coquet Partnership and the proposed investment of £25.5m in school buildings in the partnership. Cabinet is now asked to permit the publication of a Statutory Proposal setting out proposals to reorganise schools (excluding NCEA Warkworth Primary which is already a primary school) in the Coquet Partnership within a 2-tier (primary/secondary) structure, and to permit the publication of a Statutory Proposal to increase the number of pupils at Barndale House Special School through the expansion of the school onto an additional site in Amble.

If the Statutory Proposals are approved for publication, Cabinet would need to make a final decision on the proposals within two months of the end of the representation period (Appendix A).

Outcomes of Consultation on Proposals for the Coquet Partnership 

RESOLVED that:-

(a) the feedback from the informal (non-statutory Consultation) be noted;

(b) Cabinet note that consultation that took place between 11 May and 29 June, summarised at paras. 18 to 26 of the report;

(c ) Cabinet agree to permit the publication of a Statutory Proposal setting out the intention of the Council to implement the proposals as follows:

Extend the age range of Amble First School from an age 4-9 first school to an age 4-11 primary school and relocate the school building with effect from 1 September 2024;

Extend the age range of Amble Links First School from an age 2-9 first school to an age 2-11 primary school and expand the school in accordance with table 5 of the report building with effect from 1 September 2024;

Extend the age range of Broomhill First School from an age 3-9 first school to an age 3-11 primary school and expand the school building with effect from 1 September 2024;

Extend the age range of Red Row First School from an age 3-9 first school to an age 3-11 primary school and expand the school building with effect from 1 September 2024;

Reduce the age range of James Calvert Spence College from an age 9-18 school to an age 11-18 secondary school with effect from 1 September 2025;

 (d) Cabinet agree to permit the publication of a Statutory Proposal setting out the intention of the Council to increase the number of pupil places at Barndale House Special School by 50 places for children and young people diagnosed with special educational needs, primarily those with ASD, SEMH, Speech Language and Communication (SLCN) and Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD) through the addition of a satellite site in the current South Avenue site of JCSC.   It was noted that this was a standalone proposal and was not dependent on the outcome of the decision in relation to the proposals for the first schools and JCSC set out at recommendation (c);

(e ) Cabinet note that it has previously approved capital investment in the Medium Term Plan to replace/refurbish the buildings of JCSC on its current site, and therefore the preferred building solutions and the associated indicative capital costs of the proposals set out in recommendations c) to f) set out in para. 55 of the report be noted, and that the Medium Term Plan will need to be increased by £11.1m to accommodate these capital costs as detailed in para. 55 of the report.  Cabinet also noted that £2m of the additional funding required from MTFP will be achieved by reducing the budget for Astley as detailed in para. 55 of the report;

(f) Cabinet note that the outcomes of the publication of the Statutory Proposals will be brought back to Cabinet within 2 months of the date of their publication for a final decision; and

(g) the report of the FACS OSC be noted.