To receive a report from the Director for Education Standards, Quality, and Performance.

The Head of Education Places, Access, and Vulnerable Children spoke to the report which outlined the Councils approach to school place planning in the borough and was shared as part of the agenda.

The Head of Education Places, Access and Vulnerable Children shared key statistics and information from the report. Firstly, the Council had secured significant amounts of education contributions through section 106 agreements in areas where large levels of development was taking place. This contributed to basic need money which the Council receives from the Department for Education (DfE). Pupil forecasting and accuracy remained strong. Furthermore, regarding entry to reception, 94% of children received first school preference. The Committee were referred to decreasing birth rates in Trafford, which would result in less need for primary school places in some areas of the Borough. However, the Committee were informed that this was expected to be offset in other areas of the borough due to migration into Trafford, with significant spikes of in year school applications in 2020/21 and 2021/22.

Secondly, the Head of Education Places, Access and Vulnerable Children spoke of the pressures of sufficiency for places at secondary schools in the borough, which was especially an issue in the Central and South of the borough. This was seen in the number of first choice schools offered to young people and families (75%) being much lower than the national levels (82%). The strategy to support families on this issue in recent years had been to provide tailored advice, to make sure that they apply for all their local non-selective schools, so to protect as many places as possible for Trafford residents. The Committee were informed that this had largely been a successful position.

Finally, the Head of Education Places, Access and Vulnerable Children highlighted access to selective schools from out of borough families, with this seeing a 1% increase in 2023, with 363 children in year seven. In non-selective schools there were ninety-four out of borough children in schools in Trafford in year seven. The Head of Education Places, Access and Vulnerable Children did mention to the Committee that there were 211 Trafford residents choosing to access schools outside of the Borough. Reassurance was given that the Council was confident in the strategies in place to protect as many places as possible for Trafford residents.

The Committee were offered to ask any questions.

Councillor Duncan asked how the Council prioritises school preference. The Head of Education Places, Access and Vulnerable Children responded that parental preference was the priority, with the highest possible preference offered as they could. The Director of Education Standards, Quality, and Performance added that when looking at sufficiency planning and whether further places were required, this data had helped to support the generating of further funding.

Councillor Deakin enquired whether section 106 agreements included in the report were for the financial year to date and if the discrepancy between the amount taken for primary and the amount taken for secondary could be explained. The Head of Education Places, Access and Vulnerable Children responded that it was not measured to a financial year, rather a cumulative total since the Council had been using its current methodology. They added that the difference was from the methodology used to calculate the numbers and was linked to the surplus number of secondary places in three schools in Partington, Stretford and Flixton.

Councillor Procter’s first question referred to section 1.4 of the report and priority to remove vertically grouped classes and asked why due to the benefits for children of different abilities being grouped together. The Director of Education Standards, Quality, and Performance responded that funding arrangements that inform a school budget could be complex and as such may not have been the best option in terms of staffing a school. It was further added that it also had its operational issues.

Secondly Councillor Procter asked why the expansion of Davyhulme Primary school was being kept as a future option, when a commitment was made in the planning of nearby Trafford Waters to build a school.  The Head of Education Places, Access and Vulnerable Children responded that planning permission for the school was now approved 9 years ago and was still something being worked through, with several changes made to projections of pupil place planning in this time. She added that the planning was for a single-entry primary school, something the DfE no longer did due to financial challenges, and concluded that strategic thinking was to be needed moving forward when considering the school in Trafford Waters. The Director of Education Standards, Quality, and Performance added that feasibility of expansion was considered for all schools and that was why Davyhulme was considered at the time. Reassurance was given that this was only an option, and not something to progress unless they really had to.

Councillor Sutton asked whether Willow’s Primary school’s intervention space would be reopened as the use of Broomwood for this ended that year. The Head of Education Places, Access and Vulnerable Children responded that additional classroom had been achieved in the short term and a decision would be made at the end of March depending on capacity.

Councillor Ennis asked if there was data to support a new school in South of the borough due to proposed expansions forthcoming in the area. The Head of Education Places, Access and Vulnerable Children responded that the Council had explored creating a new school in the South, but this did not currently meet the necessity. The Director of Education Standards, Quality, and Performance added that to build the smallest of secondary schools, you need demand of 750 places and when discussions were had with the DfE it was determined that the demand was not there. However, Director of Education Standards, Quality, and Performance did mention that feasibility was constantly taking place in the South of the borough. The Executive Member for Children and Young People added that consistent lobbying took place with the DfE, which was unsuccessful.

Councillor Paul asked where the increased demand for school places from developments in New Carrington and Timperley wedge would attend and if there were any statistics on this. The Head of Education Places, Access and Vulnerable Children responded that regarding New Carrington, a full and detailed analysis had been done with an expansion of Broadoak expected to deal with the issue. She also mentioned that there was an appetite to expand the three primary schools in the area, however, with the time the development will take, these plans were likely to be down the line. Regarding Timperley wedge, the lowest rising birth rates were in the area, so the plan would be to utilise the projected surpluses.

The Chair thanked the officers for the report.

          RESOLVED: That the report be noted.