Agenda item

(Report of the Director of Children’s Services – to be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Children). The report seeks approval to commence consultation with regard to the closure of the school.

Cabinet considered a report that sought approval to commence consultation on the closure of John Loughborough School.

A deputation was received from Mr Samuel, Acting Chair of the school’s Board of Governors.

Mr Samuel noted that whilst he understood the Council’s concerns with regard to the school’s performance the school had taken significant steps to improve performance over the last two years. These included the employment of a consultant head teacher, with a track record of driving up standards of performance in failing schools, and bringing in teachers with special expertise in Maths to improve standards in that specific area.

Mr Samuel noted that John Loughborough School had a strong Christian ethos and that in addition to providing a good education it also aimed to equip pupils with skills that would enable them to make a significant contribution to society.

Mr Samuel raised concern with regard to the impact that the closure of the school would have upon existing pupils and noted that whilst he appreciated that the Council had a duty to ensure that children in the Borough were provided with the highest standards of education, the disruption and impact upon children at the school also had to be considered.

In conclusion Mr Samuel noted that he hoped that the school and the Council could work together to continue to improve standards at the school and to support the school in its application for Academy status.

The Leader thanked Mr Samuel for his deputation and invited Cabinet Members to put questions to him.

In response to a question, with regard to the falling school roll and the decline in the number of parents and pupils selecting the school as their first preference, Mr Samuel advised that since the school had been placed under special measures by Ofsted in 2009 there had been an understandable fall in the school roll. However, he considered that the steps that the school had taken to drive up standards had made a positive impact and that if the school and the Council continued to work together this would improve further.

The Cabinet Member for Children thanked Mr Samuel for his deputation and acknowledged the work that the school had undertaken to improve its performance. Whilst she understood the school’s position in wanting more time to improve its performance further, she noted that as part of a recent review it had been concluded that the school was only financially viable if it continued to receive extensive and sustained support from the Seventh Day Adventist South of England Conference. Therefore the school was not financially viable from the Council’s perspective.

The Cabinet Member for Children noted that the Council recognised the unique Christian ethos of the school and the emphasis that it placed on its pupil’s spiritual development. However, this was not a sufficient reason not to consider closure against a backdrop of failing education standards and attainment.

In conclusion the Cabinet Member for Children noted that no decision would be made with regard to the closure of the school until the first round of consultation had been undertaken and that all of the views and material evidence received would be taken into account before the final decision was made.

It was noted that the Council was not only concerned about the school’s ability to provide the right quality of education but also its financial viability and the value for money it represented. As set out in the report there would be a parallel process whereby South of England Conference of Seventh Day Adventists would work to identify a sponsor that could overcome the challenges the school faced and to support it in becoming an Academy. 

In response to a question it was clarified that it was the Secretary of State, not the Council, which would consider the school’s application for Academy status. In terms of the process moving forward it was noted that if the recommendations were agreed by Cabinet this would begin a process of consultation with the school, parents and pupils, after which there would be consideration of the views gathered. The Cabinet Member for Children and the Director of Children’s Services would then determine whether a statutory notice, proposing the closure of the school should be issued. As set out in the report the issuing of the statutory notice would represent the start of a six week representation period after which a report would be submitted to Cabinet for it to make the final decision as to whether the school should be closed.

The Leader reiterated that the Council would not proceed with consultation on the closure of the school if the Secretary of State approved an application for Academy status. 

RESOLVED:

1. That, following careful consideration of the under performance of John Loughborough School and the lack of success in attempts to create sustained improvement from other methods of intervention, consultation on the closure of the school should commence.

2. That the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, in consultation with the Director of Children’s Services, should be authorised to determine whether to issue a Statutory Notice proposing closure, following the completion of the consultation period. The issuing of a Statutory Notice would mark the start of a six week representation period, following which the final decision on the future of the school would be taken by Cabinet.

3. That, in parallel with this process, the South of England Conference of Seventh Day Adventists (SEC) would work to identify a sponsor that was confident that they could overcome the challenges identified in the review and support the school to become an Academy. The Local Authority would terminate consultation on school closure if the Secretary of State entered into Academy arrangements following any approval for an Academy application by SEC for the school.