Agenda item

Report of the Director for Children’s Services. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families.

 

To seek agreement to commence a statutory consultation on the options for the future of Tiverton Primary School.

Cllr Hakata left the room (7.00pm)

 

The Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Schools introduced the report which set out options for the future of Tiverton Primary School and sought agreement from the Cabinet to commence consultation on these options. The reasons for this decision were set out as follows:

 

-       Continued fall in demand for school places in PA3, Tiverton was currently operating as a 1fe primary school. Prior to 2020, the school had a published admission number (PAN) of 60. This was reduced to 30 from September 2020 to align with demand.

 

-       The school now had 176 children on roll as of September 2024, a reduction by 50%. This is owing to in-year movement and a larger cohort of Year 6 pupils that have transitioned to secondary school and a smaller cohort of only 25 pupils that starting in Reception.

 

-       Falling school rolls results in reduced funding and means that extremely difficult for a school to remain financially viable when pupil numbers are falling as most school funding is pupil-based in line with the School’s National Funding Formula. Unused or vacant school places created an immediate cost pressure for a school through a reduced budget, which in turn can affect the overall sustainability and quality of education standards.

 

-       Concerns stemming from the internal audit report issued to Tiverton Primary School in June 2024, which provided an overall assurance rating of ‘Limited Assurance’. There were serious weaknesses identified in key financial processes which places the school at risk of longer-term financial viability. The school is under a licensed deficit scheme and is receiving support from the local authority to help it achieve a balanced financial position, however, it still remains at risk of unviability due to falling rolls.

 

The Cabinet Member advised Cabinet the views of governors from Tiverton Primary as well as other local schools would be sought. The school’s team would be gathering feedback on the proposals from parents and staff and other stakeholders that may be impacted by any of options that may be progressed.

 

In proposing the options set out in the attached report, careful consideration and weight had been given to:

 

a)         the financial viability of Tiverton Primary School if it were to remain open;

b)         the opportunity for another primary school to federate with Tiverton Primary School and whether this could lead to a sustainable solution;

c)         whether any other school in the local area might be willing to amalgamate with Tiverton Primary and has the physical capacity to accommodate all the displaced pupils onto its site;

d)         whether Seven Sisters as the nearest community school with the same type and characteristic as Tiverton Primary School was the best possible option for an amalgamation

e)         whether or not there would be sufficient primary school places in the local area that could provide a suitable alternative for displaced pupils

 

Whilst options for the future of the school were being considered, the Cabinet Member emphasised that the Council remained firmly committed to ensuring that all pupils on roll were receiving an excellent education that supported them in reaching their potential. Senior leaders and governors were robustly addressing educational standards with support from the Council’s school improvement partner, Haringey Education Partnership (HEP). Nevertheless, a consultation on the options for the school’s future has been triggered by a lack of demand for places at the school against a backdrop of falling demand in PA3 coupled with concerns about the long term financial viability of the school.

 

In response to questions from Cllr Barnes, the following was noted.

 

-       Regarding whether there were more schools facing similar serious weaknesses identified in key financial processes which placed the school at risk of longer term financial viability, it was noted that governors have a key strategic role to make sure that they had an understanding of the number of pupils  coming through to the school. The Council were working proactively with schools to help them with this and there was some census data also collated to help schools understand how the changes in local population may affect the budget that’s potentially available for to them to staff the school. In addition, the Council were supporting schools understand what a reduced income would mean such as the need to reduce their overall costs.

 

-       The schools team were making sure of support to governors to do strategic planning and there were schools that the Council were working with who were facing difficulties but a vast majority of them had a recovery plan which indicated that they would be able to get themselves back to a balanced position.

 

-       In considering school place planning, the Council were supporting schools with the use of place planning data and existing place planning forecasts. This was compiled once a year and through the school organisation plan. This was used to identify where there may be more risks. As set out in the report, the current context being responded to was a projected surplus across the borough of 18% surplus.

 

 

 

RESOLVED

 

To agree to commence consultation on the options for the future of Tiverton Primary School, including the options of ‘no change’, federation, amalgamation or closure.

 

Reasons for decision

 

 

Tiverton is a substantive two-form entry (fe) community primary school maintained by the local authority. The school is located at Pulford Road, N15 6SP and sits within Planning Area 3 (PA3) ³ which incorporates the following wards: Hermitage & Gardens, St Ann’s, 50% of Harringay, 50% of Seven Sisters and 40% of South Tottenham and includes the following primary schools: Chestnuts, Crowland, Seven Sisters, South Harringay, St Ann’s CE, St John Vianney RC, St Mary’s RC Infant, St Ignatius RC and West Green. 

 

Tiverton Primary School amalgamated with the former Stamford Hill Primary School in September 2020 with the Stamford Hill site closing on 31 August 2020. Tiverton Primary School was graded ‘Requires Improvement’ when inspected by Ofsted in June 2023. Previously it had been graded as ‘Good’ at a full inspection in May 2018. 

 

Due to a continued fall in demand for school places in PA3, Tiverton is currently operating as a 1fe primary school. Prior to 2020, the school had a published admission number (PAN)⁴ of 60. This was reduced to 30 from September 2020 to align with demand.  

 

Over several years, the pupil roll at Tiverton Primary School has significantly fallen. The 2017 May census recorded the school as having 352 pupils on roll and the school now has 176 children on roll as of September 2024, a reduction by 50%. This is owing to in-year movement and a larger cohort of Year 6 pupils that have transitioned to secondary school and a smaller cohort of only 25 pupils that starting in Reception.  

 

As previously mentioned, school funding is primarily determined by the number of children on roll, and falling rolls equate to reduced funding. It is extremely difficult for a school to remain financially viable when pupil numbers are falling as most school funding is pupil-based in line with the School’s National Funding Formula. Unused or vacant school places create an immediate cost pressure for a school through a reduced budget, which in turn can affect the overall sustainability and quality of education standards.  

 

As well as the issue of falling rolls impacting on Tiverton Primary School, the Council has concerns stemming from the internal audit report issued to Tiverton Primary School in June 2024, which provided an overall assurance rating of ‘Limited Assurance’. There were serious weaknesses identified in key financial processes which places the school at risk of longer term financial viability. The school is under a licensed deficit scheme and is receiving support from the local authority to help it achieve a balanced financial position, however, it still remains at risk of unviability due to falling rolls.  

 

The purpose of this report is to seek agreement from Cabinet to consult on the options for the future of Tiverton Primary School. We will be seeking the views of governors from Tiverton Primary as well as other local schools and also gathering feedback on the proposals from parents and staff and other stakeholders that may be impacted by any of options that may be progressed. Further detail on which groups and stakeholders we will be consulting with is set out at para. 6.58.  

 

In proposing the options set out in this report, careful consideration and weight has been given to:  

 

a)    the financial viability of Tiverton Primary School if it were to remain open;  

b)    the opportunity for another primary school to federate with Tiverton Primary School and whether this could lead to a sustainable solution; 

c)    whether any other school in the local area might be willing to amalgamate with Tiverton Primary and has the physical capacity to accommodate all the displaced pupils onto its site;  

d)    whether Seven Sisters⁵ as the nearest community school with the same type and characteristic as Tiverton Primary School is the best possible option for an amalgamation 

e)    whether or not there would be sufficient primary school places in the local area that could provide a suitable alternative for displaced pupils  

 

Whilst options for the future of the school are being considered, the Council remains firmly committed to ensuring that all pupils on roll are receiving an excellent education that supports them in reaching their potential. Senior leaders and governors are robustly addressing educational standards with support from the Council’s school improvement partner, Haringey Education Partnership (HEP). Nevertheless, a consultation on the options for the school’s future has been triggered by a lack of demand for places at the school against a backdrop of falling demand in PA3 coupled with concerns about the long term financial viability of the school.   

 

 

Alternative options considered

 

 

The following options have been considered and will be presented to stakeholders for their views as part of the consultation:  

 

-       no change i.e. continuation of current strategy for school improvement without any further action to address falling local rolls 

-       Federation  

-       amalgamation resulting in the closure of Tiverton Primary School with the displaced pupils being accommodated by another community school 

-       whether Seven Sisters as the nearest community school with the same type and characteristics as Tiverton Primary could be the best option for an amalgamation/merger  

-       Closure  

 

No change and continuation of current strategy - This is a highly cost-inefficient option and is not sustainable. The school has a deficit budget and there is a significant risk that the deficit balance will increase at a greater rate due to falling rolls. The Council has a responsibility to ensure the efficient use of public money.  

 

A school with falling rolls will have significantly less funding and this directly 

affects staffing numbers (both teaching and support staff), resources, 

equipment, expenditure, maintenance work and extracurricular activities for 

children. In time, a school affected by income loss will almost inevitably see 

performance and standards fall. It is the duty of the Council to ensure that the quality of education for children, and stability for teaching and support staff, take priority. The operational challenges affecting schools with falling rolls will continue to increase with a negative impact on pupils and no systemic solution.  

 

Pupils require access to a broad and balanced curriculum. The school leadership is currently addressing standards issues with support provided by school improvement partners at HEP, however, this option is not recommended as it does not provide a long-term sustainable solution to falling local demand, and further, leaves other local schools vulnerable because of the current and projected surplus of places across PA3. Furthermore, taking no action to the issues affecting a school with falling rolls is not an acceptable option available to the Council. 

 

Federation – In considering federation, there must be clear benefits that such an arrangement would bring for children including, but not limited to raising standards, improving the breadth and depth of education delivery and increasing opportunities for outstanding outcomes. Federated schools operate in collaboration with each other, sharing senior staff and possibly governing bodies, which allows them to maximise good educational practice, while achieving economies of scale.  

Federation would require full commitment from the schools involved and a shared vision for the development of the federation. For this option to be feasible, Tiverton Primary School would be required to work with the local authority to identify another school that would see the benefits in federation.  

With low numbers of pupils on roll and uncertainty regarding its future, it is highly unlikely that another school would deem it viable to federate with Tiverton Primary School. To date, there has been no appetite expressed by any school to federate with Tiverton primary.  

 

Although the Council has a role in supporting schools to explore federation, federation is ultimately a decision made independently by the governing bodies of schools. This option is not recommended because under a federation, schools would remain as separate organisations, and this would not address the decline in numbers on roll at Tiverton Primary or the risk of financial unviability.  

 

Amalgamation – this would result in the closure of Tiverton Primary with the displaced pupils being accommodated by another school  

 

An amalgamation can only be achieved by closing one or more schools and 

providing spaces for displaced children in another ‘host’ school. This option 

would involve the host school retaining its original DfE school number as it is 

not technically considered a new school. However, following the 

amalgamation process, governors have the option to rename the school to 

create a new identity for the merged schools. 

 

Closure - The local authority has a statutory duty to ensure the efficient use of resources. Maintaining a school with a declining roll could not be considered efficient given that there are surplus places in other local schools. The DfE advises that school closure decisions should be taken when there is no demand for the school in the medium to long term and there are sufficient places elsewhere to accommodate displaced children.  

 

A school closure would see a school cease to exist as a statutory entity with all displaced children taking places in other local schools. School closures can take the form of a full and immediate closure, whereby all children on roll are supported to find places in other local schools, or the closure can be ‘staggered’. A full and immediate closure of Tiverton is a viable option but would require all pupils on roll to join the roll of another school. There are sufficient primary school places in the local area that can provide a suitable alternative for displaced pupils.  

 

A staggered closure option would cease the admission of children into reception each year until all remaining children have worked their way through to year 6, at which time the school would close. While this may be a less disruptive option for some families, it significantly increases the financial burden and further damages the quality of education at the school as pupils do not benefit from the mixing of year groups they would usually experience. A staggered closure option would therefore not be recommended in this case.