Report to:                    Lead Member for Education and Inclusion, Special Educational Needs and Disability

Date:                           13 December 2021

By:                               Director of Children’s Services

Title of report:              Change of age range at Cradle Hill Community Primary School

Purpose of report:       To seek Lead Member approval to lower the age range at Cradle Hill Community Primary School from 4-11 to 2-11.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

The Lead Member is recommended to approve a change of age range at Cradle Hill Community Primary School from 4-11 to 2-11 with effect from 1 April 2022.

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1          Background

1.1       On 7 October 2019 a decision was taken by the Lead Member for Children and Families to de-designate 14 Children’s Centres as part of the Revised Children’s Services Early Help Strategy in East Sussex.  One of the 14 de-designated Children’s Centre buildings is located on the Cradle Hill Community Primary School (Cradle Hill) site in Seaford.  A private nursery previously operated from the building, providing early years and childcare for families in the area, however, the provider gave notice to cease trading in early 2020.   

1.2       The Cradle Hill governing board wishes to lower the school’s age range from 4- 11 to 2-11 with effect from 1 April 2022 to re-establish nursery provision on the site and provide for families who wish to access funded early years provision in the area. By providing a nursery on site, the former Children’s Centre building would continue to offer services for 0–5-year-olds, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the original Department for Education (DfE) grant funding used to construct the building.

1.3       The governing board’s vision is to integrate, fully, nursery provision into the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) within the school. The governing board wishes to offer high quality early education to families in the local area, delivered by experienced and well-trained staff across the EYFS. The aim is to build on the work already done by the school to secure good outcomes for all children in the future.

2          Supporting information

2.1       The governing board undertook a period of consultation between 10 May and 14 June 2021 on a proposal to lower the school’s age range.  The governing board consulted with staff, families of children at the school, the local community, and other interested parties. 

2.2       By the close of the consultation period 14 responses had been received, all of which were positive and in support of the proposal.

2.3       In developing its proposal, the school also undertook a local needs survey.  From the 74 responses received, 84% said they would consider using a nursery on the Cradle Hill site.

2.4       On 13 September 2021, the Lead Member for Education and Inclusion, Special Educational Needs and Disability considered the outcome of the consultation and approved the publication of a statutory notice to lower the school’s age range from 4-11 to 2- 11.  The statutory notice and full proposal were published on East Sussex County Councils  website on 15 October 2021.  The notice was also published in the Sussex Express newspaper and posted on the entrances to the school.

2.5       Publication of the statutory proposal was followed by a four-week period of representation, when further comments or objections could be made to the local authority.  By the end of the representation period no comments or objections had been received.

3.         Factors to be considered by the decision maker and types of decision

3.1       Proposed changes to the organisation of maintained schools have to follow a prescribed process established by the School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2013.  The process set out above complied with these requirements.

3.2       The regulations set out a number of factors to which the Lead Member should have regard before making a final decision on the proposal.  These are set out in Appendix 1.

4.         Conclusion and reasons for recommendations

4.1       The proposal to lower the age range at Cradle Hill Community Primary School from 4-11 to 2-11 would enable nursery provision to be re-established on the school site.  It would support the governing board’s vision to integrate, fully, nursery provision into the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to offer high quality early education to families in the local area.

4.2       Feedback from the initial consultation was positive, with all respondents supportive of the proposal.  A local needs survey also indicated local support for nursery provision on the school site.  No comments or objections were received during the representation period following publication of the statutory proposal.

4.3 For these reasons the Lead Member is recommended to authorise a change of age range at Cradle Hill Community Primary School from 4-11 to 2-11 with effect from 1 April 2022.

ALISON JEFFERY
Director of Children’s Services

Contact Officer: Gary Langford
Tel. No. 07584 262521
Email: gary.langford@eastsussex.gov.uk

LOCAL MEMBERS

Councillor Sam Adeniji

Appendix 1

The Lead Member for Education and Inclusion, Special Educational Needs and Disability should have regard to the following factors before reaching a final decision on the proposed change of age range from 4-11 to 2-11 at Cradle Hill Community Primary School.

1.1	Are the proposals related to other published proposals?	The proposal to lower the age range at Cradle Hill Community Primary School from 4-11 to 2-11 is not related to other published proposals.
1.2	Is conditional approval being sought for the proposal?	No
1.3	Was a statutory consultation carried out prior to the publication of notices?	A 4-week period of consultation was carried out between 10 May and 14 June 2021. By the close of the consultation period 14 responses had been received, all of which were positive and in support of the proposal.  Respondents made the following comments: · Two mentioned that it would benefit the local community, especially working parents. · Four stated that it would be easy to have one pick up and drop off for all children. · One said that it would benefit the children and speed along social skills. · Three mentioned that it would help transition from nursery to school “familiar with school environment”. · One referenced the strong foundation for early learning and transition. In developing its proposal, the school also undertook a local needs survey. From the 74 responses received, 84% said they would consider using a nursery on the Cradle Hill site, 12% said they were unsure and 4% said they wouldn’t.
1.4	Did the published notice comply with statutory requirements?	The notice was published in accordance with the prescribed process established by the School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2013.
1.5	How will the proposal affect education standards and diversity of provision?	The local authority does not believe the proposal would have a negative impact on other providers, schools and academies in the surrounding area.  The aim of the proposal is to re-establish nursery provision on the site and provide for families in the local area who wish to access funded early years provision.
1.6	How will the proposal affect the proposed admission arrangements for the school?	The proposal would not affect the admission arrangements of the school, which would remain as published.
1.7	Has due regard under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) been given to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations?	The local authority does not believe there are any barriers to equality arising from the proposal.  No potential equality issues were identified by stakeholders during either the initial consultation or the subsequent representation period following the publication of the statutory proposal.  The local authority believes the proposal would have a positive impact as nursery provision would once again be available for children aged 2-4 in the local area who require a place. Further, by integrating, fully, nursery provision into the EYFS within the school, the governing board wishes to ensure that it continues to support the local area and to offer high quality early education for all, delivered by experienced and well-trained staff across the EYFS. This would build on the work already done by the school to secure good outcomes for all children in the future.
1.8	Will the proposal have an impact on community cohesion?	The local authority believes that the proposal would enhance community cohesion by enabling the governing board to offer funded places to two, three and four year olds in the local area.
1.9	Will the proposal have an impact on travel and accessibility?	The local authority does not believe the proposal would have an impact on travel and accessibility as the aim of the proposal is to re-establish nursery provision on the site and provide for families in the local area who wish to access funded early years provision.
1.10	Has capital funding been identified and secured to enable the proposals to be implemented?	No capital funding is required to implement the proposal.
1.11	Have any particular issues or objections been raised during the representation period which could directly affect the proposal?	By the close of the representation period no comments or objections to the proposal had been received.