Comment on HCC plans to expand primary schools in St Albans

Chris White commented this morning about the expansion of school place provision in St Albans.

‘I am glad that county is now taking some action – but it is frankly too little too late. I began campaigning on this in 2006 and was told that HCC were not sure there was a problem.

‘Now they do admit there is a problem. But we still need a new 2 form entry primary school and the Tories are taking far too long to find a suitable site. Perhaps they should for once involve local councillors on the ground who know the situation. Some of us would point out that there is a suitable site – the one that Tesco has had its eye on for some time.’

What is county saying about primary school places?

I am being asked this quite a lot. Below is the most comprehensive briefing note to hand. As you can see, they are now admitting that there is a need for a new school – which I first asked for in 2006, only to be told that there was no evidence that there was a problem. Even though I am glad they now admit that I was right, there is still no sense of urgency – despite that fact that there is an obvious site – namely the land bordered by Alma, London, Lattimore and Bedford Roads, which Tesco has its eye on.

Interestingly, the same problem has now cropped up two years on in Watford, showing that county have not learned anything about the limitations of their forecasting systems.

# In December 2006 an increase in the number of reception age children in St Albans was identified once applications for 2007-08 had been received.
# As a response to this, capacity was provided in 2007 through provision of temporary buildings for 1 f.e [one form of entry] for one year only at each of Maple, St Peters and Aboyne Lodge schools.
# Investigation of the forecast and raw data sets showed that the demand for schools places would be sustained, and that in the long term an additional 4 FE would be required to provide sufficient capacity in the city. In parallel, work was undertaken to identify school sites which could accommodate a permanent increase of 1FE and to identify any non-school sites which could accommodate a new primary school.
# This work identified only three schools in the city which could expand by 1 FE (Bernards Heath, Mandeville and Margaret Wix). As such, in 2008-09 1 fe of additional capacity was provided at Bernard’s Heath Infant School, which will need to flow through the Junior School in due course, and we are going through due process for this is to become permanent.
# In the same year we also raised Mandeville School by 1 fe temporarily and are moving to make that permanent too.
# There was no opportunity to implement an alternative solution within the timescale available, even if a site had been identified (which it was not).
# This has met a need within and around the centre of St Albans but there remains a need to find another 2 f.e. preferably to the west of, and around Aboyne Lodge School.
# Colleagues continue to talk to district council officers about site potential and this will form part of the on going LDF process.
# In the absence of that solution so far, we have proposed temporary increases of 1 f.e. each at Cunningham Hill Infants and Margaret Wix for 2010. While this isn’t in that location they are on the edge of the central area within the city where the greatest demand is being experienced.
# We’ll be keeping a sharp eye on levels of need when our next forecast is produced

Six forms suffer major losses through funding error

I have received this information from the county council concerning the shortfall in schools funding.

Revised 16 to 18 funding allocations and their impact on schools

1. Background – National Context

1.1 Schools received a provisional funding allocation for sixth form provision in February of this year. This allocation, which was broadly confirmed early in March, was based on schools’ existing sixth form numbers, from the October 2008 student count.

1.2 The March letter to schools, from the LSC [Learning and Skills Council], indicated that these provisional allocations were dependent upon the Department providing additional funding to meet the consolidated numbers which are running ahead of the level of funding allocated to the LSC from the DCSF [Department for Children, Schools and Families]. Early indications from the DCSF were that steps were being taken to find the additional money to at least fund schools on their October count. However, it has become clear in the last few days that this additional money has not been forthcoming. As a consequence, the DCSF has informed the LSC that it must reduce the funding to schools and colleges. This means that schools with sixth forms (all of Hertfordshire’s Schools) will have their post-16 budgets cut by 3.71%. This is particularly problematic as school budgets have already been set for the new financial year.

1.3 A wide variety of national and regional groups are actively lobbying the DCSF and Treasury to release the money needed to fully fund the number of young people due to take up post 16 education in September 2009.

2. Impact on Hertfordshire’s Schools

2.1 The overall impact on Hertfordshire’s schools is significant. The total shortfall for the academic year 2009/10 will be a little over £3.8m.

2.2 The table below summarises the impact on Hertfordshire’s schools.

Level of the unexpected reduction in funding for the academic year 2009/10

up to £25k: 13 schools
£25k to £50k: 33 schools
£50k to £100k: 24 schools
£100k plus: 5 schools

Schools meeting sets tasks for county council

Around 70 parents attended the meeting about school places in the Alban Arena on Monday night. Parents were able to give vent to their frustrations with the system direct to county council officials. Various key themes emerged, including:
– Concern about the performance of some local secondary schools
– Concern over the continuing interest list (and particularly whether t was appropriate for someone who had got a place allocated to them to continue to have priority on the list over those who had received none of their ranked applications)
– Concern over specific operations of the siblings rule (and whether it was fair for parents who had moved to continue to benefit from the operations of the siblings rule)
– Concern of the effect of distance criteria on those in villages.
I hope that the county council will make available a full set of minutes in due course.

In the meantime I have asked the Administration to ensure that the meet with SABLE, the organisation which expresses concerns over the lack of primary school places.

School places worry?

Secondary transfer allocations have again caused worries this year. There are many more city centre children who have not been allocated a place of their choice than last year.

Leaving aside the simple political issue of why the county council allows this to happen in St Albans and south west herts year after year, here is some simple advice:
– DO appeal
– DON’T turn down a place offered by the county council: you may need it if all else fails (and accepting wlll not affect your appeal)
– DO appeal for more than one school: this again will not prejudice your chances of succeeding for one of the schools
– DO put your child on the continuing interest list.

If you need more detailed advice contact your COUNTY councillor (the district council has no role in education). If you are unsure of who your county councillor is feel free to contact me and I will tell or find out for you.

CALL FOR MORE ATTENTION TO SCHOOL FIRE PRECAUTIONS

In the light of two recent fires in schools, the latest in Verulam School in
St Albans, Liberal Democrat councillors have called upon schools and the
county council to work closely on fire safety.

Liberal Democrat Leader Chris White said: ‘There are some disturbing reports
from around the county. In more than one school fire alarms have not been
audible in all parts of the building.

‘The governors have a responsibility to ensure that the school is safe and
should seek advice from the county council’s fire and rescue department. The
county council also needs to step up its health and safety audits so that
there are no more serious incidents.’

ENDS